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Benefits Of Rfid In Manufacturing Automation
Radio frequency identification (RFID) readers and their associated tags bring great wireless support to manufacturing automation
. With the advent of RFID in manufacturing automation tags can be both "read" and "written to" in real time by readers that are not in line-of-sight with the tags. This is of great benefit to manufacturing automation. Now there is no need for the endless search for a raw material location that did not get into the inventory system when it should have. As time goes by suppliers of raw materials are going to place the inexpensive tags on the materials they produce at the point of manufacture before shipping to manufacturers. Having these tags in place when the materials first arrive at the manufacturer, will allow the history of the movement of these to be tracked effectively with RFID in manufacturing automation.The inventory system that needs to be in place to keep track of materials and finished products that rely on RFID in manufacturing automation will assist manufacturers in reducing the cost of inventories. Lead times for the ordering of additional raw materials can be done accurately when management knows exactly how much is on hand at all times. Production rates will be very consistent since there will be an accurate gauge of raw material availability. Supply of raw materials to the production line will be very accurate since the location of all materials is always known. Connecting the capabilities of RFID in manufacturing automation with existing computerized inventory systems will keep inventory costs at an optimum level. There should be no excess of raw materials in inventory for scheduled production jobs.
The use of bar code readers and bar codes become obsolete with the use of radio frequency identification. A bar code has to be very close and in the line of sight of a bar code reader for its information to be read. With the reader and tag combination the reader does not have to able to "see" the tag, but can "read" the information very readily from quite a distance. To get a proper inventory of several different products on a pallet, probably because of the way that producers have required that products be packed, it would have required the unstacking of these products on arrival at the warehouse. Now with the capability of RFID in manufacturing automation all the products can remain on the pallet just as they were packed at the shipper while the inventory of those arriving products is taken. The pallet of products can be assigned a warehouse location for storage and the reader can "write" that information on the tag of the pallet.
If a pallet is put into an incorrect location in the warehouse it is possible to "find" any products that are on it with the RFID reader, so that it can be placed in its proper location. Overall contents of the warehouse is immediately available to management when it is demanded when RFID in manufacturing automation is in place.. Raw materials that are being processed on the production line into finished goods can have the tags that are attached to them "written to" to tell that certain steps have been completed. Tags can be loaded with the production date and location for products that require such tracking. Tags and tracking make it much easier to track what raw materials were used in the manufacture of any given finished product.
Production processes can be assured that the correct date order of processing is done on raw materials with RFID tracking. Tags can be linked to databases where even more information about products and raw materials are stored. Visual images of parts can be displayed from a database for verification or other needs. Tags are an excellent way for manufacturers to review and determine the authenticity of products. If a tags are always attached to products, using an reader will be easy to find whether any given product is a counterfeit or not. Each tag has its own unique identification so that one tag can be distinguished from another. Previously tags could be read by just about any reader. Now there are tags that have built in security to limit access to those readers that have the right to access the information on the tag.
There are variations in the types of radio frequency readers and tags that are available for different purposes. If products are on a pallet six feet or more from the reader, the UHF type tags and readers should be used because they can give the appropriate range. If products are stacked on a shelf then an HF tags and readers should be used to keep and send the information. There is some variation in the types of readers that can be used with the tags. As time passes technology will continue to improve readers and tags, and there will be additional new devices available to help in manufacturing automation.
by: John Mitchell