Smart warehouse automation milestone in increasing the efficiency and profitability of each production. The modern market is a tough and aggressive environment, where the accuracy and speed of goods movement control play a huge role both in the work of the warehouse and in the activities of the enterprise as a whole. Most companies today use RFID technology as an alternative to barcodes.

RFID technology is the most relevant among solutions for automating warehouses and logistics processes. The advantages of introducing RFID in warehouse logistics are obvious: the technology allows you to control all the main processes, increases their reliability, speeds up the execution time, and also reduces the percentage of errors and inaccuracies in work that occur under the influence of the human factor. It is in the field of warehouse logistics that the introduction of RFID will make it possible to evaluate all the economic and strategic advantages of this technology.

Today, RFID technology is the most promising identification technology, allowing you to fully control and improve logistics processes in stock. However, the introduction of this technology in Russia in warehouse logistics is extremely slow. There are enough reasons for this, for example, incorrect organization of the work of the structure, fear of the need to rebuild the system of work that has developed over the years or the economic inefficiency of implementation, the lack of complete and reliable information about the technological features of RFID, etc.

RFID solutions in warehouse and logistics

The most important advantage of RFID in relation to the long-existing and entrenched bar coding technology due to its availability is the possibility of contactless identification. a large number marks per second (more than 50 pcs.), despite the fact that the reading range can reach 12 meters. Also, the technology makes it possible to quickly control all the processes of transportation and accounting of goods. (Fig. 1).

Thanks to the use of contactless identification systems, automatic collection of huge amount previously unavailable information about the movement of marked objects, whether it be a global supply chain or the movement of goods in a warehouse. There is openness and transparency of logistics processes occurring at the enterprise. The time for obtaining information about the movement of objects is significantly reduced and its reliability and reliability are increased. There are many solutions in the field of RFID implementation in warehouse logistics, for example:

1. The ability to track the movement of marked objects within an area or throughout the entire supply chain. An example is the labeling of returnable containers of an enterprise, the consumption and return of which is automatically taken into account, and the fact that a specific object has passed each technological stage is displayed in the database or in the label itself attached to the object.
2. Ability to remotely monitor the status of the cargo. If the company is engaged in the supply or transportation of goods for which it is important to comply with certain standards, such as temperature regime, then one of the solutions offered by RFID technology can be the installation of an RFID sensor / tag, which will allow you to record the temperature and receive data in real time. This allows you to control the safety of goods. An example of such a solution can be a branch of the DHL delivery service called “thermonet”. They offer a solution for the temperature control of the transported cargo in real time ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YZC_6aBP_Y).
3. Usage RFID technologies in the automatic registration of transport logistics company. (Fig. 3). This solution will reduce the load on the checkpoint, reduce the time of registration of vehicles, automate the identification of the driver and invoices assigned to him. By marking the car with an RFID tag, you can assign a driver, invoice numbers indicating the goods being transported, the time of registration of entry and exit of the car to the warehouse, as well as any other information. Automatic identification of vehicles is carried out at checkpoints. Control points can be entrances/exits from the territory of the warehouse, goods acceptance/shipment areas, warehouse parking area, etc. The minimum equipment that a test point should be equipped with is a long-range antenna, a fixed reader, and software for automation and processing of data falling into the reading zone.
4. Possibility of implementing an access control system. Access control systems are essential component to ensure the security of a large warehouse and its individual areas, access to which for employees should be limited due to highly specialized production or storage of critical goods. Access to such objects can be provided for specialists of a certain level of training or for responsible persons. The access control system can provide maximum protection of the object from unauthorized entry.

Despite the undeniable advantage and innovative solutions that RFID offers, the cost-effectiveness of the technology remains in question, which is one of the main obstacles to its implementation in warehouse logistics. A significant reduction in the cost of implementing an RFID system will be observed when marking products with RFID tags at the production stage. This evolution of RFID technology can be compared to the history of bar coding. On average, the payback period of an RFID accounting system in warehouse logistics is determined by many parameters, in particular, such as: the goals of technology implementation, the quality of implementation, the scale of the project, the cost of equipment and maintenance.

