G. Frolova
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is gradually entering our lives. Chips are already actively used in logistics, the synthesis of RFID technologies and global positioning in Russia, they predict great prospects, but so far the market growth is still constrained by the price of the issue, or rather, radio tags
A radio tag, or transponder (tag), is the main component of this technology and a direct carrier of unique information and an identifier for objects and even people. The first radio tags were used during the Second World War: then the tags were used in military aviation and cost several thousand dollars, and information about them was classified. It wasn't until 1973 that Mario Cardullo et al. published US Patent No. 3,713,148 describing the first passive RFID transponder (radio tag). By the 1980s, tags had fallen in price to $1 and were used to pay for public transport. The development and widespread introduction of radio identification has long been held back by the lack of standards. But in the 1990s, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) adopted a number of fundamental standards in the field of RFID, which were widely supported by manufacturers of reading equipment and RFID tags. This fact, along with the reduction in the cost of transponders, undoubtedly pushed enterprises to actively implement RFID.
Further price “evolution” brought the technology to trade and warehouses: after the cost of tags reached $0.2, they began to be used to account for goods and control their movement. Even then, there were predictions that eventually tags would replace barcodes. Perhaps someday this will happen, but experts believe that for this only in Russia, tens of billions of tags worth no more than $0.05 will be needed annually. By the way, German scientists have recently taken another step towards reducing the cost of tags, and here's the one.
nanoink
A few years ago, bulky television receivers were common items in our apartments, and now the screens have become so light and flat that they can be easily fixed to the wall. A detailed examination of their device will reveal very thin conductive elements and transistors that regulate the electrical signals supplied to the pixels of the screens.
Architecture electronic devices The material in question is built up layer by layer, usually using photolithography. On a specially prepared surface (cleaned and leveled), materials are deposited - a substrate and a photoresist (a polymeric light-sensitive material), which are then exposed to light in the presence of a mask-photomask with a pattern that allows only certain areas of the substrate to be illuminated. As a result of exposure, the “exposed” photoresist changes its properties, for example, becomes soluble, after which it is removed, and then the substrate is removed from open areas by etching, leaving only an unexposed pattern on the substrate.
However, the described process has a major drawback: most of the deposited materials, which are then removed by etching, are not used. The goal of any production is to reduce the cost and resources used in the technology, so the development of a method in which the material is applied only to areas that directly form the pattern has become an urgent task.
The technology of "printed electronics" has already been developed for the application of polymeric conductive materials. However, in terms of electrical properties, they are inferior to inorganic counterparts. In polymers, charge transfer occurs more slowly, which is why, for example, printed RFID chips have a shorter conduction band compared to classical electronic circuits. In addition, they are more sensitive to moisture and ultraviolet radiation.
Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated Systems and Device Technology (Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated Systems and Device Technology, Erlangen) have prepared for launch a production line that can print inorganic electronic components by feeding material for deposition in the same way as office printers work . “We developed a nanoparticulate ink with a stabilizer added to improve processing and prevent aggregation,” says research team leader Michael Jank.
The nanoink has already passed the first technological tests, and, according to Jenk, could appear in devices that perform simple functions within a year. “We expect products based on our design to be about half the cost of products that use silicon electronics for relatively simple purposes,” comments Jenk. Printable tags need to be cheap enough to be placed on the packaging of low-cost products such as yogurt, where they can help control temperature and other storage and shipping data.
Market
As tag companies struggle to lower their prices, the RFID market continues to grow. According to ABI Research, in 2009 its volume will reach $5.6 billion (forecasts for 2008 - $5.3 billion*) taking into account sales of RFID transponders, receivers, software and services. "There is no doubt that the crisis will affect the market," said Michael Liard, an analyst at ABI Research. “But despite this and some other factors, the dynamics of its development will be positive.” Analysts do not think that because of the crisis, revenue will decline. In any case, now it will continue to increase, although not at the same pace as previously expected. According to experts, RFID solution providers should focus on their cost-effectiveness, low cost of implementation and maintenance. This is especially important in the current economic environment.
Despite the unresolved technical problems that limit the use of RFID, talk about its potential and extraordinary possibilities does not subside. Recently, journalists from the PBS Nightly Business News program, along with [email protected] compiled a list of the top 30 innovations made in the last 30 years. PC World, in turn, chose from this list seven technologies that have changed the world the most. Among them was RFID, and in a very worthy environment of such already world-changing inventions as graphical interfaces, the Internet, online social networks and e-commerce, mobile phones, laptops and desktops.
