At Tramelton Corporation, there are several possibilities for how RFID technology can be utilized in fleet management and distribution center, in concert with existing systems and other ADC technologies. Step by step, here's one example of what could happen: In receiving, items, cases and/or pallets are read by a portal reading unit placed at the dock door as they are unloaded from the truck. Data are transferred into the warehouse management system (WMS), updating its database. The system reconciles its orders and sends back information that will allow some items to be cross docked for immediate transport, while others can be staged and stored. If bar codes were being used here, all received items would have to be scanned, their labels clearly visible, by workers, making the process much more labor-intensive.

When stored on shelves with readers, the readers automatically record what items have been placed there; when they are removed, the action is also automatically recorded. All of this happens without human hands ever touching a scanner, keyboard or clipboard. If cases are broken up and items repacked, each item is reassigned to a tagged case by scanning the item's bar code or RFID tag and the case/pallet tag. That information transfer initiates an assignment of the pallet or case to a truck or dock. Cases/pallets are moved along conveyor belts, triggering readers along the way that track the movement and also adjust conveyors as needed to redirect the cases/pallets.

Should there be a specific item out there that is needed to fill an order, a worker can go through the aisles, with a handheld reader loaded with the needed unique ID, until the unit beeps, locating the needle in the haystack with keen efficiency. When cases/pallets are loaded back onto trucks, door-mounted units again record the activity, updating the central database and also initiating a sequence that produces documentation such as advance shipping notices (ASNs), packing slips, invoices, etc.

Item-level tracking:

Item-level tracking in supply chain applications has always been a coveted thing. Having each and every item uniquely identified, instead of generally identified with, for example, a U.P.C. symbol- opens up a whole new level of tracking management. The Electronic Product Code, is the latest RFID technology proposed for item-level tracking of consumer goods, and other RFID technologies have also been considered for this application. While the technology is still being developed and tested, there is much speculation on what applications would be best to use the technology with. The Auto-ID Center sees strong possibilities in warehousing for pallet, case-level and item-level tracking as described in the application section. Numerous studies and analysis by the Center and leading independent consulting firms support this assertion, stating that these types of applications can provide strong return on investment (ROI) in most circumstances.

Application Planning:

Considerations To design a successful system, you must not only understand what you want the system to do (application), but you also must be very clear about what technologies can be used to deliver the performance you seek. When defining your perfect solution, it is important to ask yourself often, "Am I adding this technology to do it better, or am I simply adding technology?" Reading hundreds of tags per second could easily overwhelm a network or software application. Existing identification systems should be retained where they are sufficient, with RFID used to complement them or eliminate blind spots or bottlenecks in processes.

Though cost has come down and will continue to decline, an RFID tag will always be more expensive than a paper bar code label, and we doubt you will ever see ten cents per tag in low to medium volumes. Finally, RFID tags cannot replace bar codes. But the two can work together to provide you with an effective, streamlined, highly productive warehouse and distribution management system.