Parker Tracking System (PTS) is for all new Parker-manufactured OEM and distributor assemblies that the company makes. PTS provides fast, accurate and convenient hose assembly replacement regardless of where or when the original assembly was made. This global asset tagging and identification system has two key components. First, PTS features a unique and visual alphanumeric identification label (Figure 1). The second component is a powerful Web-based software system that is accessed securely through the Internet. The new PTS program eliminates the need for customers to first remove old hoses before a new assembly can be made, thus making “call ahead” or “site delivery” options possible. The result is additional machine uptime that can dramatically improve the customer’s operational efficiency and bottom line.

1. Global Asset Tagging & Identification System
for Hydraulic Hose Assemblies
William E. Sayavich, Business Development Manager
Parker Hannifin Corporation, Hose Products Division
wsayavich@parker.com
INTRODUCTION
Parker’s Hose Products Division headquartered in Cleveland,
Ohio, launched the Parker Tracking System (PTS) in October
2009. The system is for all new Parker-manufactured OEM and
distributor assemblies that the company makes. PTS provides
fast, accurate and convenient hose assembly replacement
regardless of where or when the original assembly was made.
This global asset tagging and identification system has two
key components. First, PTS features a unique and visual
alphanumeric identification label (Figure 1). Using one of several
billion random and unique codes, no two hose assemblies will
ever share the same PTS number. This enables authorized
distributors to quickly and accurately replace a hose assembly
just by using the PTS identification number found on the label.
Barcodes and optional RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
technologies are used to enhance identification and reduce
errors. The PTS database can be accessed securely for
component level detail and other key data that Parker or
the customer may include within the electronic record. This
information may include such detail as VIN, vehicle or model
information, hose installation or port information as well as
other data the assembly owner or OEM may want to include.
The labels are generated by specially selected printers and are
affixed to each hose assembly at the time it is made.
The second component is a powerful Web-based software
system that is accessed securely through the Internet.
The new PTS program eliminates the need for customers to
first remove old hoses before a new assembly can be made,
thus making “call ahead” or “site delivery” options possible.
The result is additional machine uptime that can dramatically
improve the customer’s operational efficiency and bottom line.
Parker Tracking System (PTS) White Paper No.101
1
Figure 1 – PTS standardized labels with Parker’s unique
identification number.

2. CONTENTS PAGE
Parker Tracking System (PTS) Detail .................................................................... 3
PTS Product Features .......................................................................................... 3
Captured Information............................................................................................ 3
PTS Web-based Database Engine........................................................................ 3
PTS Labels and Associated Hardware.................................................................. 3
Research and Testing ........................................................................................... 4
Value-In-Use ........................................................................................................... 4
Equipment Users.................................................................................................. 4
Value Example...................................................................................................... 5
Parker OEM Customers........................................................................................ 5
Application Example – Australia’s Mining Standard ............................................... 5
More Information..................................................................................................... 6
Parker’s Winovation Process ................................................................................. 6
About Parker’s Hose Products Division................................................................ 6
2
Parker Tracking System (PTS)
Global Asset Tagging and Identification System
for Hydraulic Hose Assemblies

