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RFID: An Introduction

By: Simon Holloway
Format: White Paper
Published: June 2007

PDF document Free Download (subject to terms)

What ever you read on packaging, Supply Chain or Identification, you will come across an article or advertisement for RFID. Why does this technology seem to be being touted as the next best thing since sliced white bread? And is it just another piece of hype meant to confuse and make us invest money in another piece of technology?

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is evolving as a major technology enabler for identifying and tracking goods and assets around the world. It can help hospitals locate expensive equipment more quickly to improve patient care, pharmaceutical companies to reduce counterfeiting and logistics providers to improve the management of moveable assets. It also promises to enable new efficiencies in the supply chain by tracking goods from the point of manufacture through to the retail point of sale (POS).

As a result of the potential benefits of RFID:

  • The automotive industry has been using closed-loop RFID systems to track and control major assemblies within a production plant for 30 odd years;
  • Many of the world’s major retailers have mandated RFID tagging for pallets and cases shipped into their distribution centres to provide better visibility;
  • There are moves in the defence and aerospace industry to mandate the use of RFID to improve supply chain visibility and ensure the authenticity of parts;
  • Regulatory bodies in the US are moving to the use of ePedigrees based on RFID to prevent counterfeiting of prescription drugs,
  • Hospitals are using RFID for patient identification and moveable asset tracking;
  • RFID tags are being used to track the movement of farm animals to assist with tracking issues when major animal diseases strike.

But while the technology has received more than its fair share of media coverage over the last 12 to 18 months, many are still unfamiliar with RFID and the benefits it can offer. In the face of this need for clear, comprehensive information about RFID and its benefits, this paper defines the opportunities offered by the technology for all organisations involved in the production, movement or sale of goods. It is equally relevant for organisations wishing to track or locate existing goods, assets or equipment.

In addition, the paper seeks to outline the business and technical challenges to RFID deployment and demonstrates how these issues can be addressed with technology. Above all, it explains how technology—which provides the software architecture underpinning the solution rather than tags or readers—can support the deployment of RFID-based solutions.