RFID stands for radio frequency identification. It is an automatic identification technology whereby digital data is encoded in an RFID tag or "smart label" and is captured by a reader using radio waves. Put simply, RFID is similar to barcode technology but uses radio waves to capture data from tags, rather than optically scanning the barcodes on a label. RFID does not require ta line of sight to read its stored data. RFID systems greatly streamline inventory and asset tracking, virtually eliminating human error while providing instant, detailed records of the movement of assets.
RFID tags can be used even when there is no direct line of sight—that's one of the key characteristics of an RFID system.
Tags can be read using handheld or mobile readers, shelf or tabletop readers, or readers that can be installed at doorways or in portal configurations. Since a direct line of sight is not required – tags can be read automatically, even through packaging materials and in transit, whenever moving or stationary items or people come within range of a reader. Learn more about RFID Tags in our dedicated What is an RFID Tag FAQ.
Today RFID is used across many vertical markets for cycle counting, incoming receiving, exit detection, WIP monitoring, picking and other use-cases. In general RFID tag attached to an item can be used to sense the presences, motion, and location of the item.
Common references include: UHF RFID, EPC UHF Gen 2, G2V2, ISO 18000-63 and RAIN RFID. These RFID standards ensure hardware and data interoperability. If it complies with the standard, it will be interoperable.
What is RFID Technology?
Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, is an advanced wireless technology used for data capture and automatic identification. It reads and records data from a tag affixed to an object using radio waves. This makes it possible to track and manage items in a variety of applications, including retail, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and government markets, with ease.
What Are the Benefits of RFID Technology?
RFID technology has numerous applications in a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and logistics. The following are some of the main benefits of using RFID technology:
1. Automation and Efficiency
- Fixed readers can collect data without the need for manual scanning or even direct line of sight.
- Real-Time Tracking: RFID offers real-time visibility into inventory levels, allowing businesses to track items as they move through the supply chain.
- Streamlined Processes: RFID technology can automate various processes such as sorting, routing, and shipping, thus improving overall operational efficiency.
2. Precision and Reliability
- Handheld and fixed readers capture multiple tags at once, quickly and accurately, reducing the risks of human error.
- High Data Integrity: RFID systems ensure high data integrity, providing accurate and reliable information for decision-making.
3. Agility and Visibility
- Improve decision-making and response times with real-time asset tracking and inventory updates.
- End-to-End Tracking: RFID offers end-to-end visibility of the supply chain, from raw materials to finished products.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Improved visibility allows for better collaboration between suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers, leading to more efficient supply chain management.
- Better Demand Forecasting: Accurate and timely data helps with better demand forecasting, reducing lead times and improving customer satisfaction.
4. Range and Durability
- RFID tags can be read at greater distances than conventional labels and are more resistant to wear and tear.
- Improved Asset Management: RFID enables real-time asset tracking, reducing the risk of loss or theft and ensuring optimal utilization.
- Maintenance Management: RFID can monitor asset condition and usage, prompting timely maintenance and reducing downtime.
5. Economy and Security
- Improve asset utilization and inventory management while reducing losses and labor costs.
- Secure Access Control: RFID can be used for secure access control, ensuring that only authorized personnel can enter restricted areas.
- Regulatory Compliance: RFID helps in meeting regulatory requirements by providing accurate and auditable records of inventory and asset movements.
- Anti-Counterfeiting: RFID tags can be used to verify the authenticity of products, protecting brands from counterfeiting, and ensuring product integrity.
RFID technology offers a wide range of advantages that can significantly enhance operational efficiency, accuracy, and visibility across various industries. RFID provides a robust solution for modern business challenges from improving inventory management and asset tracking to enhancing customer experiences and ensuring compliance with regulatory regulations. By leveraging these benefits, organizations can achieve greater efficiency, cost savings, and competitive advantage in the marketplace.
RFID Solutions
1. RFID Tags (Transponders):
Types of Tags:
RFID tags come in three main types: active, passive, and semi-passive.
- Active Tags: These tags have their own power source, allowing them to automatically send signals over longer distances without needing a reader to activate them. They can continuously broadcast information independently.
