RFID: Contact-free exchange of identification data

Brief info

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. This technology enables the contact-free and wireless exchange of data between a data carriers, the so-called transponder or tag, and a reader or writer, using electromagnetic alternating fields. Objects of any kind can be uniquely and quickly identified in this manner.

The Technology

For data exchange, the reader transmits a magnetic alternating field at the resonant frequency of the transponder oscillator circuit. Through an antenna, the transponder receives enough power from the excitation field of the reader to operate the microchip.  Using clever manipulation of the magnetic field, data can be exchanged between the microchip in the transponder and the reader/writer, or stored in the chip for later processes.

Applications

RFID technology is used today in many ways in areas like logistics and materials management:

• in access control,
• for goods receiving and outgoing inspections,
• in goods tracking and supply chain control,
• in maintenance management,
• in fraud prevention, and
• for animal registry.

These are some of the already successful and widespread application areas of RFID.

RFID use at the 2006 World Soccer Championship ensures secure and efficient access control.

Advantages

The advantages of RFID technology are obvious. Contact-free readout and description of transponders, which can be used almost limitlessly from a quantitative and temporal viewpoint. The transponders are arbitrarily variable in shape and size and can be completely integrated into the product. Due to its resistance to environmental influences, the reading of tags is possible even under severely dirty conditions. These advantages result in the applicability to a wide variety of usage scenarios.
When planning RFID projects, the not insignificant cost of the transponders and the reader/writer must be taken into account, but the production costs for RFID chips and labels are expected to fall a great deal in the medium term. In the future, RFID technology will lead to significant cost savings in the logistics industry due to its diverse range of usage and process optimization possibilities. And that means nothing more stands in the way of its successful use next to or even replacing the established barcode.

Services by Consist Software Solutions

Our customers usually know where in the process chain the use of RFID could be of benefit.  Before they decide to use RFID, our consultants examine the planned scenario with them. This includes, on the one hand, the examination and analysis of the process to be optimized, and on the other hand an analysis of the physical conditions and weaknesses, right up to the connection or integration into production systems. Consist Software Solutions can also provide an appropriate feasibility study upon request, including cost/benefit analysis. However, this can just as well show the unsuitability of RFID technology for optimization of the process in question. 
Consist Software Solutions can gladly take over responsibility for the entire project, or support you in the implementation of appropriate projects. When selecting RFID hardware and during the physical implementation of components, we cooperate with well-known partners to find the highest-powered state-of-the-art RFID hardware. Besides hardware, the software for both operation and administration of RFID components is supplied and implemented by Consist Software Solutions. Using appropriately defined data flows along production process chains, data exchange finally occurs between the production system and the RFID solution.