Automated Test Equipment Visibility & Accountability for R&D Labs

A simple, low-cost LOCUS use case any lab can deploy

R&D labs depend on shared test equipment to move development forward. Oscilloscopes, analyzers, power supplies, thermal cameras, and countless other tools travel endlessly from bench to bench. In theory, this should be easy to manage. In practice, it almost never is.

Anyone who has worked in a lab knows the daily story: engineers lose time searching for equipment, tools get borrowed without notice, and no one is fully sure what is available or where it actually sits. Inventory audits take hours. Teams sometimes reorder devices they already own. High-value instruments go missing or remain unused because their location is unclear.

Most organizations accept this as an unavoidable part of lab life. But it doesn’t need to be.

TEKTELIC developed a simple, low-cost equipment visibility solution based on the LOCUS application and LoRaWAN® technology. It is already deployed in our own R&D environment and in the labs of a major semiconductor manufacturer. It requires minimal setup, does not disrupt engineers’ workflow, and gives labs complete, accurate visibility into the movement and usage of all test equipment.

We created this article to explain how the solution works, outline the core challenge, and show the real value it delivers. You’ll also find a clear cost model, a 5-year ROI example, and a list of industries where this solution can be used immediately.

Continue reading to learn how a simple, scalable tracking system can help R&D labs operate more efficiently, reduce capital waste, and give engineers more time to innovate.

The Problem R&D Organizations Face

Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s look at the real challenge R&D labs face today and why this issue is so widespread.

R&D labs often manage thousands of shared instruments across multiple rooms, departments, and sometimes buildings. The constant movement of equipment creates ongoing problems:

• Engineers waste time searching for tools
• Equipment is borrowed informally and not returned
• Devices move between benches or labs with no record
• Departments dispute ownership or chargeback
• Teams believe equipment is “unavailable” when it’s simply misplaced
• Manual inventories take hours and disrupt work

These issues quietly reduce productivity and increase operational costs by:

• Driving unnecessary equipment purchases
• Lowering utilization of existing assets
• Delaying testing and development progress
• Increasing friction and miscommunication between teams

This is the environment where LOCUS delivers immediate value.

The LOCUS Approach: Simple, Passive, Scalable

Once we understand the problem, the next question is simple: how do we fix it without disrupting the way engineers work? That’s where LOCUS comes in.

The solution uses TEKTELIC’s LOCUS application, LoRaWAN® gateways, and low-cost asset trackers to provide automatic bench-level visibility across any lab.

How It Works (LoRaWAN® Anchor Mode)

1. LoRaWAN readers (“anchors”) at benches or zones
   Small LoRaWAN devices such as SPARROW or PELICAN are placed at each workbench or zone. They detect nearby tagged equipment.
2. Low-cost trackers on test equipment
   Compact, coin-cell trackers (around 30 × 30 × 10 mm) attach to instruments.
   • Battery life: 5–10 years
   • No maintenance required
3. A single LoRaWAN® gateway for full lab coverage
   One or two indoor gateways cover the entire lab and connect to LOCUS.
4. Automatic location, assignment, and movement history
   • LOCUS auto-assigns equipment to a bench when it is placed there
   • Detects movement of 50 cm or more
   • Sends alerts for unauthorized relocation
   • Tracks full movement history and engineer assignment
5. User-friendly LOCUS dashboard
   Lab managers see bench-level locations, assignments, and movement history — all without any manual scanning, sign-in, or changes to engineers’ workflow.

Top 10 Benefits for R&D Organizations

Now that the solution architecture is clear, let’s take a closer look at the practical benefits labs experience as soon as LOCUS is deployed.

1. Instant visibility of all test equipment
2. Automatic alerts when equipment moves without re-assignment
3. Reduced engineer downtime—no more searching
4. Digital accountability and assignment to engineers or teams
5. Accurate and fair internal chargeback
6. Higher equipment utilization from better sharing
7. Lower capital spending by avoiding unnecessary new purchases
8. No more manual equipment audits
9. Fewer delays caused by informal borrowing
10. Easy scaling across labs, buildings, or global R&D centers

Cost Model for a 10,000-Unit Deployment

With the benefits in mind, the next logical step is understanding what the solution actually costs. Here’s a simple, transparent model based on 10,000 tracked assets.

Year 1 Cost (devices, gateways, software, operation)

• ~$1.20 per asset per month
• Annual cost: ~$144,000

Years 2–5 Cost (software & operation only)

• ~$0.60 per asset per month
• Annual cost: ~$72,000

5-year total cost: ~$432,000

Which equals:

• $43.20 per unit over 5 years
• $8.64 per unit per year
• $0.72 per unit per month

Costs become even lower for larger deployments.

ROI Example for a Large R&D Lab

Knowing the costs is helpful, but what really matters is the return. The example below shows how quickly this solution pays for itself.

Assumptions

• 10,000 test equipment units
• Average unit cost: $5,000
• Total value: $50M
• 250 engineers, fully burdened at $120/hr

Annual Quantifiable Benefits

1. Recovered engineer time
   • Saving just 7 minutes/day per engineer
   • Annual value: ~$539,000
2. Reduced unnecessary equipment purchases
   • Lowering over-procurement by 25%
   • Annual value: ~$625,000
3. Eliminated manual inventories
   • Annual value: ~$19,000
4. Improved equipment utilization
   • Annual value: ~$100,000

Total annual benefit: ~$1.28M

Financial Outcome

• Year 1 cost: ~$144k
• Annual benefit: ~$1.28M

Break-even: ~1–2 months
5-year net value created: ~$6M

Industries That Can Use This Exact Same Solution

Now that we’ve seen the value and ROI, it becomes clear that this use case applies far beyond a single lab.

Many different sectors rely on shared, high-value equipment that moves frequently. A few examples:

Semiconductor & Electronics

• IC design labs, foundries, EMS, consumer electronics

Industrial, Automotive & Aerospace

• Automotive R&D, EV battery labs, aerospace, robotics, manufacturing

Telecommunications, RF & Networking

• Wireless chipset vendors, telecom manufacturers, RF test labs

Energy, Power & Materials

• Power electronics labs, renewable energy R&D, materials science

Medical, Life Sciences & Pharma

• Medical device development, biotech, pharmaceutical validation labs

Universities & Research Institutions

• Engineering labs, national research centers, innovation hubs

Conclusion

Now that we’ve explored the challenge, the solution, the benefits, the costs, and the ROI, here is what it all means for R&D organizations.

LOCUS turns shared test equipment into reliable, visible, and accountable assets without adding work for engineers or complicating lab operations. It reduces wasted time, lowers capital spending, and gives organizations confidence in how their equipment is used. With extremely low deployment cost and a payback period measured in weeks, it’s an easy and practical step toward more efficient and better-managed labs.

If your organization operates one or more R&D labs — in semiconductors, electronics, telecom, industrial engineering, or any of the sectors listed — this solution can be deployed quickly and evaluated in a single lab before expanding across sites.

If you’d like to explore how LOCUS can help your lab improve visibility and reduce costs, TEKTELIC’s team is ready to support you with a demo, cost estimate, or pilot deployment.