- Passive Tags: These are the most common type of RFID tags. They do not have a power source of their own and rely entirely on an RFID reader to supply the energy needed to activate them and transmit data. Consequently, they have a shorter range compared to active tags.
- Tags can store data such as identification or serial numbers, configuration instructions, or other data. The amount of data they store depends on the tag's type and memory capacity. Tags are available in many formats, shapes and sizes for use in almost any application.
- Semi-Passive Tags: These tags contain a battery to power the microchip, which enhances their functionality. However, like passive tags, they still depend on an RFID reader to send data. The battery allows for enhanced features, such as sensors, but the data transmission range is similar to that of passive tags.
2. RFID Printers:
RFID printers are specialized devices that can print labels and encode the embedded RFID tags. RFID printers encode data into the RFID tag while simultaneously printing visual information on the label.
It is commonly used in retail, logistics, and manufacturing to create inventory, shipping, and asset management tags including human readable text, printed barcodes, and embedded RFID data
3. RFID Readers:
RFID readers are devices used to communicate with RFID tags in order to read, and sometimes write, data stored on those tags. They are a crucial component of RFID systems, responsible for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from RFID tags.
Types of Readers:
- Fixed RFID Readers: These are stationary devices typically mounted in strategic locations such as doorways, entry/exit points, or along conveyor belts. They continuously monitor for RFID tags passing through their read zones.
- Handheld RFID Readers: Handheld or portable devices that allow users to move around and scan RFID tags. These are useful for spot checks, inventory counting, or when mobility is required.
- Integrated RFID Readers: These readers have built-in antennas and are designed for easy integration into existing systems or environments. They are often used in applications where space is limited or where a compact solution is needed.
Functionality and Operation:
- Active vs. Passive: RFID readers themselves are active devices because they must actively emit radio waves to communicate with RFID tags. They are not passive. The term “passive” refers to the type of RFID tag that relies on the reader’s signal to power up and transmit data back to the reader.
- Frequency Range: RFID readers operate at various frequency ranges depending on the type of RFID system (e.g., LF, HF, UHF). The choice of frequency affects the read range and application suitability.
- Data Processing: RFID readers often include processing capabilities to filter, decode, and sometimes store tag data before sending it to a central system or database for further processing.
4. RFID Antennas:
- The antenna in an RFID system is responsible for emitting radio signals to enable tag responses. It can be integrated into the reader or cabled and located near the reader.
- The antenna will also receive the radio signals that are returned from the RFID tags. This is called back scatter where the tag emits a radio signal to let the reader/solution know the tag exists and to transmit the tag’s data.
- The antenna's design and placement can significantly affect the read range and performance of the RFID system.
5. RFID Portals:
- RFID portals are fully Integrated with antennas, often placed at control points like doorways, loading docks, or warehouse exits. They automatically track the movement of RFID tags through strategic portals and control points
- Used for automated tracking of goods and assets entering or leaving a designated area, providing real-time visibility, and minimizing the need for manual scanning.
Middleware and Software:
- Middleware will process the data captured by the RFID readers and integrates it with enterprise systems like Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other similar systems.
- Middleware can serve many functions to optimize the overall performance of an RFID solution including filtering, aggregating, and route data to ensure the quality of the data to best offer meaningful insights and enable real-time decision-making.
What are RFID Standards?
Today the RFID industry has adopted and implemented many common standards to ensure compatibility across the global supply chain. The following are some of the most important standards:
UHF RFID (Ultra-High Frequency RFID):
UHF RFID systems function within the 300 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range. They are popular for their long-read range (up to 12 meters) and high data transfer rates.
EPC UHF Gen 2 (Electronic Product Code Ultra-High Frequency Generation 2):
- This standard, developed by GS1 for UHF RFID systems, defines the communication protocol between RFID tags and readers, ensuring consistency and interoperability.
- Features ensuring RFID tag authentication are included.
G2V2 (Generation 2 Version 2):
- Often referred to as an enhancement or update to the EPC UHF Gen 2 standard, G2V2 incorporates additional features for improved security, privacy, and performance.
- Applications include enhanced security measures.