*Cm. article "New steps in RFID technology", "C&T" No. 11 and 12, 2008
Unbelievable but true
We have already written about the different areas in which RFID can be used. Recently, Wired magazine named ten of the most unexpected uses for this technology, some of which CIT has already covered in previous publications.
Arizona cacti. On the black market landscape plants these large cacti cost over $1,000. Arizona's Saguaro National Park plans to use RFID tags to monitor the safety of these rare giants.
Elephants. The New Delhi Department of Forestry requires that all of these animals participating in national holidays be RFID tagged. So it will be easier to identify them and take them under control in case of sudden attacks of aggression. The proposal comes in response to police reports that there have been about 50 incidents over the past four months involving elephants in parades. The aggressive behavior of animals led to destruction and even human casualties. Chips are planned to mark about 1000 elephants. To accomplish this task, the authorities need the cooperation of their owners. A tag smaller than a grain of rice is placed under the elephant's ear, but it requires the animal to lie down to place it.
Surgical sponges. According to statistics, during surgical operations on the abdominal cavity, in one case out of a thousand, a surgical sponge remains in the patient's abdomen. Now, with the help of the SmartSponges system, the doctor can quickly detect the loss by swiping the reader along the body of the operated person.
Mexicans. Xega Company's security team has developed a chip the size of a grain of rice that is injected into a client's body. GPS can then be used to track his movements and locate him in the event of a kidnapping. The chip costs $4000, another $2200 is an annual subscription fee. But in a country where 6,500 people were abducted last year, such a measure may well be in demand.
Pirelli tyres. The chip in Pirelli's "cyber tires" transmits information about road conditions and the coefficient of friction to the on-board computer. This allows you to optimize the operation of the car's electronic systems: ESP, ABS, ASR.
Clubbers. The Barcelona club "Baja Beach" switched to a new system of work with VIP clients. They are injected with an RFID chip linked to their bank cards and thus allowing them to go to parties without a wallet. The radio tag gives the right to enter the VIP area, and is also used to pay for drinks at the bar. The owner of the establishment himself was the first to implant such a chip from VeriChip Corporation.
Tokyo. The Japanese capital seems to have set the task of covering all elements of the city's infrastructure with microchips - from bus stops to restaurants. It looks like tourists will soon be able to get maps, timetables and any other information just by waving their phones.
Police badges. Blackinton has come up with a security system for police badges. Now they will be embedded with identification chips, thus reducing the risk of fraud and counterfeiting. And the tricks from Terminator 2 will no longer work.
Prisoners. In Britain, prisons are overcrowded, so it was decided to release some of the prisoners. However, criminals will continue to be monitored, tracking their movements with the help of chips in order to intervene in a timely manner, if necessary.
Cat doors. The movements of pets can be better controlled and, if necessary, “lock” the cat door without letting the animal out of the house. And cats no longer need to wear a collar.
Maybe one more will be added to this list soon. unexpected way using RFID. Recently, designer Ben Greene put forward interesting idea about how two lonely hearts can find each other. He proposes to create electronic bracelets that will contain information about personal preferences, that is, about what a person likes and what he does not like. After all the necessary information is entered into the device, the bracelet can be activated in one of two ways - in the “finder” or “sought” mode. After activation, the bracelet begins to transmit radio signals to everyone who is in this moment is in a dating club; on the wrists of the most compatible personalities, lights will flash in unison. When the two "halves" come closer, the lights on their bracelets begin to glow brighter.
But as curious as these exotic uses of RFID are, let's return to the larger and practical solutions using this technology. Let's start with logistics.
RFID on packaging
Mondi Corrugated Packaging has started manufacturing corrugated boxes with RFID chips. The innovation will make the processes of scanning, tracking and receiving cargo much more efficient. Now smart containers will be equipped with RFID chips on a high-speed production line, and there will be no need for manual gluing of labels. Using RFID instead of traditional barcodes will allow whole pallets to be scanned, saving significant time. "Smart" packaging will provide round-the-clock access to information about the availability and location of goods. This will facilitate warehouse work and speed up the inventory process.
Rexam has introduced a new type of pharmaceutical packaging to the market - bottles, which are coated with RFID chips, which provides full control over the movement of the product from the moment of packaging. The chips, manufactured for Rexam by partner company Traxxec, read and write the necessary information. Their use is more cost-effective compared to existing analogues.