The basis of economic efficiency in the implementation of RFID in warehouse logistics are such factors as increasing the speed of obtaining and processing information at all controlled points, increasing labor productivity, reducing costs and minimizing losses at all stages of logistics processes, increasing customer loyalty, ensuring control over the management of processes occurring at warehouse, reducing personnel costs.

In addition to saving time on accounting operations and improving the accuracy of the data obtained, as well as the ability to introduce new solutions into logistics processes, the introduction of an RFID system also provides indirect benefits. Thanks to the openness, accessibility and transparency of information about ongoing processes in the warehouse, you can realistically assess the actual losses and costs, get new important information about your own enterprise, identify weaknesses and correctly influence precisely those areas of work that really need attention and correction. And of course, The best way to benefit from new technologies is to reflect on the appropriateness of their use, consulting with experts in this field.

One of Russian companies IDlogic has implemented many solutions in various industries, including stock. It was in the warehouse and logistics that the technology showed all its undeniable advantages over bar coding technology and showed its best side.

The traditional and cheapest automatic identification technology used in warehouse automation and logistics tasks is bar coding. First of all, it is the cheapness of barcode labels that determines the high popularity of this technology, which continues to this day. However, many analysts predict that barcoding will eventually be superseded by radio frequency identification (RFID). Let's try to figure out what is the attractiveness of this technology for warehousing, why does it make sense to migrate to solutions?

Warehousing is divided into three stages: acceptance of goods, storage of goods, Shipment of goods. Consider the pros and cons of two competing technologies for automatic identification at each stage.

1. Acceptance of goods.

The most common type of radio tags for warehouse automation today is smart labels, which are self-adhesive labels that can be printed on, but also contain RFID tag electronics. In terms of marking speed with the help of a printer-applicator, they practically do not differ from barcode technology. At this stage, RFID and barcode maintain parity.

As soon as the goods arrive at the warehouse, already labeled according to one of the two technologies, the differences appear quite clearly. The most important advantage of RFID over its competitor is that this technology does not require direct line of sight between the reader and the RFID tag, and in addition, the reader is able to identify multiple tags at the same time. Let's say the goods were not delivered to the warehouse and you need to draw up a commercial act on the shortage. If barcode marking is used, a complete inventory of goods on pallets would require a manual or semi-automatic count of the missing pieces of cargo. This means that the pallet must be disassembled, the barcode of each box must be scanned. That is, such a procedure can be quite lengthy.

RFID has an undeniable advantage in this regard, since all goods on a pallet can be identified in one go within a few seconds from a distance of two to three meters. All “responded” tags on the product will be counted, and the corresponding product will be included in the inventory.

Thus, when receiving goods, RFID is either comparable to barcoding or has an overwhelming advantage.

2. Warehouse inventory and stock tracking.

If no markings are used, inventory in the warehouse can become a very long and painstaking task, requiring more than one day of monotonous work, the concentration of attention from responsible warehouse employees and accurate record keeping. Moreover, the use of a portable PC will not greatly facilitate this work.

When barcode marking is used, and a radio terminal with a built-in scanner is used for reading, inventory will be faster, but only if the goods are NOT stored on a rack in several rows. Then you have to remove the cargo from the rack, look for a barcode ... The only plus of a barcode in this regard is that you can keep records automatically, making a minimum of errors.

Finally, if the product is already marked with RFID tags, then, in most cases, there is no need to remove it from the shelves, turn the boxes so that the smart label on the package is visible. A portable RFID reader is able to read the tag from a distance of up to 3.5 meters, even "through" the packaging cardboard and its contents. There are, of course, their limitations, but even with them, RFID is gaining leadership in this category. If we take into account that the most successful models hand-held terminals with an RFID reader module also contain a barcode scanner (it can be used if the tag suddenly fails due to accidental damage, because smart labels usually print information in the form of a barcode that duplicates that recorded in memory labels). Therefore, inventory with RFID is disproportionately faster than with competing technologies.

