Integrated RFID Mobile Computer Warehouse Management Solution

In the warehousing industry, anything that facilitates the organization and management of your inventory is a huge advantage. Things have come a long way since the pen and paper days, but maintaining an accurate and up-to-date picture of your entire operation can still be a challenge. (Remember, we have millions of square feet of storage to keep tabs on.) Luckily, RFID technology has entered the scene. With its power to decrease human error and streamline warehouse operations, RFID has become one of the most important implements the supply chain manager’s toolbox.

How RFID is taking warehouse inventory management to the next level

In the warehousing industry, anything that facilitates the organization and management of your inventory is a huge advantage. Things have come a long way since the pen and paper days, but maintaining an accurate and up-to-date picture of your entire operation can still be a challenge. (Remember, we have millions of square feet of storage to keep tabs on.) Luckily, RFID technology has entered the scene. With its power to decrease human error and streamline warehouse operations, RFID has become one of the most important implements the supply chain manager’s toolbox.

How It Works

A shipment arrives. An RFID tag (or chip) is attached to the items in that shipment – either to individual boxes or an entire pallet. Each tag features an internal memory to store the item’s information, which can be modified as it moves through different processes in the warehouse. Using an electromagnetic signal, the RFID tag transmits that information to a central database where a warehouse management system can analyse the data.

Why not barcodes?

Unlike barcodes, RFID tags are don’t require a reader that’s in the same line of sight. Not only does this eliminate the need for someone to manually scan each box, but it also means that an item can be scanned and catalogued even when it’s hidden behind other goods.

  • Accuracy

    Because RFID tags transmit data “on their own,” human error is largely eliminated from the inventory process.

  • Immediacy

    Warehouse management software is updated in real time, which means we know where an item is from the time it arrives on the dock, leaves the warehouse and every moment in between.

  • Efficiency

    RFID technology boosts efficiency in two ways: by automating processes that used to involve human intervention and streamlining those that still do. For instance, RFID-tagged items can communicate with warehouse software and automatically document their own arrival and exit from the warehouse. And for services that require human touch, such as pick-and-pack, employees save countless hours using RFID readers to immediately determine the exact location of any item.

What is RFID?

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification (无线射频识别) is a form of wireless technology / wireless communication that incorporates the use of electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to uniquely identify an object, animal or person.

It is an advanced technology for itemised tagging. Today, RFID technology is found in a wide variety of industries and is used to monitor everything from your family pet to your passport. With its ability to track and identify in real time, it’s no surprise that RFID technology has become an invaluable tool for warehouse management and inventory control as well.

HOW RFID FREQUENCY WORK?

They are 3 types of RFID Frequencies and Frequency refers to the size of the radio waves used to communicate between system components. RFID systems throughout the world operate in low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands.

LF, HF, and UHF

Similar to how a radio must be tuned to different frequencies to hear different channels, RFID tags and readers have to be tuned to the same frequency in order to communicate.
There are several different

Low frequency, or LF, (125 – 134 kHz)
High frequency, or HF, (13.56 MHz)
Ultra-high frequency, or UHF, (433, and 860-960 MHz)

 

FREQUENCY OF OPERATION

LF (LOW FREQUENCY)
125KHZ OR 134KHZ
RANGE: UP TO 10CM

HF (HIGH FREQUENCY)
13.56MHZ
RANGE: UP TO 1M

UHF (ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCY)
860MHZ – 960MHZ
RANGE: 10M TO 15M

RFID IN THE ELECTROMAGNET SPECTRUM

* Less absorption by moisture
* Better omni directional capability
* Less Impact from the presence of metal
* Shorter signal range and slower reading

* Longer reading range
* Higher speed
More interference from metal

OTHER: ULTRASONIC, INFRARED

LF: LOW FREQUENCY
DF: DUAL FREQUENCY
HF: HIGH FREQUENCY
UHF: ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCY
RTLS: REAL TIME LOCATING SYSTEM
UWB: ULTRA WIDE BAND

Radio waves behave differently at the various frequencies,
so it is imperative to select the right frequency for your application

For example

Low-frequency tags have a long wave-length and are better able to penetrate thin metallic substances.
Additionally, LF RFID systems are ideal for reading objects with high-water content, such as fruit or beverages, but the read range is limited to centimeter or inches. Typical LF RFID applications include access control and animal tagging.

High-frequency tags work fairly well on objects made of metal and can work around goods with medium to high water content. Typically, HF RFID systems work in ranges of inches, but they can have a maximum  read range of about three feet (1 meter). Typical HF RFID applications include tracking library books, patient flow tracking, and transit tickets.

UHF frequencies typically offer much better read range (inches to 50+ ft. depending on the RFID system setup) and can transfer data faster (i.e. read many more tags per second) than low- and high-frequencies. However, because UHF radio waves have a shorter wavelength, their signal is more likely to be attenuated (or weakened) and they cannot pass through metal or water. Due to their high data transfer rate, UHF RFID tags are well suited for many items at once, such as boxes of goods as they pass through a dock door into a warehouse or racers as they cross a finish line. Also, due to the longer read range, other common UHF RFID applications include electronic toll collection and parking access control.

How RFID Scanner Work?

A RFID reader / scanner is a two-way radio transmitter-receivers called interrogators or readers send a signal to the tag and read its response. RFID tags can be passive, active or battery-assisted passive. RFID reader /scanner is a device that uses radio-frequency waves to wirelessly transfer data between itself and a RFID tag /label attached to the objects in order to identify, categorize and track assets.

HOW RFID Tag Work?

They are 3 types of rfid tag, active tag, passive tag and battery-assisted passive tag.

  • RFID Active Tag

    It is a transmitter with their own power source (typically a battery). The power source is used to run the microchip’s circuitry and to broadcast a signal to a reader (the way a cell phone transmits signals to a base station).

  • RFID Passive tag

    It is an RFID tag that does not contain a battery; the power is supplied by the reader. When radio waves from the reader are encountered by a passive rfid tag, the coiled antenna within the tag forms a magnetic field. The tag draws power from it, energising the circuits in the tag.

  • RFID Battery-Assisted Passive (BAP) Tag

    It is essentially passive RFID tags with an internal battery. The tag uses its battery to send the signal much farther than traditional passive RFID tags, ranging up to around 100 meters in an ideal setting.