To enable the industry to track gas process parameters, analyze gas consumption and identify gas leaks and over-consumption, InduSuiteTM, ESAB’s platform of software applications for welding, cutting and robotics, has introduced FloCloud, a gas monitoring software solution. FloCloud combines GCE’s® trusted brand of gas control products with InduSuite’s proven WeldCloud software application platform to build a gas manifold with Mesh WiFi enabled pressure and flow sensors that communicate data to the FloCloud online application.
FloCloud features an easy-to-use analytics dashboard and reporting system that tracks every end user point and sends notifications if gas pressure drops or if gas flow is outside of WPS (Weld Procedure Specification) parameters, improving real-time data and reducing the need for manual checks.
Additionally, FloCloud tracks complete gas consumption per welding job, per welding operator and per overall project. This information is valuable for cost analysis and job estimating by easily allocating gas cost to a specific job/project to be more competitive in quotes and more profitable in projects. Knowing exactly how much gas is used within the gas supply system also helps regulate preventative maintenance to replace seals and other consumables.
“Fabricators and manufacturers struggle with high gas consumption and have limited knowledge on how much gas is wasted in leaks and overuse,” says Jon Hofmann, Director of Product Management Digital Solutions, InduSuite, an ESAB brand. “Additionally, our customers asked for a tool that provides cost analysis on gas consumption so that they can bid jobs accurately. FloCloud can solve these issues and provide an immediate ROI.”
InduSuite customers with early access to FloCloud have seen the following advantages:
- Stopping leaks and over-consumption saved a large gas consumer in the petrochemical industry more than €1 million on its gas spend and more than 240,000 l (8,475 cu. ft.) in welding gas use.
- Another customer was losing €6,000 per day by shutting the line down to swap gas cylinders. With FloCloud’s tracking mechanism and knowing exactly how much gas is needed per job, the user now never runs out of gas in the middle of a shift and cylinder swaps are completed during scheduled breaks or shift changes.
FloCloud is built to withstand rigorous environments for mid- to high-volume gas users, which include gas distribution companies, welding in oil, gas and petrochemical operations, shipyard and off-shore applications, manufacturers of transportation, construction, mining and agricultural equipment with future offerings coming for specialty gases in food and beverage, hospital and laboratory applications.
To learn more about this new gas monitoring solution, visit FloCloud (indusuite.com).