The largest Japanese packaging manufacturer Toyo Seikan Kaisha has developed the first metal can for drinks equipped with an RFID chip (recall that in 2007 this company, together with NEC, produced a plastic lid with an integrated tag). As you know, conventional RFID tags do not function on a metal surface, due to the interference and diffraction of the radio signal. Specialists from Toyo Seikan Kaisha attached the antenna to the ring on the bank and connected it to the chip, and thus managed to establish communication. According to the manufacturer, the design of the jar itself and the lid has not changed, and traditional equipment can be used when filling and sealing it without any changes. New RFID chips will make it possible to contain information about storage conditions and package integrity.
RFID chips that will allow the use of this technology in any storage conditions, including metal surfaces, also presented by Ferroxcube. Products have a weight of 2.5 g, dimensions 25 x 12.5 x 5 mm, are attached to the package with glue, double-sided adhesive tape or bolts, operate at temperatures from -25 °C to +130 °C.
But a group of German researchers and Alcan Packaging recently presented the results of an RFID-based research and practice project to create a system for remote tracking and automatic identification of packaged food and medicine. The goal of the Smart Pack project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Science and Education since 2005, was to create a technology to protect goods from counterfeiting, theft, individual recording of information, track its path in the logistics network. The originality of the technology lies primarily in the fact that passive sensors integrated into the packaging can not only serve as information carriers, but also report on the state of the product, signaling a violation of the temperature regime and humidity parameters. Thus, the consumer at the final stage of distribution will be able to determine whether the temperature regime storage, as well as to judge the integrity of the package.
new standard
Another problem limiting the large-scale implementation of RFID is the lack of necessary regulations and standards. To eliminate it, the International Organization for Standardization ISO has introduced a new radio frequency standard ISO / TS 10891:2009, which regulates the use of RFID tags used to identify cargo containers by sea, rail and road.
The ISO/TS 10891:2009 standard regulates the use of permanently attached chips that store data about the container and optimizes the efficiency of the use of control equipment. In particular, requirements are established for RFID tags when transmitting information from a chip to processing systems, requirements for container data codification systems, and the composition of recorded data. This standard also establishes requirements for the location of the RFID tag on the container and the protection of data on it from intentional or unintentional deletion.
“Containerization has reduced the time and cost of delivering goods to markets across the ocean, the number of their thefts in the process of delivery. In addition, it has led to improved transport safety. ISO/TS 10891 will help container manufacturers, shipping companies, consignees, terminal operators, rail operators benefit from the use of RFID to ensure the efficiency, speed, security of transport and container handling,” said Frank Nechber, ISO Committee Chair, who developed this standard.
TV + RFID
Sony has announced the upcoming release in Japan of two new series of Bravia TVs with a refresh rate of 240Hz. Models have an RFID Reader built into their remote controls that allows users to pay for various multimedia services (such as video-on-demand) using mobile phones. The W5 series is available in 40-, 46- and 52-inch versions, all with Full HD resolution and 240Hz. Devices from the F5 line are more modest in size (available in 32, 40 and 42 inches), but have the same panel parameters (with the exception of the younger model, which supports a resolution of 1366 x 768 at 120 Hz). New items are thin (only 85 mm) and good contrast (3800:1).
Mobile phone instead of a credit card
Visa announced the start of "field" tests of an innovative payment system in which the function plastic card performs an ordinary cell phone. A special chip is responsible for organizing secure interaction between the payment terminal and the mobile device, which provides the possibility of short-range wireless communication. At the moment, Nokia 6212 phones are equipped with such a chip.
In order to use the service, the user only needs to purchase a phone equipped with the necessary electronic component and “link” the device to their own bank account. After completing this simple procedure, he will be able to pay for goods or services by simply bringing the phone to the payment terminal at a distance of no more than 4 cm. As a result of these manipulations, the required amount will be automatically withdrawn from the account. If desired, the user will be able to enter a password that will prevent the leakage of funds from the bank account if the phone is stolen. However, if the owner of the device forgot about the precautions, the bank will independently disable the possibility of making payments from a mobile phone at the request of the client.
Currently, the service is provided only in Malaysia, but over the next few years, residents of other countries will also be able to appreciate the benefits of this service. For greater customer convenience new technology provides for the possibility of transferring funds from several accounts. For example, Malaysian users can set up separate accounts to pay for parking or public transport. In the near future, the phone will also be able to combine the functionality of credit or debit cards provided by different banks. To quickly switch to different accounts on your mobile phone, you need to install the appropriate software.
Similar solutions based on RFID technologies have already gained popularity in the United States. However, many users will like the ability to use the phone instead of a regular card, which must be removed from a special compartment in the wallet before use.