2. Control of the shipment of goods.

If the goods are shipped in large quantities, but nevertheless, it is necessary to keep a record of each box of products loaded on a pallet, RFID technology again makes it possible to make accounting simple, fast and accurate. For this, so-called portal reading systems are used. Such RFID portals are a reader with several antennas connected to it, placed along the perimeter of the warehouse gate or mounted on a U-shaped truss.

Such a system can read all the tags from the packages of the goods that the forklift is carrying on pallets at a speed of 60-150 tags per second. At the same time, the warehouse management system can automatically determine that a shipment is taking place and generate for the client, according to the list of read marks, documentation for the batch of purchased goods.

It should be noted that RFID has its drawbacks and limitations. Here are the two main ones:

• The price of even the cheapest radio tag is several times more than a barcode label. If the product being marked is comparable in price to the price of marking, the introduction of RFID in the process is a questionable solution in terms of usefulness.
• There are materials that are "opaque" to radio waves. Most prime example- metal objects. If there are metal objects in the shipping box, if you need to tag massive metal objects, the benefits of RFID are much more difficult to use. There are radio tags that can work on metal, but they are usually expensive and bulky.

However, for a large warehousing business that does not fall under these two constraints, the efficiency gains and cost savings can be very large and outweigh the costs of RFID tags and equipment. In addition, the metal interferes significantly only if metal constructions block the "field of view" of the reader antenna to a large extent. If line-of-sight is possible, one of the main advantages of RFID remains in effect - the ability to read many tags at a time.

RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification or radio frequency identification (RFID)) is an automatic object identification technology in which data is read or written to RFID tags using radio signals, which store this information indefinitely.

The RFID tags themselves consist of 2 components:

• An integrated circuit (IC) for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal, and some other functions.
• Antenna for receiving and transmitting RFID signal.

On our site you will find many useful materials on RFID technologies.

RFID cost

Thanks to our direct contracts with the world's leading manufacturers, you can buy RFID equipment at the best prices with delivery throughout Russia.

We cooperate directly with such companies as - Confidex , Xerafy , Datamars , Alien , SATO , Zebra , Intermec , Impinj and others.

We can offer Better conditions in the market for the purchase of RFID equipment, both in terms of cost and quality of service, since our specialists, unlike many other companies, have practical experience in implementing RFID projects / systems, which is the main parameters in this line of business, because at various conditions operation, RFID equipment can work in different ways.

The cost of RFID systems and services for their implementation depends directly on the details of the project and is determined individually for each customer.

All prices for RFID equipment are indicated on our website indicatively, so that you can estimate the approximate budget of the project, but the final cost will be calculated by our managers based on the results of your specification, which we can also help to compile with consideration of all possible analogues that exist on modern market RFID equipment.

We know everything about RFID!

RFID equipment

A typical RFID system consists of the following modules:

• Radio frequency tags with information about the object sewn into them;
• Special antennas (single and multi-element, as well as near-field) for sending and receiving signals;
• Receiving devices (stationary readers / readers or mobile ones, such as data collection terminals); With the help of these devices, RFID tags are programmed and the necessary information is written to them.
• Data processing equipment.

The tags consist of a receiver receiving signals from the reader, a transmitting module, an antenna, and a memory unit for storing data. Receiving a signal from an external device, they send their own response from all over necessary information. These components are classified according to the type of power supply, the presence of a chip, the method of data storage ( unique signature or digital encoding) and recording (read-only, write-once and write-only). The use of labels with the possibility of multiple rewriting allows you to change, supplement and replace the information stored on them.

RFID frequencies

There are 3 types of RFID frequencies.

• LF RFID - frequencies 125-134 kHz

Only passive systems work in this frequency range. They are low cost and physical characteristics are used to implant subcutaneous RFID tags in animals, humans and fish. LF RFID tags have significant limitations in range and accuracy (so-called "collisions" when reading).

