RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are a beautiful way of gaining instant access to objects with minimal effort. They are widely helpful in every industry, including retail, shipping, manufacturing, and security. If your company is looking to improve organization, efficiency and save money by reducing waste and mistakes, you should consider the effective use of RFID tags for your products. Using this method to track inventory can significantly reduce inventory loss and overstock. Here are ways to help you use these tags for effective results.
- Use RFID Tags Throughout The Project
All stakeholders need to use these tags throughout your project to reap maximum results, from team members and managers to suppliers and customers. Optimal use of the RFID tags will allow you to keep track of everything related to your project from conception through execution, all the way until the completion of your tasks. In a step-by-step process, you will see where each stakeholder is regarding their part in completing your project on time and within budget.
By making sure everyone has an RFID tag that can communicate with yours, you’ll be able to see how far along they are at any given moment. If someone goes off schedule or does not complete their task on time, you’ll know immediately by checking your status updates. You can also compare the use of tags in RTLS vs RFID technologies.
- Always Ensure Your Tags Are Powered
Ensure that you’re using tags that can transmit their data, or you won’t be able to read them. You can achieve greater accuracy by ensuring your tags are always powered and transmitting. Even a barcode needs the power to capture information from it if you think about it. You may be asking, what is RFID? An active RFID tag is a miniature computer chip that receives energy from an RFID reader to gather information and transmit it. Without battery power, they are just useless pieces of plastic!
Active tags require a battery source to communicate. The upside is that active tags have longer transmission ranges than passive ones. However, they need regular recharging or replacing as batteries die out over time. The choice between active and passive will depend on your specific applications. However, you canstart with passive if you don’t have prior experience with RFID technology because it requires less maintenance and has shorter read ranges than active systems.
Use Active Transponders for High-Value Items
Active transponders require a power source to be active and emit their signal, which can be helpful in various applications. To take advantage of active transponders, you need an active tag reader. This type of RFID system will be more effective at tracking high-value products than passive systems or ones that use semi-active tags.
Active RFID tags technology is worth looking into if your business has valuable inventory items that move around frequently. It’s also important to note that while some companies may prefer using passive tags because they’re less expensive, they have limitations. Passive tags require line-of-sight visibility with a reader to work correctly; if there’s any interference between them, it won’t read correctly.
- Customize Your RFID Tagging
If you want to maximize your return on investment, it’s essential to customize your tagging efforts so you can leverage Y-specific data. Consider both active and passive tags, depending on what types of assets you want to track and how you will use them in your business processes. You can customize such details as tag size, shape, antenna type (and whether or not an antenna is necessary), memory capacity, and more.
Also, don’t forget about the software. It can make a big difference in how quickly you can get results from your tagging program. It may seem like many variables to consider at first glance, but remember, it depends on how you plan to use tagged items in your business operations.
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- Create A Testing Program for RFID Tags
By testing your RFID tracking system and keeping an ongoing log of your results, you’ll have evidence of whether or not your system is achieving its goals. Your testing program should start with a small test group that gradually grows as you improve on it. For example, if you’re testing out whether or not you can track all of your company’s inventory using RFID technology, begin by tracking just one item—one shirt in a closet full of them, perhaps.
Then, move on to two shirts once you’ve perfected your tagging process and can consistently identify one shirt across a room (or from several rooms away). Once those two shirts are tagged and identified consistently, add three more shirts, then five, then ten, until you reach 100% inventory accuracy.
- Use Tags Within Their Defined Range
RFID tags require an antenna, a receiver that enables communication with a reader. They need to be within a defined line of a distance of an antenna to communicate with it, so make sure you use them within their defined range. Keep your tags and readers in line of sight; otherwise, they won’t work.
If you plan on using several tags at once, keep in mind that they can interfere with each other if placed too close together. The best way to avoid interference is by keeping them apart by at least 10 feet (3 meters).
Conclusion
RFID tags are frequently associated with tracking people, products, or even warehouse machinery, but in reality, they have many other applications. With a bit of understanding of how these clever little gizmos work, you can use them with confidence and an eye toward maximizing their potential. The important thing is to use them purposefully—don’t just plunk an RFID tag on your stuff and expect it to do magic. With some forethought and planning, you can ensure that these radio transmitters give you precisely what you want every time. Consult with professionals for an effective RFID tracking system.
