RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a technology that uses radio waves to automatically identify objects. An RFID system consists of RFID tags attached to objects, RFID readers to interrogate the tags, and a host computer system. Some key applications of RFID technology include asset tracking, supply chain management, and library management. While RFID provides benefits like contactless tracking and identification of multiple tags, there are also challenges to address regarding standards, costs, security, and privacy. Case studies demonstrate how companies have used RFID to better track returnable assets and improve supply chain operations.

2. R F I D
Radio
Frequency
IDentification

3. History
Léon Theremin In 1945 invented an espionage tool
Predecessor of RFID

4. Used in World War II to identify friendly aircrafts.
(1939-1945)

5. Mario Cardullo's device in 1973
The first true ancestor of modern RFID
Commercial applications began in 1980

6. Applications of RFID
TRACKING
SECURIT
Y
ANIMAL
HUSBANDRY
SPORTS
(RACE
TIMING)
Libraries
Inventory
systems
Product
tracking

7. Applications of RFID

9. Basic components of a RFID system

10. Tags
•This is the unit that goes with the product or its la
•Tag consist of a microchip and an antenna.
•Task of a tag is to send the information to the inte
•There are two types of tags-Passive tags and Active

11. Passive tag
Most common type of tag.
These tags do not operate with batteries.
The microchip in the tag will activate with the signal
of the Interrogator/reader.
These tags are less expensive but they can only be used
within the interrogators zone.

12. Active Tags
Highly expensive than the passive tags.
Operate with a battery-because of that it has a higher
data range and efficiency.
Data transmission rate is high.
Because of the battery life this tag has a finite lifetime.

13. Interrogator/Reader
o Gives power to the microchip in the tag by antenna.
o Receives the signals from tags.
o This is connected to the host computer

14. Types of Readers
Hand held RFID reader
The fixed RFID reader
Mobile phones with RFID reader

15. RFID printer
This is a special type of a label printer which prints
usual bar code and other data but also adding a RFID
chip.
This can write the RFID chip by way of radio
transmission.
The label which has bar code and also a RFID
component is termed as a Smart Label.

16. Middleware
o Middleware is the interface between the interrogator
and the existing company databases and information
management software.
o Middleware manages the information flow.
o Middleware is considered as the heart of the RFID
system.
o This can be connected with other databases to keep up
to date information in the system.

19. • Absence of line of sight- RFID reader can read a tag through
obstructing material that is RF-lucent for frequency use as a
line of sight is not required to read a RFID tag.
• Contactless- A RFID tag can be read without any physical
contact between the tag and the reader.

20. • Support for multiple tag reads-it is possible to
use an RFID reader to automatically read
several RFID tags in its read zone within a
short period of time.
• Sustaining through rough operational
environment conditions- such as heat,
humidity, cold, corrosive chemicals, and
mechanical vibrations to a fair extent.
• Writable data- The data of a read/write (RW)
RFID tag can be rewritten up to 100,000 (or
more) times

21. • Variety of read ranges- An RFID tag can have a
read range from a few inches to more than 100 ft,
depending on the frequency of the tag.
• Wide data capacity range- A passive RFID tag can
store from a few bytes of data to hundreds of bytes.
Active RFID tags can store virtually any amount of
data and are not limited in their capacity range
because the physical dimensions and capabilities of
active tags are not limited.
• Smart tasks-the tag can be designed to preform
other duties like measuring temperature

22. Limitations of RIFD
Performance- An RFID reader could partially or
completely fail to read the tag data as a result of RF-
opaque material, RF-absorbent material, or frequency
interference.
Environmental factors-Depending on the frequency, the
read accuracy of the tags could be affected if the
operations environment has large amounts of metals and
liquids.

