Matrix™ Total Fluid Management System- delivers wireless inventory management for vehicle service applications

Graco Inc., known for the design and manufacture of lubrication equipment for machinery and vehicles, announces that its Matrix® Total Fluid Management System™ controls expenses and manages fluid inventory for a range of vehicle service applications. Suitable for use in automotive, heavy truck, heavy equipment, and municipality and fleet service garages, the Matrix system tracks and monitors dispenses and manages tank inventory of bulk oils, coolant, antifreeze, and other fluids.

The Matrix system is composed of Graco software, a transceiver to facilitate wireless connection over the secure, proprietary Graco wireless network, dispense meters, pump air control, and tank level monitors. Using this system, vehicle service providers can effectively manage their fluid inventory, ensure the proper amount of fluid is dispensed, and create a record of each dispense. Additionally, Matrix allows shop managers to define user privileges and security levels to access and ensure accountability for each fill and dispense.

“With Matrix, service shops are able to automatically generate records for each fluid dispense job, noting which technician performed the dispense, precisely how much of which fluid was dispensed, the date and time, what work order it was tied to, and even where in the shop this dispense took place,” said Paul Treml, Matrix Business Development Manager at Graco. “This complete record not only allows service shops to confidently answer any customer questions, but also it leads to top internal quality control and an unprecedented level of access to inventory and dispense data.”

With tank-level monitoring, shops can even program automatic alerts when fluid is low, and automatically set the Matrix system to re-order fluid or schedule waste pickup when necessary. Matrix is capable of interfacing with leading dealer-management systems, allowing for automatic billing, workflow improvements, and further efficiencies.

Installation of Matrix is simpler and less costly than competing systems, given that its wireless setup makes installation far less labor-intensive than that of wired systems.