Intel: powered by radio waves
At the Rawcon conference in San Diego (USA), researchers from the Intel laboratory (Seattle) demonstrated WARP (Wireless Ambient Radio Power) technology, which allows you to power up to 60 mW over a radio channel at a distance of up to 4.1 km. During testing, the developers managed to ensure the operation of a temperature and humidity sensor with a liquid crystal screen from a radio signal from a television transmitter.
Currently, three natural (free) sources of power are used - vibration, sunlight and warm. WARP technology completes this list with the possibility of being powered by a television signal. According to Joshua Smith, one of the co-authors of WARP, their technology is not the result of large-scale discoveries in the field of chip design or radiophysics. In fact, the implementation of WARP technology became possible only thanks to the evolution of traditional electronics and is the development of the WISP (Wireless Identification and Sensing Platform) wireless information reading platform based on serial readers for RFID tags operating in the microwave range (in most TVs this range is indicated like UHF). Each WISP module contains a radio tag with an embedded microcontroller - currently the Texas Instruments MSP430 chip.
Each WISP module includes a log-periodic antenna, impedance matching components, a radio signal energy trap, a demodulator for information from the reader to the WISP module, and a modulator for transmitting data to the reader. The module also includes a voltage regulator, a programmable microcontroller (the notorious MSP430) and additional external sensors. The energy catcher is a 4-stage charge pump generator. The power consumption of a standard WISP module is on average 2 µW to 2 mW.
The authors of the WARP technology practically repeated the design of the WISP modules, they only changed the input circuit of the energy trap, tuning it to one of the television channels. As a result, the modified serial WISP module began to receive energy not from an RFID reader, but from a TV tower!
RFID in Russia
Recently, RFID technologies have been used in Russia as well. True, the first large-scale experience - the use of tags in tickets for passage to the Moscow metro - cannot be called very successful. Firstly, their buyers received absolutely no benefit, since they cost the same as old-style tickets, and they must be bought at the same box office. The time to buy or pass through the turnstiles has not been reduced. In addition, as it turned out, they are not so difficult to fake, which scammers were not slow to take advantage of. For a long time, they acted with complete impunity, openly selling fakes at metro stations, in particular VDNKh, where huge queues line up at the ticket office during rush hour. Only at the beginning of March, officers of the Moscow police department detained about 100 members of the criminal group.
The official supplier of tickets with chips based on RFID technologies is the Zelenograd Mikron plant. In 2008, Mikron supplied more than 250 million contactless cards to the metropolitan subway and other Russian enterprises. Despite the crisis phenomena, OJSC NIIME i Mikron still has grandiose development plans. So, Mikron has every chance this year, together with the state corporation Rosnano, to start financing a project to prepare for the development of technology for the production of microcircuits with a topological size of 90 nm. This was announced at a reception dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the enterprise, its general director Gennady Krasnikov. The technology partner for this project is the French company ST Microelectronics, which is ready to supply Mikron with new technology.
“In addition to the supply of transport cards, where we are already reaching the regions, other directions are opening in terms of the use of RFID - primarily in retail where billions of RFID tags are needed,” Krasnikov said. - Now the head of Rosnano, Anatoly Chubais, has taken personal control over the project of introducing RFID technologies in trade. This opens up a huge market for us.”
The banking sector decided to take advantage of the results of this implementation. Some banks already provide their customers with the opportunity to pay for travel in the subway using bank cards with an RFID chip embedded in them. Following the capital's Citibank, Bank of Moscow and Master Bank, the project was implemented in St. Petersburg. The State Unitary Enterprise "Saint Petersburg Metro" together with the Bank "Saint Petersburg" issues for passengers of the St. Petersburg Metro the "Unified" card, combined with the international bank card VISA Electron. The holder of the United-VISA Electron card can use it to pay for travel in the St. Petersburg metro, to pay for goods and services in trade and service enterprises equipped with POS-terminals, to receive cash Money at ATMs and cash points.
Another large-scale RFID project was the exchange of old passports for new ones, the so-called biometric ones. Despite financial difficulties, Muscovites are going on holidays abroad, and by spring the number of issued international passports has doubled, and 80% of them are biometric. Note that the price difference between the old (400 rubles state duty) and new (1000 rubles) passports is quite significant, but the “expensive” passport does not give any special advantages. The new document differs from the old one with a special sign on the front side, which indicates that the passport contains biometric data, but neither fingerprints nor the retina of its owner have yet been removed. The difference is that the photo page in the new passport is not at the end, but at the beginning, and the usual seal has been replaced by a hologram. However, passport office employees often strongly recommend that Muscovites issue biometric passports, arguing that old passports are produced much longer than biometric ones, although by law the procedure should not take more than 30 days, and in Moscow it was decided to reduce this period to 20 days.
