Degassing
The Degassing workstation is the first processing workstation. It gathers, in one place, every received unit whose product type holds a refrigerant gas to recover (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners…). For each unit, the operator records the gas recovered, its quantity and the cylinder it was transferred into — or records that there was no gas to recover, and why. The unit then moves on to the Dismantling workstation.
The workstation is designed for a tablet at the bench: large rows to tap, large buttons, QR codes read with the camera. It also works on a computer and on a phone.
Before you start
- Permission: the Degassing menu only appears if your role has the Operations › Processing › Degassing permission. Without it, the menu is hidden and the workstation's address is refused. See Roles and permissions. This permission covers everything done at the workstation: seeing the list, identifying a unit, recording or undoing a degassing, adding a new cylinder and removing a batch from inventory. It does not give access to the Dismantling workstation, which has its own permission.
- Quick access: with this permission, the home page also shows the Degassing card ("Received units to degas.") under Quick actions. See Dashboard.
- Data to prepare (by an administrator):
- at least one active material with Gas ticked, in Administration › Materials: these are the gas types offered at the workstation. See Materials;
- product types that are degassed must have Degassable ticked, in Administration › Products. Only units of these types reach the workstation. See Products;
- ideally, for each model of a degassable type, its Gas type and Gas quantity (kg): the workstation uses them to pre-fill the form;
- the cylinders, recorded as packagings in Administration › Packagings. A new cylinder can also be added straight from the workstation. See Packagings.
- Completed reception: a unit only reaches the workstation once the reception of its inbound batch is completed. See Receptions and Inbound batches.
How the workstation works
Every unit of an inbound batch follows the same path. Its status (shown as a badge on the unit screen and in the inbound batch) tells the last step it went through:
- The unit joins the Degassing list as soon as the reception of its batch is completed — whether it is already identified or not.
- At the workstation, the operator identifies it if needed (brand and model), then records the degassing or "No gas".
- The unit then leaves the degassing list and joins the list of the Dismantling workstation.
A unit whose type is not Degassable never goes through this workstation: it goes straight to dismantling.
The list of units to degas
Open Degassing in the menu. The page shows Received units to degas, oldest first.
Which units are listed
A unit is in the list when:
- its product type is Degassable;
- the reception of its inbound batch is completed;
- no degassing (and no "No gas") has been recorded for it yet.
Identified units and units still To identify are all listed. Batches stored in inventory are listed too: their location is shown, and they must be removed from inventory before their units can be processed (see Batch in inventory).
When the list is empty, the page shows No unit to degas.
What the list shows
Units are grouped by inbound batch. Each batch header shows:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Batch number | The inbound batch number (LE-…). |
| Reception number | The reception that brought in the batch. |
| Location | Only when the batch is stored in inventory: the code of its location. |
| Deadline | The batch's processing deadline. In red, preceded by a warning triangle, once it has passed (tooltip Deadline passed). |
| Counter | The number of units of the batch still to degas. |
Each unit takes up one large row:
- the category icon and the product type;
- the brand, model number and year when the unit is identified, otherwise the To identify badge;
- the expected gas and its charge, taken from the model (for example "R-134a · 0.12 kg"), when the model gives them;
- how long the unit has been waiting, for example Received 3 days ago (counted from the reception's completion).
Above the list, a summary gives the totals, for example 12 unit(s) · 3 batch(es).
The list refreshes automatically every 30 seconds: units of a reception that has just been completed appear, units a colleague has just degassed disappear.
List order
Units are listed in the order they reached the workstation, oldest first:
- batches are sorted by their oldest unit (on a tie, by batch number: LE-9 before LE-10);
- within each batch, units are sorted in the order they joined the list.
The deadline is not used for sorting: it is a visual signal.
Processing deadline
Each inbound batch gets a processing deadline when its reception is completed: June 30 of the year after the reception was completed. For example, a reception completed on March 15, 2026 gives a deadline of June 30, 2027.
From the day after that date, the date is shown in red with a warning triangle, in the batch header and on the unit's card. A unit that is already Processed is never flagged as late.
Search or scan
The search field (Batch, reception, label, brand or model) filters the list as you type. It finds a unit by batch number, reception number, product type, brand, model number or QR label. Accents and capitals do not matter.
The scan button, on the right of the field (Scan an inbound batch or a unit's label), opens the camera:
| You scan… | Result |
|---|---|
| An inbound batch's QR code | The batch number (LE-…) is put in the search, which filters the list on that number. |
| The QR label stuck on a unit | That unit's screen opens directly. If two units share the label, the most recent one opens. |
| An outbound batch's QR code | Refused: This QR code is not an inbound batch's. Scan an inbound batch label (LE-…). |
| A label no unit has | Refused: No unit has the label “…”. Identify the unit to associate its label. |
When a code is refused, the camera shows Code not accepted with the reason; tap Scan again to retry.