23. Actual tag reads- Because the reader has to use some
kind of anti-collision algorithm, the number of actual
tags that a reader can uniquely identify (per unit of time)
is limited.
Hardware interference- If the RFID readers are
improperly installed, then it is possible for the readers to
show evidence of reader collision.
Penetrating power of the RF energy- it depends on the
reader’s transmitting power and its duty cycle. For
example, if cases on a pallet are stacked too deep, then it
is possible that a reader may fail to read some of the
cases

24. An organization set up to achieve worldwide adoption
and standardization of Electronic Product Code
technology.
Objectives
•Create worldwide standards for RFID.
•Use internet to share data via the EPCglobal network.

25. Services Provided by EPCglobal to
Its Subscribed Companies
Assignment, maintenance and registration of EPC
manager numbers.
Participation in development of EPCglobal standards
via EPCglobal’s actions and working groups.
Access to EPCglobal’s standards, research and
specifications.
Opportunity to influence the future direction of
research.

26. EPC Tag Standards
Uniform Code Council, a governor of EPCglobal sets
standards how basic product information are encoded
in RFID.

27. A tag structure consists with a number made up of a
header and three sets of data.
Header- identifies the EPC’s version number
Second part- identifies EPC manager (manufacturer)
Third part- object class, refers to the exact type of
production most often the SKU
Fourth part- the serial number, unique to the item

29. EPCglobal Architecture Framework
A collection of inter related standards in the aim of
enhancing the supply chain through electronic
product codes.

31. Overview of Few Standards
EXCHANGE
EPCglobal certificate profile standard
Ensures broad interoperability, rapid deployment while
ensuring secure usage.
Pedigree standard
Maintenance and exchange of electronic pedigree documents
for use by pharmaceutical supply chain participants.

32. CAPTURE
Application level events standards
An interface for clients to obtain filtered and consolidated
EPC data.
Reader management standards
To monitor the operating status and health of RFID readers.
IDENTIFY
EPC tag data standards
How EPC tag data are encoded on the tag and for the use of
information systems.
EPC tag data translation
Interpretation of machine readable version of EPC tag data
standards.

34. Issues
Technical
Environmental
Security and
Privacy
Financial
Operational

35. Operational Issues
To meet global standards, companies are being required to
label cases and pallets, and sometimes individual items.
As more individual items are being tagged, the challenge
becomes positioning tags so they can be read within a case
or pallet.
Automate the tagging process because of the huge volume
of individual items.
Some rate of failure to read can happen.
Ex-metals and liquids. Tagging of liquids and biological
materials will be challenged due to the space issues on the
exterior of bottles.
Effect of radio waves on these products.
Ex-In hospitals and health care services, RFID systems have
the potential for interference with other wireless
communication devices

36. Technical Issues
The lack of consensus on standards.
Establishing global standards is the real challenge.
Ex-In the United States and Europe, EPCglobal is the
standard. Asian countries use their own classification
system, such as the NPC (National Product Code) in
China. Japan uses a different standard that does not
communicate with EPCglobal standards.
Challenge of RFID implementation comes from the
integration of RFID systems and the data they generate
with other functional databases and applications. This
challenge increases as companies integrate with supply
chain partners

37. Financial Issues
Cost is a major factor in determining the speed at which
RFID technology is adopted.
An RFID system requires expenditures not only for tags,
readers, hardware, and software, but also for system
maintenance and training.
Ex-While consulting firms have estimated an investment of
$13–25 million to implement RFID systems, it should be
noted that costs are coming down. The costs of tags have
steadily been decreasing from $1 per tag to around 10 cents
(depending on volume purchases). The cost of readers and
equipment has also decreased significantly.

38. Environmental Issues
As the tag prices come down and individual items
being tagged proliferate, the tags also proliferate.
RFID are not biodegradable.
Contain poisonous metals.
A proposed solution is to set up reverse supply chains
for the recycling or reuse of tags.