The FMS claims that the document has an electronic filling: an RFID chip is embedded in one of the pages, on which the information reflected on the first page of the passport is recorded. It is believed that the chip cannot be faked, and its information can only be read using a special device. The information on the chip is also protected by an electronic signature.
Recently, a message appeared in the media about another large-scale and very promising project. The Supervisory Board of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies approved the participation of the corporation in the organization of a high-tech enterprise for the production of RFID tags, which will be the owner of production facilities in Russia, Italy and Serbia, as well as technologies and know-how. It will be created jointly with the Italian company Galileo Vacuum Systems S.p.a. total cost The project will amount to 43 million euros, of which 21 million will be invested by the Russian side.
According to the calculations of the largest Russian retailers (X5 Retail Group, Auchan), as a result of the introduction of RFID systems, there will be a reduction in warehouse costs, as well as a reduction in losses from theft by 40%. The project uses innovative nanotechnology from Galileo Vacuum Systems, which makes it possible to metallize any flexible surface, including selectively (according to a given pattern), with high performance and low production cost. Another product of the new enterprise will be metallized packaging (film and paper). The production of such materials in the Russian Federation is very promising, since about 80% of the metallized film and almost 100% of paper are imported into the Russian Federation from other countries.
Traditionally, bar coding has been used as an automatic identification technology for automating warehouse and logistics processes. This solution is cost-effective, as it allows the use of inexpensive identifiers (barcode labels), which is the reason for the high popularity of this technology. But despite such a widespread use of barcode identification, many analysts are inclined to believe that sooner or later it will be superseded by RFID radio frequency technology. In this article, we will consider the features and advantages of this identification method and try to find out how rational it is to change one solution to another.
As a rule, warehousing includes three main stages: acceptance, storage and shipment of goods. We propose to consider all the pros and cons of the two competing technologies at each of these stages.
1. Acceptance of goods.
To automate the warehouse, radio tags in the form of smart labels are used. Outwardly, they resemble simple self-adhesive labels that are printed on, but unlike them, RFID labels contain an RF tag. In terms of the speed of printing and gluing, they practically do not differ from barcode technology. The main difference between identifiers lies in their functionality. So, the main advantage of RFID over a barcode is that this technology does not require a direct line of sight of the radio tag in relation to the reader. In addition, the RF reader can recognize and collect data from multiple tags at the same time. This feature is convenient not only because it speeds up the process of processing information, but in cases where, for example, incomplete goods have arrived at the warehouse. In this case, a commercial act of shortage is drawn up. If bar coding is used, then a manual or semi-automatic calculation of the missing goods would have to be performed to complete the inventory of goods. This would require unpacking each pallet and scanning the barcode of each box or package. Simply put, in this case, it would take quite a lot of time to complete this task. In this regard, RFID technology is much more efficient, as it allows you to identify all the goods on a pallet at once in a few seconds. Moreover, reading is possible from a distance of two to three meters. As a result, the total number of “responded” tags is calculated and the goods corresponding to them are entered into the inventory. In this example, we can see that RFID can be much more useful than barcoding when it comes to receiving goods.
2. Warehouse inventory and stock tracking.
Labeling of goods is required for faster inventory in the warehouse, if it is not there, this procedure will turn into a long and painstaking task, which can take more than one day. This will require considerable concentration of attention from the warehouse staff and accurate record keeping. Even the use of a portable PC is not able to greatly facilitate this work.
Barcode marking uses a wireless terminal equipped with a scanner. With the help of this device, the inventory will certainly be faster. But how convenient will it be if the goods are stored in a warehouse "scattered", and not on racks in several rows? In this case, you will need to rotate each box so that the barcode is visible. The only advantage of barcoding in this situation is that it allows for automated recording, reducing the number of input errors. If the goods are marked with RFID tags, then the procedure will be much simplified, since, as we have already said, they do not require direct visibility for identification. Using a portable RFID reader, the tag can be recognized from a distance of up to 3.5 meters through the box. In terms of reading range, there are, of course, some limitations, but even despite them, RFID remains a more convenient solution for inventory in a warehouse. It should also be noted that modern models handheld terminals with an RFID reader module also include a barcode scanner. It may be required if the tag is out of order, for example due to damage. Then the data is read from the smart label through a barcode that duplicates the information stored in the tag's memory. Thus, we can conclude that with a less well-coordinated organization of the warehouse, RFID technology allows inventory to be performed faster than barcode.
