Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) is a multi-purpose technology. It is the most cost-effective way to electronically identify, count and track items that your organisation values. RFID is used in many different industries to save time, increase productivity and decrease costs. It has been quite widely adopted in industries like retail, manufacturing and assembly, warehousing and logistics, automotive, mining, construction, and healthcare.

Stock Management in Retail RFID labels can be found on the items purchased from many market-leading retail stores. The Foschini Group in south Africa use RFID to perform high-speed inventory counts (up to 300 items per second). RFID helped them to increase their inventory accuracy to 99%. Many retailers use RFID to optimise their inventory management, as well as to track and trace their inventory as it moves through their supply chain. Watch these videos below from our global partner to find out more: Access Control in Buildings and Facilities RFID technology is incorporated in most modern access control cards. These RFID-enabled cards provide unique identification of people when entering or exiting sites and buildings. Financial Transactions using Debit & Credit Cards Debit and credit cards use a version of RFID technology called Near-Field Communication (NFC). This technology makes it quick and easy to authorise transactions by tapping the card on a mobile payment device instead of inserting the card and entering the PIN. Identifying and Tracking Staff, Patients, Equipment, and Consumables Many modern hospitals use RFID to track nurses, patients, equipment, supplies and medication. RFID technology helps hospitals to transform the way they manage the hospital and care for patients. Identifying and Tracking parts in Vehicles Automotive part suppliers and manufacturers use RFID to track parts, work in progress (WIP), and tools as they move through the value chain. RFID technology helps the automotive industry to reduce costs, save time and work smarter. Improving the Management and Security of Keys in Car Dealerships Many car dealerships and car service businesses use specialised key cabinets or key rooms to control the access to keys. These keys have RFID fobs attached to them to provide unique identification of each key. See our smaRTE Keys solution for more information, or watch the video below:

Passive RFID Passive RFID tags have no batteries. This means that the RFID reader temporarily energises the RFID tag through the electromagnetic field that it emanates, just enough for the tag to transmit its globally unique “Electronic Product Code” (EPC) that identifies the tag and the item that it is attached to. Active RFID Active RFID tags have built-in batteries and an internal transmitter in the form of a beacon or transponder. This means that an active RFID tag can transmit signals to an RFID reader over longer ranges – sometimes up to 150 metres. Active RFID tags can be used for real-time tracking and tracing as items move.

An RFID anti-theft system can be used to detect tagged items that pass through an entrance, verify if those items have been purchased and trigger an acoustic and/or visual alarm if any item has not been purchased. As an optional extra, RFID loss prevention hardware can be connected to a cloud software application. The products that trigger an alarm can then be shown on a smartphone, managed by store or security staff to alert and register events such as false alarms, thwarted theft, and theft. For more information, watch this video from one of our global RFID partners:

Below are some examples of the operational benefits of employing RFID into your environment: High-speed, accurate inventory counts (up to 300 items per second, 99% accuracy). Can detect and find “hidden” objects. Quick variance resolution. Lower Inventory Levels. Free up valuable working capital. Improve sales & customer service. Optimised stock turn. Lower shrinkage. Count inventory as often as required. Intelligent asset management. More in-depth, real-time management information. Increased Return-on-operating-Assets (RooA) and profitability as a result.