A handheld scanner that "types" the code into the search field works too: an inbound batch's code is replaced by its number, and a unit's exact label followed by the Enter key opens that unit.
For everything about codes and labels, see QR codes and external identifiers.
Open a unit
- In the list, tap the unit's row — or scan its QR label.
- The unit screen opens.
The unit screen contains:
- at the top, the Degassing button with an arrow (back to the list), the unit's place in the list (for example 3 of 24) and the Next button, which moves on to the next unit without recording anything (past the last one, it comes back to the units skipped; when none is left, it returns to the list);
- on the left, the unit's card: product type in large print, status badge, brand · model · year (or To identify), then Batch no., Reception (number, date and age), Location, Processing deadline and QR label. The batch number links to the inbound batch if you also have the Inbound batches permission;
- on the right, the Degassing panel, which offers the one thing to do with this unit.
On a landscape tablet, the card and the panel sit side by side; in portrait, one above the other. On a phone, everything fits in one column and the step's main button is placed in the bar at the bottom of the screen, within thumb reach.
What the right-hand panel offers depends on where the unit stands:
| Where the unit stands | What the panel offers |
|---|---|
| Not identified yet | The large Identify button. The degassing form appears once the unit is identified. |
| Identified | The Change the identification button and the degassing form. |
| Its batch is stored in inventory | A message and the Remove from inventory button (see Batch in inventory). |
| Already degassed, or "No gas" recorded | A green card summarising the operation, with Next unit (or Back to the list) and Undo degassing. |
| Not to degas (type not degassable, or reception not completed) | The message This unit is not to degas: its reception is not completed, or its type is not degassed. and the Back to the list button. |
Identify the unit
The gas and its charge depend on the model: a unit must be identified before it is degassed. If it was already identified at reception or in the inbound batch, this step is already done.
- Tap Identify (or Change the identification to correct a model already chosen).
- The Identify a unit of batch LE-… window opens.
- If needed, scan the QR label stuck on the unit with the Scan button (or type it). On a phone, this field comes first.
- Check the Product type. You can correct it: the list of models follows the type chosen.
- In Product, search for the model (Search a product (brand, model or year)) and select it. If it does not exist yet, choose Add a new product and fill in the New product window (product type, brand, model number, year, weight and, for a degassable type, the gas type and gas quantity). The new model, tagged New, is created when the unit is identified.
- Tap Identify.
The Unit identified. message confirms it is saved: there is no other button to tap. The unit's status becomes Identified and the degassing form appears, pre-filled with the model's gas and charge.
A unit takes its model's type. If you choose a model of a type that is not Degassable, the unit leaves the degassing list and goes straight to the dismantling list; the screen then shows "This unit is not to degas…".
A QR label is unique. If the one you scan is already on another unit, it is not taken: Label “…” not associated, followed by This label is already on another unit (LE-… · …). Labels must be unique: stick another label on the unit and scan it.
The identification can no longer change once the degassing (or "No gas") is recorded: the button disappears. To change it, undo the degassing first.
Record a degassing
- Open the unit. If it is not identified, identify it first.
- Leave Gas recovered selected (the default choice, at the top of the panel).
- Check the Gas type. It is preselected from the model; change it if the gas actually recovered is different.
- Check the Quantity (kg). It is pre-filled with the model's expected charge; enter the quantity actually recovered (a comma or a point is accepted as the decimal separator).
- Check the Cylinder the gas was transferred into (see below). It is pre-filled with the last cylinder used on this device.
- Tap Record the degassing.
The Degassing recorded. message appears and the list opens again, ready for the next unit. The unit's status becomes Degassed and it joins the list of the Dismantling workstation. The date, time and your name are recorded automatically.
If a required field is missing, nothing is recorded: the missing field or fields are outlined in red. Fill them in and tap the button again.
The Degassing recorded. message has an Undo button. Tap it to undo the operation at once: the unit opens again, ready to be redone.
Choose the cylinder
Operators usually fill one cylinder unit after unit. That is why the Cylinder field automatically takes the last cylinder you recorded a degassing into. This memory belongs to the device and the session: it is lost if the page is reloaded or the browser is closed.
To choose another cylinder:
- Tap the Cylinder field. A list opens, with a Search a cylinder field.
- Type part of the cylinder's code or QR label. An exact match is placed first.
- Tap the cylinder you want, or press Enter to take the first highlighted row (the keyboard arrows move the selection).
The list shows at most 30 cylinders at a time; refine the search if yours is not shown.