3. Control of the shipment of goods.
When goods are shipped in large quantities and there is a need to keep track of every box loaded on a pallet, RFID technology will once again become more effective solution. It will simplify accounting, making it easier and more accurate. Only in this case, the use of one reader will not be enough, it will be more rational to use RFID reading systems. Their operation is based on a reader to which several antennas are connected. These antennas are placed along the perimeter of the warehouse gate. Installing such a system will allow you to count all the labels from the product packages that are being transported by a forklift on pallets at a time. At the same time, reading is possible when the loader is moving and can be performed at a speed of 60-150 marks per second! According to the list of read tags, the warehouse management system can automatically generate the appropriate documentation for the client.
Along with all the advantages of RFID technology, it should be noted that it also has its drawbacks, as well as some limitations. Let's outline the main ones:
- The cost of a radio tag, even one that belongs to cheap types of identifiers, is several times higher than the price of a barcode label. Therefore, if the product is comparable in price to the price of such marking, the introduction of RFID technology is a very irrational decision.
- There are materials that do not transmit radio waves. First of all, these are metal objects. Therefore, if there are metal elements in the box and if marking is required metal products, RFID identification will not be as effective. Radio tags have already been developed, the properties of which are preserved on metal, but they are more expensive and usually larger in size compared to standard RF tags.
But even if a large warehousing industry falls under these two constraints, this does not mean that the efficiency gains and cost savings from the use of RF technology will not be able to cover the costs of RFID tags and equipment. As for the metal, it is able to create a significant barrier to reading only if it largely blocks the "field of view" of the reader's antenna.
Competent warehouse automation is the most important stage in increasing the efficiency and profitability of each production. The modern market is tough and aggressive environment where the accuracy and speed of goods movement control play a huge role both in the operation of the warehouse and in the activities of the enterprise as a whole. Most companies today use RFID technology as an alternative to barcodes.
RFID technology is the most relevant among solutions for automation of warehouses and logistics processes. The advantages of introducing RFID in warehouse logistics are obvious: the technology allows you to control all the main processes, increases their reliability, speeds up the execution time, and also reduces the percentage of errors and inaccuracies in work that occur under the influence of the human factor. It is in the field of warehouse logistics that the introduction of RFID will make it possible to evaluate all the economic and strategic advantages of this technology.
Today, RFID technology is the most promising identification technology that allows you to fully control and improve logistics processes in a warehouse. However, the introduction of this technology in Russia in warehouse logistics is extremely slow. There are enough reasons for this, for example, the incorrect organization of the work of the structure, the fear of the need to rebuild the system of work that has developed over the years or the economic inefficiency of implementation, the lack of complete and reliable information about technological features RFID, etc.
RFID solutions in warehouse and logistics
The most important advantage of RFID in relation to the long-standing and entrenched bar coding technology due to its availability is the possibility of contactless identification. a large number marks per second (more than 50 pcs.), despite the fact that the reading range can reach 12 meters. Also, the technology makes it possible to quickly control all the processes of transportation and accounting of goods. (Fig. 1).
Thanks to the use of contactless identification systems, a huge amount of previously inaccessible information about the movement of marked objects is automatically collected, whether it be a global supply chain or the movement of goods in a warehouse. There is openness and transparency of logistics processes occurring at the enterprise. The time for obtaining information about the movement of objects is significantly reduced and its reliability and reliability are increased. There are many solutions in the field of RFID implementation in warehouse logistics, for example:
- The ability to track the movement of marked objects within an area or throughout the entire supply chain. An example is the labeling of returnable containers of an enterprise, the consumption and return of which is automatically taken into account, and the fact that a specific object has passed each technological stage is displayed in the database or in the label itself attached to the object.
- Possibility remote monitoring cargo condition. If a company is engaged in the supply or transportation of goods for which it is important to comply with certain standards, such as temperature control, then one of the solutions offered by RFID technology can be the installation of an RFID sensor / tag, which will allow you to record the temperature and receive data in real time. This allows you to control the safety of goods. An example of such a solution can be a branch of the DHL delivery service called “thermonet”. They offer a solution for the temperature control of the transported cargo in real time ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YZC_6aBP_Y).
