Revolutionizing the Manufacturing Industry with RFID
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID has become an essential technology in the supply chain. It features a system of encoded data and tags that make today’s supply chain more efficient, cost-effective, and safer. Businesses that have implemented this technology have witnessed an increase in sales, operational efficiencies, and an improvement in customer experience.
Let’s talk about RFID solutions in the manufacturing industry and how it works.
RFID in Manufacturing
Manufacturers are always looking for innovative ways to reduce expenses while optimizing operations. RFID technology uses radio signals to transfer data. Solutions usually include RFID tags, an RFID readers, and antennas.
Tagging products with RFID tags allows workers to identify and track assets and inventory automatically. This increase in visibility within a supply chain improves material flow, tracks potential damages, and increases efficiency. It also reduces shipping errors and business costs.
Top RFID Use Cases in the Manufacturing Industry
Advanced RFID tracking stickers can enhance tracking in production even in the harshest environments. It can withstand intemperate conditions typically found in factories, including extreme heat, high pressure, and hazardous elements.
While most manufacturers appreciate the importance of RFID, many don’t take full advantage of the data it generates. We’ve developed a detailed guide on how RFID technology may aid manufacturing when implemented correctly.
1. Increasing Security
RFID technology can be used to monitor several security aspects on the plant floor. It can replace passwords for process control and parameter change.
RFID tracking stickers can also be used to connect tasks, operators, and machines, guaranteeing that only authorized personnel can use them.
RFID also increases security by providing continuous updates on the status and location of goods, ensuring that they reach their destination at the right time.
2. Boosting Productivity
It is not uncommon for most of the work orders to be paper-based. This is especially true with essential documents for history and validation. Read-write passive RFID tags embedded into documents can become a reliable and automatic method for creating the word order audit trail.
Read-write RFID tags help track and modify production processes to individual project requirements. This automation can improve efficiency and lower costs.
3. Improving Inventory Control
RFID inventory management is another application in manufacturing. Manual inventory procedures can be time-consuming, inaccurate, tedious, and inefficient. Using RFID tags eliminates the requirement for manual scanning, improving inventory tracking instantly.
This technology may also help achieve lean production by reducing waste. If you have access to your work in progress (WIP) demands, you can prepare your warehouse to cope with unexpected situations.
4. Enhancing Equipment Efficiency
All machinery and equipment must be fault-free for an industrial facility to work smoothly. If issues occur, they need rapid maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Modern factories are fully automated. They depend on computerized maintenance management systems to inspect, repair, or replace equipment.
Passive RFID tags can capture reliable and fast machine health data. They can give full use, cleaning, maintenance histories, and equipment status.
5. Assuring Quality
The use of RFID in manufacturing may aid in procedures that need high levels of quality. It can be the answer if you need to employ specific components or stringent formulations.
WIP can be tracked and reported using RFID tags. In the event of damage or faults in the manufacturing process, the record can be valuable in determining the underlying cause.
6. Increasing Output
Automating the collecting of data about the movement of stocks, location workers, and other components is possible using RFID in production. Because the procedure happens with high precision, it is much more reliable and efficient than other methods.
RFID inventory management systems provide a faster method of product identification. In addition to that, they are more accurate than manual code entering or scanning with other technologies. RFID in manufacturing boosts output and reduces costs by streamlining operations and automating repetitive jobs.
7. Accurately Reporting of Damage and Correct Diagnosis
Due to improper pallet stacking, general mishandling, human error, and unsafe storage, products can get damaged while in the warehouse. However, with an impact reporting RFID system, you can combine the benefits of an impact detector with a passive RFID tag.
An RFID-enabled shock meter can tell you whether an impact has gone too far. After a gadget has been scanned, the data is sent to an RFID inventory management system or ERP application for reparation. This prevents damaged products from moving forward in the production line and you can investigate the reasoning.
The Ultimate Damage Tracking Solution for RFID in Manufacturing
Damaged products within the production line can be expensive for your organization. And what makes it worse is when you can’t figure out what or who did it.
Using Zebra Technologies and Olympus Controls’ RFID Manufacturing Solutions, you can improve your supply chain and inventory management. You can prevent and detect issues far sooner, thereby limiting the potential for downtime for other interruptions to the workflow.
Request an RFID consultation by contacting Olympus Controls now.