ISO 18000-63:
- This is an international standard that specifies the air interface for UHF RFID systems. It ensures that RFID products from different manufacturers can work together seamlessly across today’s global supply chain.
Regardless of the manufacturer, these standards and protocols help ensure compatibility across regions, across suppliers, and across the entire global supply chain. Adherence to these standards ensures RFID systems function in a common manner, which facilitates the implementation and scalability of RFID solutions across regions, markets, application and use-cases globally.
How Does RFID Work?
RFID works by employing an RFID transponder (or tag) and a reader. The RFID transponder is comprised of a microchip that holds information to identify an object, product, or person and an antenna for transmitting this data to the reader.
The antenna transmits the data to a reader that converts the radio waves to usable information. Unlike bar code and magnetic stripe technology, RFID transponders can be read anywhere within the magnetic field sent out by the reader. Radio waves can travel and be read through many non-metallic objects. Depending on the power of the reader, an RFID antenna can be read from direct contact up to 20 feet.
In passive systems, which are the most common, an RFID reader transmits an energy field that "wakes up" the tag and provides the power for the tag to respond to the reader.
Passive tags do not have a battery and draw their power from the reader. The reader sends out electromagnetic waves that induce a current in the tags antenna. Since these tags obtain their power from the reader, they generally have shorter read ranges and are in a defined reader zone. Passive RFID is relatively inexpensive and found in many daily surroundings. They can be very small with size dependent on the type of tag antenna.
In active systems, a battery in the tag is used to boost the effective operating range of the tag and to support additional features over passive tags, such as temperature sensing. Data collected from tags is then passed through communication interfaces (cable or wireless) to host computer systems in the same manner that data scanned from barcode labels is captured and passed to computer systems for interpretation, storage, and action.
Active RFID tags work independently, so the tags themselves can transmit and receive data. As they generally transmit data over a longer distance they are physically larger and more expensive than passive tags and are operational as long as the battery is functional. Passive RFID is an optimum combination of benefit and costs and uses a frequency that fits most customer applications.
What Is the Frequency Range of RFID?
There are several radio frequencies in use.
- Low Frequency (LF): 125kHz
- High Frequency (HF): 13.56 MHz
- Very High Frequency (VHF): 433 MHz
- Ultra High Frequency (UHF): 860 - 960 MHz
- Microwave Frequency: 2.4 GHz
Tags and readers must use the same frequency in order to work together. Readers work on a specific frequency and the frequency depends on several factors such as read range, speed of data transfer, type of material and environment. Government and industry regulations also affect which frequencies are used.
Where Is RFID Used?
RFID is used where there is a high volume of items moving quickly in and out of an area and where there is a high selectivity and multitude of sizes, colors and styles.
High Volume and Quick Movement of Items:
In environments with a high volume of items that are constantly being moved in and out, traditional manual tracking methods can quickly become cumbersome and error-prone. RFID offers a solution by enabling automated and non-contact identification and tracking of items. For instance, in a busy warehouse, retail store, or distribution center, RFID tags can be attached to items, and as these items pass through RFID-equipped checkpoints or portals, the technology can instantaneously read and record information without requiring physical handling. This capability greatly enhances the speed and accuracy of inventory management, shipping, and receiving processes.
Diverse Items with Various Attributes:
In situations where items come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and styles, it can be challenging to use traditional barcode-based systems, especially if different products share similar physical appearances. RFID tags can store more detailed and unique information about each item, enabling differentiation even among items with similar outward appearances. This is particularly useful in industries like fashion retail, where clothing items can have multiple variants (sizes, colors, styles) that need to be tracked individually.
The ability of RFID technology to handle a multitude of attributes allows businesses to have better control over their inventory and supply chain. It can help prevent errors in order fulfillment, improve accuracy in stock management, and enhance customer experiences by ensuring the availability of the right products in the right sizes and colors.
In both scenarios mentioned above, RFID offers several benefits:
Efficiency: RFID systems can quickly read multiple tags simultaneously, making them ideal for environments where items move rapidly. This efficiency contributes to reduced operational time and increased productivity.
Accuracy: Automation reduces the chances of human error, leading to more accurate tracking and inventory control. This accuracy can result in better decision-making and resource allocation.
