RFID is very similar to barcodes, it’s a technology used to track equipment, vehicles and objects. A barcode uses a visible tagging system to store data about the product, this is then read by a scanner. An RFID tag is a chip that can be accessed remotely using an RFID reader, it stores data about the item it’s attached to and then sends it to the reader. The reader uses radio waves to activate the chip which then sends the data about the item.
Although, RFID asset tracking software has yet to be univesally adopted by companies, there are a great deal of companies in the US that are already using the technology for other purposes. A few of the services that have started using RFID tagging include mass transit ticketing, payment methods, libraries, museums and new passports. A large number of the users are government run.
Although many companies haven’t invested in RFID, they understand why it’s so important. In recent years the important of tracking all your company assets has become ever more important. However, many companies find auditing their assets costly as it can slow their business down. Quite a few companies find that they have missed a number of their items after auditing.
Implementing RFID tagging chips to your items, you are able to remotely track hundreds of your assets all at the same time. This makes managing your assets a whole lot simpler.
One example of where RFID have become useful is in a Unilever factory. They have added the tracking tags to around 20,000 items on their production line. These tags allows them to audit all of the items remotely, if they had to do it manually, they would have to shut down the production line.
This is just one example where RFID tracking can help your business and avoid you loosing money. There are a wide range of examples. Another example is in the fire service, they can track equipment to save vital time. It also makes sure that unequipped vehicles don’t go to the scene of an accident.
Unfortunately, tracking your assets with RFID is not cheap to do. With the more advanced tags costing around $50, tracking your assets efficiently is not check. Hopefully costs will fall as the technology becomes cheaper to develop. As soon as more companies use this form of tracking, asset tracking programs will become more used and more advanced.
