RFID 101: A Primer on Radio-Frequency Identification [Episode 2]

The Connected Supply Chain from American Barcode & RFID (AB&R)

This episode of the Connected Supply Chain is a special look into Radio Frequency Identification. Within the episode, Principal Solution Architect for AB&R®, Mark Steger, provides context on the history, specifications, and future of RFID for its supply chain implementation. To start, Mark explains that RFID is chiefly utilized for the identification of assets, inventory items, people, and even pets. He likens the technology to a “talking barcode”; where a standard barcode is a more or less static thing, RFID is much more versatile and responsive in its implementation.

Mark continues the talk by explaining that there are two types of RFID: active and passive. The former typically have a battery, a tag with a small transponder for receiving radio signals, and are open and responsive. Passive on the other hand, as the name suggests, is a much more closed system--one which emits a diverse range of frequencies and which doesn’t have the functionality of an active RFID. An example of a passive type would be a chip that is implanted inside a pet, and which functions as a barcode of sorts that can be scanned and identification can be validated that way. And this leads to the next factor that differentiates active and passive from another: the amount of Kilohertz that each type emit. And Mark states that there are quite a few different frequency ranges for different functions. For instance, opening a door would be a short-range function with varying ranges of low to high frequency. But most of the passive world runs on ultra-high frequency ranges. The take-home message being that ranges will vary with the application.

And lastly, Mark explains RFID’s relevance from a supply chain perspective, showing how it can help with tracking real-time data and products, and how it is about 10 times cheaper than a standard barcode. But this does not mean that a barcode system should just be replaced overnight. There are definite logical uses for barcodes over RFID; So, instead of any talks of replacing the traditional barcode system, RFID and barcodes can and should be used together, as complements, for the time being.