Week 1: Introduction to RFID

After week 1, I had a basic knowledge about RFID system. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFID)

Actually RFID is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

There are three basic components of RFID system (Infrastructure):

- An RFID Tag

- An RFID Reader

- A predefined format for the information

RFID Tag includes three essential elements: antenna, integrated circuit, memory.

There are three types of tags: 

- Passive tags

- Semi-passive tags (battery-assisted)

- Active tags

I acknowledge that RFID technology impacts strongly supply chain management. There are many benefits of using RFID technology as mentioned on the videos. RFID helps to improve system efficiency, tracking, and communication, while preventing data entry and collection errors. 

“Time is money”, that is right. Speed is an important factor for most data capture systems. With today's decreasing production cycle times, the amount of time needed to access or update the RFID pallet identification system must fit within a very small time window. 

Using RFID technology is getting the benefit over the bar coding. RFID tags contain a read-write option which means that data stored on a RFID label can only be read or modified by authorized users. There is the added benefit that the reader can read numerous tags at the same time. Add to this the fact that RFID tags are not only robust, they are very secure.

The familiar example of using RFID technology is in library. The use of RFID tags for document tracking greatly reduces the time spent searching for books or documents. Checkout becomes a much faster process as stacks of books can be checked out with one scan of a reader without opening or handling the books. 

Besides, RFID can lead to reduced labor costs, improved inventory availability and reduced inventory stock outs.The technology can also help combat counterfeiting and supply chain security breaches.

In conclusion, RFID technology is applied widely in a lot of fields nowadays. It is necessary to use RFID in manufacturing and other related areas for the same goal, time saving, because “Time is money”.