To scan a cylinder, tap the scan button on the right of the field (Scan the cylinder) and hold the cylinder's label or code inside the frame:
- a known cylinder (by its QR label, then by its code) is selected at once;
- an unknown label opens the New cylinder window, with the label already filled in;
- a batch's QR code is refused: This is a RecyTrax code (a batch), not a label. Scan the label stuck on it.
Add a new cylinder
A cylinder just put into service can be added without leaving the workstation:
- In the Cylinder field's list, tap New cylinder — or, when your search finds nothing, Add cylinder “…”, which takes the code you typed. Scanning an unknown label leads to the same place.
- In the New cylinder window, fill in the Code (32 characters at most) and the packaging Type, and the QR label if needed.
- Tap Save.
The new cylinder is created in Administration › Packagings and selected in the form. The degassing itself is not recorded yet: then tap Record the degassing.
If no packaging type exists yet, the window shows Create a type first - every packaging must belong to one. Ask an administrator to create one. Changing an existing cylinder is done in Administration › Packagings, with the matching permission.
Record "No gas"
Some units no longer have any gas to recover (leaking or cut circuit, missing compressor…). Their passage through the workstation must still be recorded, with the reason.
- Open the unit and identify it if that is not done.
- Tap No gas, at the top of the panel.
- Pick a quick reason — Electrical, Cut line or Compressor missing — or write the reason in the Reason field (500 characters at most). The text of a quick reason can still be edited.
- Tap Confirm: no gas.
The « No gas » recorded. message appears, with an Undo button, and the list opens again. For the rest of the processing, a "No gas" unit is handled like a degassed unit: its status becomes Degassed and it moves on to dismantling.
Undo or correct a degassing
A recorded degassing is not edited: it is undone, then recorded again.
- Right away: tap Undo in the confirmation message.
- Later: open the unit again at the Degassing workstation, then tap Undo degassing under the green card. As the unit is no longer in the list, open it by scanning its QR label (or by typing the label in the search, then Enter).
After undoing, the Operation undone. message appears, the unit opens again and returns to the degassing list; its status goes back to Identified and it leaves the dismantling list. You can then change its identification and record the degassing again.
Once the unit is dismantled, its degassing can no longer be undone: the Undo degassing button no longer appears. The dismantling must first be undone at the Dismantling workstation, which requires the Dismantling permission. Otherwise, the message Undo the unit's dismantling first. appears.
Batch in inventory
A batch stored at a warehouse location is in storage, not on the floor: its units can be neither identified nor degassed while it is in inventory. The unit's panel then shows Batch LE-… is in inventory: remove it from inventory before degassing its units.
- Tap Remove from inventory.
- Confirm in the Remove batch LE-… from inventory? window ("The batch leaves location …") by tapping Remove from inventory.
The Batch removed from inventory. message appears and the degassing form becomes available. The removal applies to the whole batch: its other units can be processed too. See Inbound batches.
View the processing details
A unit's full processing details are viewed from its inbound batch:
- Open Inbound batches, then the batch.
- In the list of units, tap the eye icon (Processing details). It appears as soon as the unit has been degassed, marked "No gas" or dismantled.
The Processing details - LE-… window is read-only. On the left: Model, Product type, Status and QR label. On the right, one card per step:
| Degassing card | Content |
|---|---|
| Done | Date, time and operator's name, then Gas type, Quantity (kg) and Cylinder. |
| No gas | Date, time and operator's name, then the Reason. |
| Pending | Not degassed yet. |
| Not required | This product type is not degassed. |
The Dismantling card shows Done (date, time, operator) or Pending (Not dismantled yet.). Close the window with Close.
The date and author of the degassing also appear in the recycling report.
Fields
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Gas recovered / No gas | The two choices at the top of the panel. Gas recovered is selected by default. | Yes (one of the two) |
| Gas type | The refrigerant gas recovered. The list holds the active materials with Gas ticked. Preselected from the unit's model. | Yes, with Gas recovered |
| Quantity (kg) | The quantity recovered, in kilograms, to the gram (up to 3 decimals). Must be above zero. Pre-filled with the model's expected charge. | Yes, with Gas recovered |
| Cylinder | The cylinder (packaging) the gas was transferred into. Pre-filled with the last cylinder used on the device. | Yes, with Gas recovered |
| Reason | Why there was no gas. Three quick reasons: Electrical, Cut line, Compressor missing. 500 characters at most. | Yes, with No gas |
If no material is marked as a gas, the workstation shows No material is marked as a gas. Tick "Gas" on a material in Administration › Materials. An administrator must tick Gas on the matching material. See Materials.
