The BlueStar TEConnect podcast recently interviewed our CEO, Peter Collins, to discuss RFID Technology for Manufacturing and Warehouse Logistics operations. The TEConnect hosts, John Martin and Dean Reverman, led the conversation around how today’s RFID technology is an incredibly powerful tool that when harnessed properly is providing game-changing visibility and inventory accuracy.
RFID Tracking in 2022
RFID Asset Tracking is gaining a lot of momentum in 2022 and for good reason. But, it’s also clear that RFID is not meant to be a complete replacement for all other forms of automated data collecting. In this TEConnect podcast, Peter Collins outlines his common-sense approach to RFID and the importance of designing implementation strategies to provide the fastest path to success.
A2B Tracking has spoken with many companies who have attempted to implement RFID and have run into challenges with the technology. Or sometimes, organizations will do research and dig into RFID only to develop an RFID proposal that is unreasonable that never gets off the ground.
It’s easy to underestimate the complexity of RFID and the importance of the implementation process. Carefully designing the RFID project and developing a practical implementation plan is critical to the success of the program. Once that’s accomplished RFID technology can solve a multitude of challenges at once and for multiple departments.
RFID and Barcode Data Collection
It’s not uncommon for people to discuss RFID and to refer to it as just another data collection technology like Barcode. Of course, RFID is a data collection technology– but, it is much, much more powerful and operates differently than Barcode.
Barcode technology is a “line-of-sight” technology that works off of a 1:1 relationship between the barcode reader and the barcode. That 1:1 relationship is perfect when you are identifying and tracking specific items such as, assigning a specific asset to a specific warehouse shelf location.
In contrast, RFID technology does not use a 1:1 relationship – instead it is a “1-to-Many” relationship. For example, when a warehouse worker uses a mobile RFID reader and they pull the trigger to emit their RF signal – the mobile reader is capturing hundreds of tag reads in seconds. Which is very exciting that it can handle that higher level of volume – but, also a little scary when you try to make sense of all that data.
Peter explained that RFID needs to be properly harnessed in order for the organization to ultimately be able to make good, business-sense out of that RFID data. This is easier said than done. The sheer magnitude of data that can be collected by a fixed RFID gateway reader over a busy dock door is impressive. But, from a business process point of view that gateway needs to be very carefully defined so that assets, for example, that might be travelling through the area next to the dock door are not picked-up as stray reads.
Implementing today’s RFID is very nuanced. It is critical to understand and integrate the business needs at each step of the business process so that the organization can harness the power of RFID appropriately and be able to make sense out of all that data.
RFID Technology for Manufacturing and Warehouse Logistics
Today’s RFID is very exciting. Organizations in the Warehouse Logistics and the Manufacturing Industries are taking advantage of this technology and the ones that are getting the implementation correct by harnessing the incredible power of RFID are reaping huge benefits.
Listen to this TEConnect podcast to take a deeper dive and learn more here
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