- The use of RFID technology in the automatic registration of transport of a logistics company. (Fig. 3). This solution will reduce the load on the checkpoint, reduce the time of registration of vehicles, automate the identification of the driver and invoices assigned to him. By marking the car with an RFID tag, you can assign a driver, invoice numbers indicating the goods being transported, the time of registration of entry and exit of the car to the warehouse, as well as any other information. Automatic identification of vehicles is carried out at checkpoints. Control points can be entrances/exits from the territory of the warehouse, goods acceptance/shipment areas, warehouse parking area, etc. The minimum equipment that the test point should be equipped with is a long-range antenna, a stationary reader, and software for automation and processing of data that enters the reading zone.
- Possibility of implementing an access control system. Access control systems are an essential component for ensuring the security of a large warehouse and its individual areas, access to which for employees should be limited due to highly specialized production or storage of critical goods. Access to such objects can be provided for specialists of a certain level of training or for responsible persons. The access control system can provide maximum protection of the object from unauthorized entry.
Despite the undeniable advantage and innovative solutions that RFID offers, the cost-effectiveness of the technology remains in question, which is one of the main obstacles to its implementation in warehouse logistics. A significant reduction in the cost of implementing an RFID system will be observed when marking products with RFID tags at the production stage. This evolution of RFID technology can be compared to the history of bar coding. On average, the payback period of an RFID accounting system in warehouse logistics is determined by many parameters, in particular, such as: the goals of technology implementation, the quality of implementation, the scale of the project, the cost of equipment and maintenance.
The basis of economic efficiency in the implementation of RFID in warehouse logistics are such factors as increasing the speed of obtaining and processing information at all controlled points, increasing labor productivity, reducing costs and minimizing losses at all stages of logistics processes, increasing customer loyalty, ensuring control over the management of processes occurring at warehouse, reducing personnel costs.
In addition to saving time on accounting operations and improving the accuracy of the data obtained, as well as the ability to introduce new solutions into logistics processes, the introduction of an RFID system also provides indirect benefits. Thanks to the openness, accessibility and transparency of information about the ongoing processes in the warehouse, you can realistically assess the actual losses and costs, get new important information about your own enterprise, identify weak spots and correctly influence precisely those areas of work that really require attention and correction. And, of course, the best way to benefit from new technologies is to reflect on the appropriateness of their use, in consultation with experts in the field.
One of the Russian companies, IDlogic, has implemented many solutions in various industries, including in the warehouse. It was in the warehouse and logistics that the technology showed all its undeniable advantages over bar coding technology and showed its best side.
Warehouse automation finished products industrial enterprise
Upon receipt of finished products at the warehouse, it is assumed:
1. Availability of interface with systems automatic control(PCS) by production for automatic input of data on the type and quantity of products entering the warehouse. The input of such information is usually based on the use of stationary barcode scanners. It is also possible semi-automatic manual data entry from radio terminals at the stage of acceptance and QCD in production by employees of these services.
2. Use of means of applying labels with bar codes or means of radio frequency identification (radio tags).
3. The warehouse management system, based on the data coming from the automated process control system or the QCD radio terminals, must issue commands to print labels with data on the received products and control the means for marking.
4. The procedure for the receipt of finished products at the warehouse can be either fully automated (in the presence of conveyor lines) or require the intervention of warehouse personnel (acceptance by storekeepers of labeled products coming from production).
5. Automatic transfer of data on products received to the warehouse to the ERP system.
6. Existence of a developed quality control process that provides control over the sampling process.
When placing products in a warehouse, you must:
1. Mandatory support for the operation of radio terminal equipment.
2. Dynamic management of the placement of products in the warehouse with its serial and batch accounting (if such accounting is used).
3. The ability of the system to work with storage locations of various product capacities.
4. Placement of products, taking into account the need for its accelerated shipment to the buyer.
When collecting orders for products, you need to ensure:
1. The ability to automatically accept orders for shipment to work (the control system must independently calculate the time for picking specific order and issue a task at the beginning of this collection in a timely manner).
2. "Ability" of the control system to work with cells of various types and places for floor storage of products on the principles of selection FIFO or LIFO; a selection of orders, both in terms of product expiration dates, and in batches and series, depending on the scheduled time of its removal from the warehouse.
3. Support for work with various means of automating the collection of orders (conveyors, carousels, elevators, etc.).
4. When exporting products from the warehouse, it is advisable to support the possibility of its direct shipment directly from the finishing production lines without temporary storage.
