Using Radio Frequency Identification Systems

Lately Conner and Martin have been working with “radio frequency identification” (RFID) technology. They have developed a detailed system designed to track inventory items using RFID tags embedded invisibly in products. This technology has numerous inventory

Given the facts in the case and as outlined in more detail in this case study, it is our recommendation that Mierdorf and Wolfram move to the case level RFID tagging process. The improvements up and down the supply chain in accuracy, inventory control, reduced labor costs are enough to at least continue with the RFID

Strong investment in Information technology to streamline information flows and product flows along supply chain(RFID, Retail-Link system)

In its basic form, a typical RFID system has two major components, a reader and tags, as shown in Figure 3.1. These tags are made from a tiny chip, also called an integrated circuit (IC), that is connected to an antenna that can be built into many different kinds of tags including apparel hang tags, labels, and security tags, as well as a wide variety of industrial asset tags. The tag chip contains the product's electronic product code (EPC) and other variable information so that it can be read and tracked by RFID readers anywhere(Impinj 2015).

RFID systems are currently being used in manufacturing plants to track parts, stay informed of work in progress, reduce product defects, increase throughput, and manage production of given products. Big name retailers such as Best Buy, Metro, Target, Albertson’s, Hewlett Packard, and Wal-Mart are leading the way in implementing RFID systems. These retailers recognize the need to improve inventory efficiency, ensure products are available to customers as needed, decrease theft, and cut down on costs associated with tracking and processing inventory.

However, it is important to mention about an active RFID technology in order to understand why it is not suitable for the case of the production in-house logistics. Active system provides constant visibility of inventory, they are placed in the zones wherever inventory needs to

PRADA has long been adopted management information systems into most of their business part including manufacturing, sales, and human resource management. PRADA has Group information technology director who primarily responsible for the management of the Group’s information technology system. In 2000s, by using radio frequency identification (RFID), PRADA tried to controls manufacturing system, inventory, warehousing, distribution, logistics, automatic object tracking and supply chain management. What PRADA expected from RFID technologies were improve the potential benefits of supply chain management through reduction of inventory losses, increase of the efficiency and speed of

The RFID is considered a significant improvement over the conventional barcode, which needs to be read by scanners in "line-of-sight" fashion and can be stripped away if the paper product labels get ripped or damaged. RFID can also facilitate inter-organizational E-commerce initiatives such as continuous replenishment or vendor-managed inventories (Smaros and Holmstrom, 2000).

Today, RFID is used in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, travel, entertainment, etc. RFID increases efficiency of operations, decreases reliance on manual process, improves asset visibility and traceability, reduces operation costs, and provides useful data for business analytics. There are many different reasons why companies and firms are beginning to make the switch to RFID, some examples are: automating inventory and asset-tracking in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and business sectors; identifying the source of products, enabling intelligent recall of defective or dangerous items; prevent use of counterfeit products in the supply chain; improve shopping experience for consumers; provide visibility into the supply chain

Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) have been used in the retail industry for more than fifty years as an inventory assessment application tracking product sales and distribution data for goods and services. Current trends of RFID for this industry have been favorable for hi-tech state-of-the-art industries, yet in the past years to 2014 device prices have fallen at an estimated average annual 5.3% primarily due to its characteristic as a "throwaway" inventory or control device. This market segment uses tags or labels, which are scanned and ultimately leave the store with the consumer, eventually disposing of the empty carton or used product. Retailer’s using this application method require multiple components and suppliers are

Radio Frequency Identification is the use of radio frequency waves to remotely identify material. It is primarily used in supply chain management but can be used in other areas. Used as a tracking tool, RFID keeps track of material in the transportation pipeline enabling users to have real time tracking information throughout the entire shipping process. Inventory management is another important logistics element that is enhanced with the use of RFID. The goal of an inventory manager is to maintain a 100% inventory and RFID makes the process more efficient. RFID allows the user to perform inventories with ease and accuracy while reducing the number of people needed to perform the inventory. In addition to assisting with inventory RFID

RFID tags are an acronym for Radio Frequency IDentification and although can be used and applied for a multitude of purposes in the world, the greater majority of them are used to prevent theft at the supermarket or department store. However, some progress had been made in the field of electronic management, of the most notable being embedded inside a library book’s cover in order to automatically check it out to the patron to injecting the rice-sized tag into a pet or human to identify its location. The benefits of this tag are great though, much more than exploited. The RFID system contains of two primary components: the transmitter and the receiver which operate per the name by the former transmitting radio signals and the latter receiving them. The radio signals used are similar to

RFID, or radio frequency identification, is the new system that is replacing the use of barcodes. RFID tags allow users to more quickly obtain information from the object that the RFID tag

“RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) can be defined as an automatic identification technology which uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to identify objects carrying tags when they come close to a reader.” [2]

The primary focus of the retail supply chain is to reduce human effort on asset tracking by automating the process of stock tracking and replenishment. This can be done by effective implementation and use of RFID technology in the retail supply chain.