(Date) 2018: Improved tool management, due to greater control, access, and traceability, is now available through a new app and equipment tracker from Milwaukee, distributed locally by leading supplier Upat.

The ONE-KEY™ app is a digital platform for tools and equipment that allows users to customise, track, and manage their power tools. The app, a free-to-use inventory management program, is available for download for iOS and Android devices.

The Tick is a Bluetooth-enabled tool and equipment tracker that can be strapped onto just about anything that needs to be tracked, including non-Milwaukee products. It is a once-off purchase, with the tracking functionality provided free-of-charge via the ONE-KEY™ app.

While some power tool manufacturers do offer a single digital inventory system, ONE-KEY™ takes this a step further in the industry with the addition of tracking functionality. It is cloud-based, using Bluetooth to detect any tool within a 30-m radius by a device that has the app installed.

Milwaukee Product Specialist Werner Koch explains that the app updates the tool’s last recorded position. Therefore, if a tool goes missing, the user simply has to open the app to learn the date and time that the tool was last located. As soon as the tool comes within range of a ONE-KEY™-enabled device, it tool will turn itself off, which is an important security feature.

The app user also receives a notification when the tool is within range, and its whereabouts. Once it is recovered, it can simply be reactivated on the app, whereafter it can be used again within minutes. Additional benefits include an inventory management function, which can be used for an entire store or even a vehicle, encompassing everything from toolboxes to screwdrivers, stepladders, and power tools.

Entering a secure area requires submission of a tool list, which can be confirmed by the ONE-KEY™ app. “A plumber or electrician can log all the tools they are using at a project on the app, which allows for easier inventory management. Tools can also be assigned to specific users, which ensures individual accountability,” Koch highlights.

The ONE-KEY™ app even allows for ONE-KEY™-enabled tools to be customised for specific applications, which allows repetitive tasks to be carried out more efficiently. For example, differing torque and speed required for drilling or cutting into mild steel, aluminium, wood, or stainless can be predetermined.

“All of these features available through the ONE-KEY™ app extend the lifespan of tools and accessories, as they are used more efficiently; increase productivity; and reduce power consumption, as there is less battery drain,” Koch concludes.