3. 3
PARKER TRACKING SYSTEM (PTS) DETAIL
PTS Product Features
Historically, the only way to secure an accurate replacement
hose assembly was for the customer to bring the entire
assembly to a store, and for a counter technician to “make an
educated judgment” as to the necessary components. Worn
part numbers or incomplete assemblies made replacement
more difficult and time consuming.
With PTS, replacement hose assemblies can be made
using only the unique ID number found on the PTS label
(Figure 2). Customers can even call ahead with their PTS ID
and the distributor can retrieve the assembly details including
hose and fitting part numbers, assembly length, optional
sleeving and accessories.
The Parker Tracking System has the ability to:
Capture, record and recall all pertinent hose assembly
information – on demand
Provide fast, accurate and timely identification and
replacement of assemblies – regardless of where the
original assembly was made; this eliminates the need
to remove hoses prior to replacement
Provide critical machine uptime and a more conveniently
scheduled repair
Provide phone-in replacement order convenience, making
faster site delivery (not site repair) possible
Document the date and cause of replacement; compile and
report results
Offer data analysis to help drive preventive
maintenance programs
Customize the label with kit or assembly instructions
Captured Information
Component detail and other key data that Parker has within its
system are automatically loaded into the PTS database. This
information includes:
Customer information and part number
Bill of materials – hose, fittings, accessories, etc
Kit numbers, assembly instructions or industry certifications
With PTS, additional features include:
Inventory management
Asset tracking
Warranty verification
Assembly verification
Failure analysis reporting
MRO
Original equipment performance assurances
Protection against counterfeiting
The unique 8-digit alphanumeric identification code on
U.S.-produced labels is fully compatible with PTS systems
installed at Parker distributors throughout 18 countries in
Europe, the Middle East and Africa since 2007. As such,
PTS is a true global solution for Parker customers and
OEM business partners.
PTS Web-based Database Engine
The PTS software application is a powerful Web-based
database engine accessible securely by Parker, its OEM
business partners and distributors around the world. What
makes the Parker system unique is that it is not only an
in-house tagging and tracking system; Parker’s global
distributor network and its OEM business partners will also
use PTS for the assemblies they make in-house.
PTS Labels and Associated Hardware
Parker partnered with a prominent global manufacturer
to develop a proprietary label that would withstand the
wide variety of conditions to which hoses are subjected.
Figure 2 – Distributors can quickly retrieve replacement
information with a barcode reader or users can call-in the
ID number.

4. 4
All PTS labels are standardized with both readable text as
well as barcodes for Parker’s unique ID number and the
customer’s part number (Figure 3). The labels can also be
offered with EPC Global compliant Gen 2 RFID tags that have
been specially engineered to provide outstanding read/write
performance using both handheld and fixed devices. The RFID
labels are also engineered to withstand the same severe
environmental conditions as the barcode labels.
The labels are generated using select Zebra printers and RFID
encoders. Motorola RFID and Barcode readers are part of the
PTS system (Figure 4). Research was conducted to carefully
match every aspect of the system including the labels, printers
and even the printer ribbons. PTS labels are printed with
a thermal process (not ink), which is rated for 10 years of
UV protection.
Research and Testing
PTS labels and the affixing adhesive were performance tested
in three separate laboratories including Parker’s state-of-the-
art materials lab in Wickliffe, Ohio. Label materials were tested
for extreme cold, heat, UV and moisture along with a number
of fluid types including fuel, hydraulic fluid, water, Skydrol®
and
others. Additionally, lab staff tested each label with equipment
that simulates a variety of aging and extreme conditions. Labels
were also submerged in heated hydraulic fluids for extended
time periods to ensure continued adhesion and readability.
VALUE-IN-USE
Equipment Users
For owners and operators, the value is measured and received
in the speed, timing and accuracy of securing a replacement
hose assembly. Speed in material and component identifica-
tion is realized using the PTS ID number (Figure 5). Much like a
fingerprint, no two ID numbers are alike.
Timing is improved as the replacement hose assembly can
be ordered and secured prior to the original assembly being
removed. This means that a job site can continue to operate
while a necessary replacement is ordered; furthermore, that
replacement can be scheduled during a more convenient
maintenance interval with the replacement already on hand.
Replacement accuracy is ensured, since replacing a
PTS-tagged assembly recalls the entire original bill of
material, including any accessories that are to be included
such as guards or sleeving (which may have fallen off during
use) as well as cleaning specifications, fitting orientation
angles and more.Figure 4 – PTS label printer and barcode reader.
Figure 5 – Phone-in replacement
orders make site delivery possible.
Figure 3 – Customized information can be added
to the PTS label.
PTS Label Breakdown