Real-Time Tracking: RFID enables real-time visibility into inventory movement, allowing businesses to respond swiftly to changes in demand, stockouts, or delays.
Non-Intrusive: RFID operates wirelessly and doesn't require line-of-sight scanning, making it less labor-intensive and more suitable for fast-paced environments.
Scalability: RFID systems can be scaled up or down to accommodate changing business needs without significant disruptions.
Additional use cases include when items have a high value so anything that is important not to lose and when there is a need for traceability, such examples include food/cold chain and pharmaceuticals.
One of the first use cases of RFID was in retail but now its uses are expanding beyond retail to the supply chain. Technological advancements are driving new uses in manufacturing, transportation, logistics and healthcare.
The technology can be used to label people and products, however RFID chips can carry more information, making them useful for identifying assets like prescription pharmaceuticals, blood, livestock and high-ticket items. Because RFID tags can be customized and programmed, encrypted and password-protected, they are suited to secure applications like healthcare and military usage.
Different industries use RFID in different ways. For example, in retail, it can be used for inventory visibility, reduction of out-of-stock items, omnichannel enablement, customer experience and loss prevention. Each item in a store can have an RFID tag. This means store owners can easily see what items they have in stock, how many are left and where the items are located. It can even help prevent theft, as items can be tracked as they move around the store. RFID technology also enables omnichannel shopping experiences, meaning customers can have a seamless experience whether shopping online from a mobile device, a laptop or in a brick-and-mortar store.
In a warehouse environment, it can be used for receiving accuracy, outbound shipment accuracy, asset utilization/tracking and analysis and locationing. In a warehouse, RFID can be used to ensure that the correct items are received and sent out. It can also be used to track the usage of assets like machinery or tools. For example, if a forklift has an RFID tag, warehouse management can know when it's used, where it's used and how often it's used. This can help in making decisions about equipment maintenance, replacement or purchasing. RFID technology can also be used to locate items or equipment within the warehouse, saving time and increasing efficiency.
In healthcare, it can be used for asset tracking, inventory visibility, locationing, and billing & processing while in manufacturing, it can be used for parts inventory, work-in-process (WIP), returnable transit items (RTIs), employees, vehicles and product recalls.
In transportation and logistics, it can used for airline baggage, materials management, supply chain tracking/management, field mobility (service, fulfillment/replenishment), vehicle and yard management, asset utilization/tracking and analysis.
What Is the Electronic Product Code (EPC) and EPCglobal?
Designed to be stored on an RFID tag, the Electronic Product Code (EPC) is a unique number that identifies a specific item in the supply chain. The EPC can be associated with dynamic data such as the origination point of an item or the date of its production.
Much like a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the EPC is key to unlocking the power of the information systems that are part of the EPCglobal Network™. EPCglobal Inc™ has responsibility for oversight of the EPC and the standards, specifications, and guidelines for the Auto-ID infrastructure to support its use. EPCglobal is a not-for-profit joint venture between GS1 (formerly EAN International) and GS1 US (formerly the Uniform Code Council).
GS1 is a leading global organization dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards and solutions to improve efficiency and visibility in supply and demand chains. GS1 US is a not-for-profit member organization of GS1 and is dedicated to the development and implementation of standards-based, global supply chain solutions. For more information about EPCglobal, visit https://www.gs1.org/epcglobal.
What Are the Benefits of RFID Technology?
RFID Technology has a number of benefits to help every business and organization to improves its efficency, in an economy where productivity inefficiences can mean the difference between profit or loss, efficiency is key.
RFID improves efficiency by allowing businesses to automate their inventory and data capture tasks along with reducing shrinkage through the improved monitoring of inventory movement. It works in real time where information is transmitted in real time enabling companies to take immediate actions and also increase accuracy by reducing manual processes, and increasing process automation.
It is reliable, proven technology. Because of its documented business value, RFID is continuing to expand into a wide variety of vertical markets and applications. As a result of this growth, industries have developed and deployed technology and usage standards. These standards embrace a variety of form factors and protocols designed for specific applications. Additionally, along with the integration of other technologies, complete business solutions are being developed and standardized.