Statuses / Rules
Unit status
The status badge is shown on the unit screen, in the processing details and in the inbound batch's list of units.
| Status | Colour | Meaning | What triggers it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awaiting reception | Grey | The batch's reception is not completed yet. | The unit is added to an inbound batch whose reception is in progress. |
| Received | Grey | The batch is received; the unit's model is not known yet. | The batch's reception is completed. |
| Identified | Amber | The model is known; no operation is recorded yet. | The unit is identified (at reception, in the inbound batch or at a workstation), or its degassing is undone. |
| Degassed | Blue | The degassing — or "No gas" — is recorded; dismantling is still to do. | Record the degassing or Confirm: no gas. |
| Processed | Green | The unit is dismantled (after its degassing, when its type is degassed). | Dismantle, at the Dismantling workstation. |
The inbound batch follows its units: it becomes Processing as soon as one of its units has an operation recorded, and Processed once all its units are processed. See Statuses.
Rules
- Only units of a Degassable type are degassed, once each.
- A unit must be identified before it is degassed.
- The batch's reception must be completed, and the batch must not be in inventory.
- A recorded degassing (or "No gas") locks the unit's identification; undoing it unlocks it.
- A degassing cannot be undone while the unit is dismantled.
- The date, time and operator are always those of the recording: they are not entered.
Messages you may see
| Message | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The gas type is required. | No gas type chosen. | Choose the Gas type. |
| This gas type cannot be found. | The gas chosen was deactivated or is no longer marked Gas. | Choose another gas, or ask an administrator to check the material. |
| The quantity must be above zero. | Quantity empty or zero. | Enter the quantity recovered, or use No gas. |
| The cylinder is required. | No cylinder chosen. | Choose or scan the cylinder. |
| The cylinder cannot be found. | The cylinder was deleted in the meantime. | Choose another cylinder. |
| The reason is required. | "No gas" without a reason. | Pick or write a reason. |
| The unit must be identified before it is degassed or dismantled. | The unit has no model. | Tap Identify. |
| The unit's degassing is already recorded. | A colleague recorded this unit's degassing in the meantime. | Go back to the list; if needed, check the processing details. |
| This product type is not degassed. | The unit's type is not Degassable. | The unit is processed directly at dismantling. |
| Batch LE-… is in inventory: remove it from inventory before degassing its units. | The batch is stored at a location. | Tap Remove from inventory. |
| The batch's reception is not completed: its units cannot be processed yet. | The reception is still in progress. | Have the reception completed. |
| The unit is degassed or dismantled: its identification no longer changes. Undo that step to change it. | Attempt to change the model after the degassing. | Undo the degassing, then change the identification. |
| Undo the unit's dismantling first. | Attempt to undo the degassing of a dismantled unit. | Have the dismantling undone at the Dismantling workstation. |
| The unit has no degassing to undo. | The degassing was already undone (for example by a colleague). | Open the unit again: it is to degas again. |
Frequently asked questions
Why does a received unit not appear in the list?
Check three things: is its batch's reception completed? Is its product type Degassable? Has its degassing not been recorded already? A unit of a type that is not degassable goes straight to the Dismantling workstation. An already degassed unit is at dismantling too.
The gas type and quantity are already filled in: should I change them?
They come from the model's record and represent the expected charge. Correct them so they reflect what was actually recovered: the value entered at the workstation is what is recorded. If they are empty, the model's record does not give them (or its gas was deactivated); fill them in yourself.
The cylinder offered is not the right one.
The field takes the last cylinder used on this device. If the cylinder is full or you have switched to another one, choose or scan the new one. After the page is reloaded, the field starts empty.
I entered the wrong quantity. How do I correct it?
Undo the degassing (the message's Undo button, or Undo degassing after opening the unit again), then record it again with the right quantity. If the unit has already been dismantled, the dismantling must be undone first.
How do I open a unit that is no longer in the list?
Scan its QR label with the list's scan button, or type the label in the search and press Enter. Without a label, view the unit from its inbound batch (Processing details); if you have just recorded it, the browser's Back button also takes you back to its screen.
The screen says the batch is in inventory.
The batch was stored at a warehouse location. Tap Remove from inventory and confirm: the batch leaves its location and all its units can be processed.
An already dismantled unit appears in the degassing list.
This is a unit dismantled before degassing was required, with no degassing recorded. Record its degassing (or "No gas") like the others: its status then becomes Processed.
Why is the deadline in red?
The batch's processing deadline (June 30 of the year after its reception) has passed. Process these units first; the list itself stays sorted by age.
Can I work on a phone?
Yes. On a phone, the screen is shown in one column and the main button (Identify, Record the degassing…) is placed in the bar at the bottom of the screen. The phone's camera is used to scan labels. If it does not start, see QR codes and external identifiers.