Myth 6: Adoption of RFID Won’t Require Facility, Equipment and Process Changes

Truth: Incorporation of RFID will necessitate a new look at existing business processes. As emerging requirements and technological evolutions arise, companies will be forced to revisit their standard practices if they expect to gain new efficiencies.

They will need to ensure that there is a high level of compatibility in the integration of RFID within the facility—how the physical layout is organized, how labor is deployed, and even how the equipment itself is constructed. For example, a forklift truck may block the RFID signal at the reader level. The company might have to move the position of the signal reader or adjust the truck itself.

The good news is that this level of change can prompt even better practices that otherwise would not have occurred without the company’s consideration of RFID.

Myth 7: Only Companies with Metal and Liquid Products Face Readability Challenges

Truth: While early use of RFID poses obstacles when used with metal and liquids, the technology is continuing to evolve and undergo more rigorous testing, both in the lab and in the field. Companies are carrying forward lessons learned and best practices by continuously applying the science of physics to the art of RFID implementation.

There’s no substitute for testing RFID with your own products in your own environment. You need to make sure that you get a consistent read rate that meets your needs when applying RFID tags to your products, packaging and pallets. Experiment early and thoroughly test applications before making a large investment in an RFID solution.

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Myth 8: Consistently Reading Every EPC on a Pallet is Easy

Truth: While using EPC tags beats scanning, it is not foolproof. So many variables can interfere with accurate and reliable read rates. These might include the size of boxes, the number of cases, travel speed, types of tags, tag placement, reader/ antenna placement and even the product mix itself. Where the actual tags are read is a key consideration. Avoid the need to physically break apart boxes to reveal the EPC label. The goal is to eliminate any inconsistencies and increase read rates, not drop-out rates.

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Myth 9: All RFID Tags Are the Same

Truth: All RFID tags are not created equally. There are different types of tags for different applications, depending on the environment where RFID will be applied. Pharmaceutical, food, and hospital RFID applications, for example, require pristine and sanitary conditions that are vastly different from uses for RFID in an automotive factory or steel plant.

Use the following checklist to determine which types of RFID tags are most compatible with your unique business environment:

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Myth 10: EPC Technology Can Only be used for Consumer Goods

Truth: While early use of EPC technology by the Auto-ID Center is focused on the consumer goods value chain, the technology was designed to allow for easy expansion into other industries.

The EPC code, as designed today, includes a header section that instructs other systems on how to interpret the remainder of the data on the tag. There are 256 possible schemas with the current eight-bit header. Currently, only five are in use. This leaves significant room for the addition of different encoding schemas, from NDC codes in pharmacy applications to automotive parts.

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Conclusion

Your unique business environment will dictate your RFID requirements. Don’t be fooled by the existing hype about RFID. Remember that RFID doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. It can be implemented in phases and applied to specific projects to accurately gauge ROI benefits.

Learn from the early pioneers who are testing the waters and charting the course toward universal RFID standards. Now is the time to research the possibilities and understand the challenges before you earmark funds for forthcoming RFID hardware and software investments. Starting conservatively will enable you to progress at a comfortable pace that is right for your business.

About the Author

Greg Gilbert joined Manhattan Associates in January 2003. He was hired to develop the company’s RFID strategy, integrate RFID applications with existing Manhattan Associates solutions, and oversee the development of new RFID solutions. He is also responsible for developing relationships with leading RFID hardware and software providers.

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