5. 5
Value Example
Parker estimates that the addition of a PTS label can save
a customer at least 15 minutes of downtime (simply stated
as the time spent waiting in a store, or as the additional time
spent in first removing an assembly before proceeding with
the repair).
If the average cost of labor and machine downtime is
calculated at the low end of $60 per hour, PTS can save the
customer $15 in direct productivity losses.
For customers with multiple, untimely failures per month, this
can add up to considerable savings. Many customers have
documented downtime of two to three hours or more due to
hydraulic hose failure, and at labor and loss productivity rates
of up to $500 per hour or more. In such circumstances, PTS
can be invaluable in helping to ensure maximum machine or
vehicle uptime.
Parker OEM Customers
For Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the benefits
include the ability to deliver to their customers a more intuitive
and traceable fluid conveyance system. It is easy to overlook
the value of a hose assembly – until a failure occurs. Customers
can incur thousands of dollars in lost productivity from a single
failed assembly. In addition, the PTS tag captures an assembly
creation date to help the OEM determine the validation of a
warranty.
An additional potential benefit is hose failure analysis. If,
for example, the PTS database shows that an OEM has
experienced a significant number of hose failures within a
given month, the OEM can be alerted to this fact immediately.
In pinpointing a spike in failures for a specific type of hose on
a particular machine, it is further possible to predict the cause
of future failures and deploy a solution proactively rather than
reactively.
For instance, upon inspection, the OEM may find the failed
hose is in close proximity to another hose and during machine
operation, the hoses rub against one another. The OEM can
now make an appropriate design modification – be it re-routing
one of the hoses or adding an abrasion-resistant sleeve to the
failure-prone hose – before the problem becomes increasingly
complex and costly.
Failure information is also extremely valuable to OEMs because
it allows them to guarantee longer run time. If, for example, a
machine can run 5% longer before required repairs, the value to
the customer is significant.
Application Example – Australia’s New Mining Standard
Requirement
This new safety standard for Australia’s mining industry
requires that a hose assembly be physically inspected every
12 months to ensure that it is still in good working condition.
The standard also requires hose replacement at the five-year
benchmark. With the hose manufacture and install dates in
the PTS database, the user will be able to receive an alert that
specific hoses on a machine located in a particular section of
the mine are due for their annual inspection in the next several
days, or that it is time for the hose to be replaced.
A mining machine may have 30 hoses in the immediate prox-
imity of a hose targeted for inspection; PTS technology
will make it easy to identify the right hose with a positive
match, eliminating the possibility of inspecting or replacing
the wrong hose.
$60 (hour) divided by 4 (15 min.) =
$15 per 15-minute interval of downtime

6. © 2010 Parker Hannifin Corporation 1/2010
Parker Hannifin Corporation
Hose Products Division
30240 Lakeland Blvd.
Wickliffe, OH 44092
United States
direct 440 943 5700
fax 440 943 3129
www.parker.com
www.parkerhose.com
MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about the Parker Tracking System, visit
www.parker.com/pts or contact Parker Hannifin Corporation,
Hose Products Division, at 440-943-5700.
PARKER’S WINOVATION PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and
control technologies, launched “Winovation” in 2003 as a
standardized corporate-wide process for product development.
Based on an adaptation of the stage-gate practice, Winovation
brings together cross-functional business management teams –
including “alpha” customers – that meet regularly with R&D
leaders to measure the progress of R&D initiatives against
specific business metrics. The Parker Global Asset Tagging
and Identification System is a solid testament to the success
that can be achieved through Parker’s Winovation process.
ABOUT PARKER’S HOSE PRODUCTS DIVISION
The Hose Products Division is a unit of Parker Hannifin
Corporation’s Fluid Connectors Group. The Group,
headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world’s leading
producer of tube fittings, rubber and thermoplastic hose
and fittings, brass fittings and valves, quick-connect
couplings and assembly tools.