Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is considered by many to be the next leap in technology that will ultimately be as common as barcode in all industries and businesses. Simply put, RFID is an automatic way of collecting data about an item that has been “tagged”. Many have claimed that RFID will be the next generation of barcode in the near future, just like what CDs did to the floppies. RFID offers a lot more potential than barcode. An RFID tag has the ability to store and re-write information and does not require you to point (line of sight) at it in order to be identified.
Some RFID basics
RFID technology are broadly classified into two main categories
Both passive and active refer to the RFID tags/labels being used. There is also the less commonly used semi-passive technology, which is a hybrid of the two.
Passive RFID tags/labels are further categorised into different bands of radio frequency, namely Low Frequency (LF, 125 kHz), High Frequency (HF, 13.56 MHz) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF, 925-926 MHz).
At Ascent Technology, we are always seeking advanced and commercially viable technologies to enhance our solutions. That is why all our applications are “RFID-ready.” For customers who wish to embark on the RFID journey, Ascent Technology will be in a great position to assist.
One of the biggest initiative of the supply chain world that is currently taking shape is the creation of the universally standardized product code call the Electronic Product Code (EPC). This initiative offers countless benefits from identifying counterfeit goods to tracking individual items movement. Although the EPC initiative is relative new, methods of how supply chain applications interact with new components of this initiative are already defined. The new components of the EPC initiative are:
- EPC Event Manager (Savant)
- Discovery Services of which Object Name Services (ONS) is one of the components
- EPC IS (Information Service)
These components represent a subset of the other emerging services that will be created in the course of maturing of the EPC initiatives. Ascent Technology supply chain applications and RFID initiatives are today ready to interface with these components through well-defined web services and RPC (Remote Procedure Call) using interface methods such as XML (Extensible Markup Language) and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol).
Below are some of the examples where RFID have been applied to the Logistics arena:
Logistics
- Asset utilization: asset (e.g., containers, trucks, etc.) management, tracking and maintenance
- Improving operational efficiency: volume planning and automated data capture through shipping route
- Safety and security: shipment route tracing and positive identification of package contents
- Automated customs
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