View this webinar sponsored by AIM Global, “A Partnership in Precision” on Tego’s YouTube channel here.
Manufacturers often struggle with tracking the tools, carts, fixtures, and high-value assets that keep their operations moving. These issues usually lead to a familiar story: tools go missing, information lives in too many systems, and teams spend valuable time searching for items that should be easy to find. These delays disrupt work, increase stress, and quietly erode performance.
One of our aerospace MRO customers faced this exact challenge. Their operation depends on specialized tools used to refurbish jet engine components. Each tool supports a critical part of the workflow and can cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. When even one tool went missing, production slowed, maintenance schedules shifted, and teams had to rely on costly workarounds.
The customer needed more than a spreadsheet or a disconnected homegrown system. They needed a durable, automated, and dependable way to identify each tool, track its lifecycle, and know its location at any moment.
Building the Right Solution, Together
Our Project Development Director, L. Caesar, began by meeting with the customer to fully understand their pain points. These challenges included misplaced tools, incomplete maintenance records, and the burden of working with siloed operational systems.
To design the right solution, Tego partnered with John Fitzsimmons and Jack Ward at Metalcraft, a long-trusted manufacturer known for producing rugged RFID tags that perform well in harsh environments.
It was a natural collaboration. Metalcraft provided durable identification solutions that could survive demanding aerospace conditions. Tego provided the software intelligence needed to transform this tag data into something actionable.
Together, we built a system that combined Metalcraft’s reliable RFID tags with TegoHub, our platform for real-time location data and digital-twin visibility. TegoHub unified tool data so teams could see where each tool was, how it had been used, and whether any MRO action was required.
With this solution in place, finding a tool became faster. Understanding its history became automatic. Tracking it through the workflow became something teams could count on instead of something they hoped would work.
The Results: Less Searching, More Certainty
The customer gained a system that held up in demanding aerospace environments and provided a stable long-term foundation for tool tracking and operational visibility. Field teams accessed tool information quickly and with confidence. Financial losses decreased. Labor stoppages caused by misplaced tools dropped by 40 percent.
Most importantly, the production team trusted the information they received. Their data was now automated, consistent, and accessible across the operation.
A Model for Strong Technology Partnerships
This project reflects a core belief we have about industrial transformation. Real progress happens when technology partners combine their expertise with a clear focus on solving the customer’s actual business problem.
Metalcraft delivered durability and reliable identification. Tego delivered the software intelligence that turned tag data into real-time operational insight. Together, this partnership created a meaningful and lasting improvement in operational precision.
If your organization is struggling to maintain visibility across tools, equipment, or WIP, our team can help you explore what a custom solution might look like.
