Lube Plus Inc. Saves Time and Headaches with TankScan
May, 10 2022
Case Studies
Lube Plus Inc.
Lube Plus Inc. is a trusted supplier of high-performance oils, fluids, and industrial products across Texas and Oklahoma. They offer bulk delivery and a variety of industrial equipment. Known for their one-stop-shop approach and responsive service, Lube Plus helps customers keep operations running without interruption.
Applications: Hydraulic Fluid and ATF
Market: Industrial Fluid Management
Challenge
Lube Plus Inc. faced challenges in managing inventory across their customer sites. The customer tanks are located far from their facility, making manual checks time-consuming and inefficient. Prior to using TankScan, they relied on last-minute calls from customers or physical visits to determine fluid levels. This occasionally resulted in emergency delivery runs when tanks ran dry.
“We were searching for a solution to view tank levels online, and we found TankScan. They were very responsive and helpful with getting us the right product for our tanks”, said Ernie, President.
Manually checking fluid levels in remote tanks is time-consuming and risky. Climbing tanks to measure inventory with a dipstick not only increases labor costs but also poses safety hazards. By implementing remote tank monitoring, companies can eliminate unnecessary site visits, reduce operational costs, and optimize delivery routes. Key priorities for Lube Plus include eliminating wasted trips, maximizing the volume of hydraulic fluid delivered per visit, and maintaining a reliable service schedule.
“We’re buying another unit for a new customer because they recently called us and said, ‘We’re out of oil!’. Knowing that a tank is getting low before it runs empty saves us grief and work”, said Ernie, President.
Solution
In 2022, Lube Plus Inc. installed the TankScan TSPS120 submersible pressure level sensor on a 2,000-gallon AW-32 hydraulic fluid tank in Madill, Oklahoma. The remote monitoring system leverages existing wireless cellular infrastructure and a cloud software application to eliminate large startup and setup costs associated with typical SCADA systems. The install requires screwing the monitor into a 2” port on the top of the tank and applying a magnet to wake up the device. The cloud application is set up remotely and offers unlimited users, historical trending, and email/text notifications.
“We’re buying another unit for a new customer because they recently called us and said, ‘We’re out of oil!’. Knowing that a tank is getting low before it runs empty saves us grief and work”, said Ernie, President.
The tank levels are viewed from the field operator’s cell phone or from a PC at a remote office. The system is cost-effective due to its use of existing infrastructures through internet connectivity, internet browser, email, text message, and cloud computing. The user is provided with accurate readings to devices he already owns, understands, and supports.
Results
Lube Plus Inc. has seen numerous benefits from remote level monitoring, including:
• Reduced labor and overhead associated with trips to customer sites to fill up tanks
• Improved customer service by preventing run-outs
• Saved time and reduced stress for their field operations team
• Improved safety by eliminating the need to climb the tanks
“The installation was straightforward and simple. If we have a question, we get it answered in a timely manner. When we need another sensor, we get it in a timely manner. TankScan saves us time, and it saves us headaches”, said Ernie, President.