Automatic data collection in the Retail, Aviation and Industrial sectors

RFID technology: what it is and how it works

One of the most effective technologies for identifying and tracking data automatically and in real time is RFID (radio frequency identification).

RFID is an identification technology that uses a radio frequency signal for communication between the object to be identified and the recognition device.
A system using RFID technology consists of 2 elements:

1. a tag or transponder, with a chip and antenna. Tags can be of various types: chipless (anti-theft); read-only or read/write; reusable or disposable;
2. a reader/writer device, which reads the data contained in the tag and, if required, writes new data over it.

There are two major families of RFID technologies, depending on the energy source that powers them: passive RFID, in which tags receive the energy they need to operate from the RF field provided by the reading system, with a limited reading distance (up to 10-15m) and the ability to operate at low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) or ultra-high frequency (UHF and microwave); and active RFID, in which tags have their own power supply, usually a long-life battery (as with Telepass devices).

The benefits of RFID technology

Unlike traditional barcodes, which absolutely must be visible to the reader so they can be scanned by the light beam emitted by the scanner, RFID labels do not require line of sight. The radio waves, which carry energy to the tag and transfer its information content to the reading system, easily pass through most materials, such as wood, plastic and paint, and tags can easily be embedded in the packaging material of the object to be tracked, which also protects them.

These features bring at least three general advantages:

1. Efficiency: data can be captured without human intervention
2. Flexibility: as line of sight is not required, tags can be placed on objects with fewer restrictions
3. Robustness: tags are not damaged by moisture and/or dirt; they can be embedded directly in pallets or boxes for added protection.

The benefits of RFID in Retail

Using RFID tags in Retail brings immediate benefits to many daily activities, with a real economic return:

• Improved security thanks to effective, unobtrusive anti-theft systems;
• Simplified inventory management;
• Savings on labour;
• Efficiency, fewer errors;
• Improved quality of service and customer experience.

CUSTOM offers MULTI SCAN, an innovative, ultra-compact portable scanner that can read directly from smartphones and RFID. MULTI SCAN can perform 4 types of scanning: 1D barcodes and 2D QR codes; HF RFID and NFC reading/writing; and a built-in camera for taking photos.

The benefits of RFID in warehouse logistics

By using RFID technology instead of barcodes as a logistics identification solution for the warehouse, the following benefits can be achieved:

• Reliable reading;
• No need to ‘see’ the label;
• Ability to work in contaminated and dirty warehouses;
• Ability to withstand, with suitable protection, attack by chemical and environmental agents;
• Ability to operate inside the object to be identified or inside another container (provided it is not entirely metal).

The benefits of RFID in Aviation

RFID technology is the ideal system for tracking baggage in real time at every stage of its transfer: scanners on conveyor belts can scan the tags attached to baggage and divert it if it has been sent in the wrong direction. A major improvement on manual barcode scanning.

CUSTOM offers the TK180 printer which supports RFID technology for tracking baggage in real time at every stage of its transfer.

Printing RFID tags directly onto baggage labels makes it possible to track suitcases throughout their journey, minimising the risk of loss or delayed delivery while also improving security

Ruggieri, Head of the Aviation Division

The technology is built into the ticket printer: the antenna in the printer reads and encodes the unique information in each tag, which is then printed with an RFID chip and used to track the baggage.