Application: RFID retrofit for existing oilfield equipment, using Tumbler 16 embedded in a small metal plate and bonded to the asset.
For this project, the installation method became a central part of RFID selection. The customer needed workers to identify equipment with handheld readers at a required distance of 1 metre. Variation in the initial installation depth and tag orientation was reported alongside inconsistent reading distance, with some installations falling short of that requirement.
The equipment and working environment
The assets included pipes, valves and tools with different metal geometries. They were used at oil drilling sites exposed to rain, oil contamination, cleaning, impact and changing temperatures. Workers used handheld readers for inventory, inspection, maintenance records and equipment movements into and out of storage.
The variety of asset shapes made field installation a practical challenge. Drilling a suitable cavity into each piece of existing equipment was cumbersome. The final approach placed the embedded tag in a small metal plate, which was then bonded to the equipment with high-strength adhesive.
What the first installation revealed
The first batch was installed in the second half of 2024. The customer reported inconsistent reading distance and identified installation depth and orientation as contributing issues. Some installed tags did not meet the required 1-metre reading distance.
This made installation consistency a project priority. The requirement concerned the finished tag-and-asset assembly, as used by workers, rather than a reading distance measured with an uninstalled tag.
The final approach: embed the tag in a mounting plate
Tumbler 16 was embedded in a small metal plate first. The plate-and-tag assembly was then bonded to the equipment with high-strength adhesive. These are two distinct attachment interfaces: the tag uses an interference fit in the plate without additional potting, while adhesive fixes the plate to the equipment.
This approach provided a consistent carrier in which to control cavity dimensions, tolerances, installation depth and tag orientation. The tag’s arrow supported orientation control, and a rubber mallet was used for the interference-fit installation.
Mechanical protection with a simpler field installation
Crepak describes the embedded metal-plate assembly as a robust arrangement that helps protect the tag against knocks and impact in this application. This is a qualitative assessment of the project construction, not a published impact-test rating.
Reduce machining and variability at the equipment
Preparing the tag cavity in the mounting plate removed the need to machine a tag-sized cavity directly into every existing asset. Users could bond the prepared plate assembly to the equipment instead. For this project, that combined consistent tag embedding and mechanical protection with easier field installation than machining the tag cavity directly into each asset.
The plate addressed consistency at the tag installation stage. The position and attachment of the complete plate assembly still need to suit the equipment and the intended handheld reading task. The 1-metre distance remains the project requirement; it is not presented here as a verified result for every final installation.
What changed in the project
Installation training had already been provided before the first batch. According to Crepak, field installation did not consistently follow the specified depth and orientation requirements. The revised approach reduced the amount of precision tag installation work that had to be performed directly on the equipment.
The handheld reader, software and reader settings remained unchanged for the second batch. The change described in this case is the Tumbler 16 mounting-plate approach, rather than the introduction of training or a reader-system upgrade.
A retrofit approach for harsh outdoor environments
The installation approach from this oilfield project is also a candidate for RFID retrofits on other existing outdoor equipment. It is particularly relevant where field drilling is difficult, knocks and impact are part of service, and consistent tag installation is important.
The embedded metal plate provides mechanical protection around the tag, while adhesive attachment reduces the need to machine the equipment itself. This offers a practical way to add identification to existing assets without performing the precision tag-embedding operation on each piece of equipment.
Suitability for another asset depends on its surface, available bonding area and service conditions. Adhesive selection, surface preparation and curing must be matched to the installation, with attachment and RFID reading checked under the intended temperature, contamination, cleaning and mechanical exposure. These broader applications are proposed uses of the approach, not additional customer deployments documented in this case.
Planning an outdoor equipment RFID retrofit
Share the asset geometry, the intended mounting location, the required handheld reading distance and any restrictions on drilling or modifying the equipment. Crepak can then assess direct embedding or a bonded tag-and-plate assembly. For a bonded installation, the adhesive, surface preparation and curing procedure need to be specified for the equipment surface and service conditions, alongside the installed-read checks.
For general planning, see the embedded RFID installation guide and the RFID validation guide. These guides support project discussion; the exact cavity and installation requirements must be defined for the selected tag and asset.
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