Expert talks about RFID advantages

RFID, stressed Tai, will have a significant impact on every facet of supply chain management from moving loads of goods to counting them accurately to managing information better due to real-time data input. This is crucial to enabling just-in-time delivery.

“The technology creates value by optimizing operation-related processes,” explained Tai. “It also increases inventory turnover, while minimizing out-of-stock incidences. Finally, it enhances accuracy of delivery.”

That is why Acer and many other companies have moved to incorporate the technology to satisfy their key partner: Wal-Mart.

Tai warned, however, that RFID cannot fill gaps, if there are any, in a company’s current processes. “Value depends greatly on how RFID is integrated into your business,” emphasized Tai. “It may require extensive changes to your existing process and system setup.”

She also pointed out that all gaps in processes will be revealed. “Whenever you talk about automation and systemization,” she said, “it means taking people out of the process. These employees were the ones who were previously smoothing out the processes if there were any problems.”

Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) established a Pacific RFID Performance Center (PRPC), which was recently “transitioned to Yeon,” said Tai. The objective is to promote UHF standard-based RFID applications via professional tests. PRPC is Asia’s only EPCglobal-accredited performance test center, providing geographical convenience to Asian end-users, while helping identify the most efficient hardware solutions to save deployment time.

PRPC consists of a dynamic test laboratory, which can evaluate tag speed, sweet spots for tagged boxes, conveyor portals and door portals; and a static test laboratory, which can conduct individual box-level, pallet-level tests, as well as reader antenna and tag antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber.

The PRPC will simulate an RFID application environment with testing to identify hardware and tag requirement that conform to the EPCglobal standard to resolve potential issues in global supply chain environments. It will also verify optimal tags and tagged positions to ensure smooth passage through logistics for cost competitiveness and improved customer service.

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