40. Why concern about security and
privacy?
RFID- still in maturity stage
Entire success in appliance and adoption depends on
this
Big players are involved

41. Security Threats
Unprotected tag issues
Vulnerable databases
Rogue RFID readers
Clone tags

43. Privacy Threats
Secret tag reading
Firm’s sensitive data hacking
Customer details pirating and
misusing
Customer purchases and habits
monitoring
Physical movements tracking
Disrupting and misleading firm’s activities

44. Solutions
Kill commands
Metal cage approach
Active jamming
Blocker tags
Rewritable memory
Private networks
Onion routing

45. BUSINESS OPTIONS APPROACH
Present Future
Offers number of OPTIONS
• Growth - capacity to grow
• Flexibility - multiple uses
• Innovation& learning - gaining knowledge + improve data collection
• Waiting - adopt universally
• Abandonment - walk away from the technology

46. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS

48. PRODUCTION
Suppliers- raw materials components
components
Work- in-progress
Peterbilt trucks
20000 parts
Customer Specified
Finished Goods

49. WAREHOUSING
Better Inventory Management
Bulk Reading- time and cost for counting stocks
Reduce idle inventory
Reduce Inventory shrinkage
Reduce Theft and loss
Real Time Information

50. Retailer
Manage Stock Keeping Units
Easy inventory Handling
Reduce Out of Stock – Wal Mart
reduce out of stock by 30%
Just In Time Method
Demand Forecasting , Customer Trends
Automated Cashier System

52. WHY RFID FOR LIBRARY?
• Fastest, easiest, most efficient way to track, locate
& manage library materials
• Efficient Book issue management
• Automatic Check-in and Check-out
• Library inventory tracking in minutes instead of
hours
• Multiple books can be read simultaneously
• Unique ID of the RFID tag stops counterfeiting
• Automated material handling using conveyor &
sorting systems

53. LIBRARY PRODUCTS FOR
RFID• Staff station – For entry of new
books or borrowers and
issue/return of books at
circulation desk.
• Gate Detection System – For
detecting unauthorized tagged
items passing through it.
• RFID Tags – For tagging library
materials.

54. HF Handheld Reader – For
performing activities such as shelf
order checking, shelf-reading,
searching, inventory scanning in
library kind of environment
self check in/ check out Kiosk –
For self issue and return of books
in Library.
Book Return Station - For
returning of library books.

56. BENEFITS OF USING RFID
For Libraries
Stock Management
Improved patron services
Flexibility and modularity
Security
For Library Staff
Less time needed for circulation operations
Efficient Inventory management
Reducing Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI)

57. • For Patrons
• Patrons will spend less time waiting in check-out lines by
using Self Check in - Check out systems
• Patrons find what they are looking for quickly & easily
• Reminders for due dates allows patrons to submit borrowed
materials in time
• Use of book drops & return chutes for returning library
material, allows for flexible timings
• RFID enabled patron cards allows for easy patron
identification

59. In early time inability to track logistics
assets caused many problem for
companies.
Returnable assets were often misplaced
Early system cost extra expense for
employees for manual counts and quality
checks.

60.  RFID Assets-tracking solutions
enable companies to better manage
their returnable assets.
 Assets track includes location
tracking, detailed inventory reports,
configurable workflow and alerting
features.

61.  In 2007 Australian business organization
completed two month pilot-test of EPC gen
2 RFID tags fixed to wooden palets
 During the pilot-test AAM software was
used to manage and share the data
collected
 Pallets were sent through a fixed RFID
reader to read the information of pallets
 RFID can be used it serve as proof of deliver
Case Study
1

64.  Rewe Group reported approximately
$72 billion in revenue in 2008,
completed a test in which it employed
a RFID real time location system to
track returnable assets
 In Rewe distribution center’s their
drivers use RFID RTL to identify the
correct item is to be moved
Case study
2

65. Benefits of using RFID to track returnable
assets
 Reduces human error
 Reduces labor and time cost
 Decrease the misplacement, loss, theft
 Quicker, more accurate inventories and
assets searching
 Alert when there are suboptimal shipping
conditions