Toro Defense
Patented Positive Fusion Tool Tracking
Patented Positive Fusion Tool Tracking
Team Toro's partner, Gould Southern, a subsidiary of Stephen Gould, created and patented Positive Fusion, a revolutionary asset-tracking software/hardware solution. Initially developed as a tool control system for aviation maintenance, Positive Fusion is proving to have an array of practical applications across dozens of industries.
What sets Positive Fusion apart from other asset tracking solutions is its adaptability. Positive Fusion can work with a company’s existing systems and be gradually rolled out over time. It allows the use of multiple tracking technologies such as Passive RFID, Ultra-Wideband Technology (Active RFID), and GPS. From the start, it was clear that this flexibility gave Positive Fusion the potential for numerous commercial and industrial applications beyond aviation maintenance.
Positive Fusion’s software dashboards provide up-to-the-minute status and location of all assets and make several reports available to view any historical records. By increasing automation, the system minimizes human error that leads to lost assets.
Positive Fusion also dramatically streamlines the end-user experience by giving technicians the ability to instantly assign and return assets. With Positive Fusion, the assignment process does not require a technician to touch a computer and to return items. They just have to bring the tool(s) back to their designated “home zone.”
The first implementation of Positive Fusion was at an aerospace maintenance facility with nearly 200 technicians. The facility had an existing tool control system, but its limitations were apparent. Each hangar had one tool distribution area with a single-entry point, creating long lines and congestion. System data was often inaccurate and slow to update. Tools went missing for weeks without notice until there was a manual audit. All of this was costing the facility time and money.
Team Toro's partner, Stephen Gould, resolved these issues by pairing Positive Fusion’s software with custom hardware tailored to the facility’s needs. The central distribution area was replaced with several “hot” tables for tool storage and distribution. Each table contains an RFID reader that constantly scans tools while they sit in their designated locations. Administrators now have instant insights into tool status and technicians can easily access tools. The mobile tables can be positioned next to aircraft during repairs, increasing efficiency and saving time.
Since Positive Fusion’s deployment at the facility, only one item has been lost, which the company concluded to be a user error. Overall tool assignment and return transaction times have dropped from thirty minutes per shift to just seven minutes. The estimated cost savings from these improvements have had a substantial impact on the facility’s bottom line.