5. The possibility of repacking products and assembling kits (for example, furniture production)
Integration with the corporate enterprise management system is achieved through:
1. The presence of an interface for communication with other information systems based on various protocols (base-base, XML text files).
2. An advanced system for creating and transmitting reports.
Thus, the finished goods warehouse management system is characterized by a high degree of integration with the corporate enterprise management system, the ability to support a wide range of additional equipment, as well as significant autonomy for the possibility of warehouse personnel intervening in the operation of the management system.
In this regard, such systems approach in their parameters to production automated systems, which in other respects is not surprising, since in many enterprises the warehouse is called the finished product workshop and is considered as part of the production.
So, for the complex automation of the warehouse of finished products based on barcoding technology, online control over warehouse operations and address storage of goods, the company BS proposes a project consisting of:
1.
2. to support automatic identification: data collection radios, wireless networks, label printers, consumables in the form of self-adhesive labels or hang tags
3. Implementation services: inspection, development of technical specifications, consulting, system installation, personnel training, equipment installation, commissioning.
Our forte is the use of the optimal implementation methodology and work experience. Thanks to this, we achieve results in a short time and with minimal project risks, which will allow the company to recoup the invested funds as quickly as possible.
To begin with, we will try to decide what RFID technology itself is. As the title implies, this is radio frequency identification of objects. In RFID technology, we always have a reader and a tag (transponder, i.e. a device that sends a signal).
Those. the reader receives information from the tag on which the data is written (usually this is its unique code). The tag itself consists of an integrated circuit (information is recorded on it) and an antenna for receiving and transmitting a signal.
Tags are active and passive. Active tags have their own power supply, so they can send a signal themselves and be read from a long distance. Passive tags do not have own source energy and are activated when they receive the reader's signal and give it the recorded information.
Active tags are quite large and expensive. Passive tags can be miniature. Their price is comparable to the cost of a simple label.
Application of RFID technology for business automation
RFID technology has many applications, but in this article we will talk specifically about automation. warehouse activities and conducting inventories. We believe that the use of this technology in these areas is relevant for almost any business.
Inventory automation with RFID
This is probably the easiest way to apply RFID technology. Any company conducts an inventory. You can inventory an item in a store, inventory in a warehouse, or fixed assets.
RFID technology greatly simplifies inventory. Thanks to this technology, the inventory time is reduced by 10 times! Indeed, unlike paper technology or barcoding, you do not need to check each product - just walk next to the label and the reader will already receive a signal from it.
What do we need to conduct such an inventory?
- Passive RFID tags. The cost of the tag is about $0.5 for non-metallic materials (if you order in large quantities, the price can be much lower). The cost of a label for metal is about $ 1.5.
- RFID reader. Usually, a data collection terminal with an RFID function and specially developed software is used for these purposes (from $ 1000)
- Special software for receiving and processing data from tags (depending on functionality from 15 thousand rubles) is installed on the TSD.
- An accounting system that stores data on goods and fixed assets (usually based on 1C). It needs to be integrated with RFID software.
The inventory process is simple. You just need to take the data collection terminal with the nomenclature loaded into it and count all the marks from the inventoryed property.
Implementation of RFID in the warehouse
The introduction of RFID in a warehouse does not differ fundamentally from inventory based on this technology. There are also readers and tags.
Only now readers are not only mobile, but also stationary. The latter can be mounted on shelves, loaders or gates.
The stationary reader has the ability to mount antennas that send a radio signal. Usually, from 2 to 8 antennas are connected to the reader. The cost of one stationary reader is about $2000
Most often, such readers are attached to the gate to receive information from all the tags that are carried through them. Therefore, stationary readers are also called portal readers.
The general scheme of work in an RFID warehouse may look like the picture below:
RFID technologies in the warehouse are successfully combined with the use of WMS systems and address storage. At the same time, RFID tags can make it possible to create so-called "smart shelves" in the warehouse, when we can get real-time data about what is in a particular cell, thanks to reading the tags on a particular rack.
Inventory in the warehouse can be carried out both with the help of data collection terminals and with the help of readers installed on the loader.
Warehouse automation requires more advanced software than inventory control. Because in this case we have complex system from many different readers that simultaneously receive data from thousands of tags. Such software costs around 120 thousand rubles. At the same time, it is not independent and must be integrated into the WMS system in the warehouse, or into the customer's accounting system.
In general, RFID technology is quite complex and expensive. But the results of implementation usually pay off the funds invested in it. Because productivity increases many times, with a significant reduction in product losses.
