How can RFID be Utilized in Transport Manufacturing Industry?

RFID (Radio-frequency Identification) is a revolutionizing technology that has transformed numerous business operations. Its cost-effectiveness and efficiency are few of its many benefits that has attracted various companies for years. After gas industry and retail, one industry that is likely to be benefited by RFID is the transport manufacturing industry. RFID can be used in the manufacturing of automobiles, airplanes, and trains.

In the airplane manufacturing industry, RFID tags are used in managing the supply chain. Manufacturing a commercial jet involves a set of complex tasks as well as management of millions of small parts. The use of RFID tags in management of supply chain has made tracking and monitoring of avionics and other parts much easier. The information obtained from the tags helps in aircraft maintenance as well as line maintenance.

In the railway transport system, the railway track must be maintained and inspected for defects periodically. In most cases, the inspection is carried out manually, and this paves the way for an RFID-based system. With RFID-based monitoring system, it will be easier to alert the trains that are approaching the maintenance or construction area. This way, train operators will slow down the train and prevent accidents.

Automobile industry is not new to the RFID technology. It has been using RFID for many years. RFID tags are utilized in supply chain and for yard management in automobile processing centers. With recent developments in RFID technology, car rental companies can efficiently utilize RFID tags in tracking and managing their entire fleet of vehicles.

How Can RFID Help the Food & Beverage Industry?

RFID (Radio-frequency Identification) technology is used for tracking and identification of animate and inanimate objects using radio waves. In recent years, it has solidified its position as a potential market leader in the wireless communication technology. The great benefits that it offers to its users, have given it an edge over the other existing wireless technologies. Market analysts have observed a rapid growth in the use of RFID technology in various industries.

According to the data given by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,  almost one-half of the U.S population consumes alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic beverages every day. In such scenario, beverage industries have to maintain their reputation and remain competitive. They need to find efficient and reliable production and delivery methods to foster their growth. RFID technology can provide cost-effective solutions in a timely manner.

RFID technology can be utilized in the beverage supply chain. With RFID-based supply chain system, production cycles can be improved. It minimizes error by eliminating manual and paper-based methods. This way, RFID prevents distribution delays and helps in enhancing productivity of the company.

Many companies are using UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID systems to track their products efficiently. RFID tags are attached to the beverage containers before they are shipped to the retailer. It becomes a lot easy to track and identify the shipments with RFID. For wine producers, RFID is the perfect solution for tracking the distribution as RFID tags can be attached to the cork.

Go Green: Connection Between RFID and Environment

Over the years, many people have used the word 'technology' as an antonym to a healthy environment. The word green technology may seem weird to such people, but it is a fact that such technologies exist. The technologies that are recyclable, energy-efficient, safe and healthy are known as green technologies or environmental technologies. Currently,  RFID may not be categorized under the green technologies but it might very soon be the newest addition to such Eco-friendly technologies. RFID can be utilized to promote a healthy environment among our society.

Impact of RFID

RFID technology can be used in recycling reward programs. RFID tags can be attached to the recycling bins of every resident of the community to track the amount of materials that are being recycled by each of the residents. Rewards should be given to residents who are recycling the most. The RFID-based recycling reward programs will definitely promote recycling, and it will be a big step towards a safer and healthier environment. RFID can also help in improving the waste management process. Utilizing RFID tags and readers in waste management market will improve the whole process. Hauling vehicles and bins that are RFID-enabled can track the missing containers and also automatically update the data entry for customer billing. Incorporating RFID with technologies like GPS, route mapping and monitoring of vehicles can be improved.

RFID can also help in reducing waste by providing an efficient way for smart packaging of products. It will add safety mechanisms such as tamper-proofing and will also provide the ability to measure the freshness of the product. RFID can impact environment in a positive way.

RFID Technology for Optimum Business Innovation

Although efficiency and optimization are a key focus, at every stage of this transformation, new business opportunities may arise. Better information and process improvements often are part of the process of developing a deeper understanding of a business and can easily lead to new offers to customers or different ways of pricing. But the most dramatic form of transformation is that intelligent automated parts of the system can lead to dramatic new levels of efficiency, coordination and collaboration in an adaptive business network.

In retailing, Metro Group has pioneered the introduction of RFID into stores to change the shopping experience to make it more dynamic. Products with RFID tags can interact with shelves, shopping carts, information displays, cash registers, and scales all equipped with readers that can sense the products and react. Proctor & Gamble is using RFID technology to pursue its vision of a consumer-driven supply network, in which timely information is used to pull, in effect, products through the supply chain rather than use planning algorithms to push products to where forecasts say they might be needed. In aircraft maintenance, sensors on jet engines are being used to sense the operation of the engines and predict when they need maintenance or replacement of parts.

Although better information and process improvements can bring great value, business innovation based on the power of RFID technology is the path to the largest benefits. The above instances are only a sample of how more information, advanced analysis and intelligent components can change the paradigm for a business.