• HF RFID - frequency 13.56 MHz

HF RFID systems are quite cheap, do not have environmental issues, are well standardized and have a wide range of solutions. These systems are used in payment systems, logistics, personal identification. For a frequency of 13.56 MHz, the ISO 14443 standard (types A / B) was developed. This standard provides a key diversification system that allows you to create open systems. Standardized encryption algorithms are used. As well as in the LF RFID range, in HF RFID systems, there are problems associated with reading over long distances, in conditions high humidity, surrounded by metal and the appearance of collisions.

• UHF RFID - frequencies 860-960 MHz

UHF RFID systems have the longest range. In this range, anti-collision mechanisms have been developed. Initially focused on use in warehouse and production logistics, UHF tags did not have a unique identifier. It was assumed that the identifier for the label would be the EPC number (Electronic Product Code) of the product, which each manufacturer would enter into the label independently during production. However, it soon became clear that in addition to the function of carrying the EPC number of the goods, it would be good to assign the function of authentication control to the label. That is, a requirement has arisen that contradicts itself: to simultaneously ensure the uniqueness of the label and allow the manufacturer to record an arbitrary EPC number.

UHF tags are cheaper than their counterparts from the LF and HF RFID bands, but in general, the UHF RFID system is more expensive due to the cost of the rest of the equipment (reader, antennas). The UHF frequency band is currently open in Russian Federation in the "European" range - 863-868 MHz.

Application of RFID

Due to the characteristics of RFID, RFID technology can be used in various fields business. Especially in warehouses and trade. The main areas of application of RFID are:

• Accounting for fixed assets of the organization;
• Payment systems, such as non-stop toll payments vehicle or fares on public transport.
• Security sphere (access keys);
• Manufacturing enterprises (primarily to control the movement of transport and packaging);
• In animal husbandry, RFID systems are used to identify individuals, control their movements, changes in weight and other indicators;
• In trade, RFID technology allows you to automate the accounting of products and control the implementation of various operations;
• When visiting water parks and similar establishments, as well as some events, visitors receive special RFID bracelets / key fobs, with which they pay for the services provided.

Benefits of RFID Technology

The main disadvantages of RFID technology are the impossibility of placing tags under metal and conductive surfaces due to shielding. electromagnetic field, mutual conflicts of the same type of goods, exposure to external electromagnetic influences, high price. However, these disadvantages are offset by numerous advantages:

• High reliability of components, long term operation, no mechanical wear;
• Contactless reading at a distance of up to several meters;
• The ability to covertly place non-retrievable identifiers;
• Independence from environmental conditions;
• High speed of data writing and reading;
• Automatic processing of received information;
• Possibility of simultaneous reading and processing of data from several identifiers;
• High level of protection against counterfeiting;
• Ease of use and maintenance.

Buy RFID

We offer you to buy RFID technologies and equipment for your business.

Our company great experience for the implementation of RFID systems and software products.

We offer you a full range of RFID tags and readers, as well as services for their installation and configuration. We guarantee maximum compatibility of individually selected equipment and software solutions developed for the customer.

You can buy RFID equipment from us at the best prices in Moscow with delivery throughout Russia.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology is still quite expensive for the domestic market and works only in large warehouses. But the heads of companies that have already implemented the technique have managed to appreciate the advantages of radio-frequency identification of goods. The technology allowed to solve a number of problems related to the storage and accounting of products.

How does RFID work?

System RFID Reader pretty easy to use. A special label is applied to each unit of goods, in which all data is encrypted: weight, volume, date of loading or unloading, basic storage parameters. Mounted at the exit from the warehouse metal carcass with sensitive RFID sensors. They scan the labels on every package they pass through the gate and send the information to a shared database.

The program can be configured to identify employee personal cards or combined with a video surveillance system. This will not only simplify the accounting and tracking of the movement of goods, but also reduce the number of violations in warehouses.

Examples of using

In the world there is a practice of using systems based on RFID technology. Radio tags are used in various areas:

At one of the Toyota factories , located in the US, RFID helps to control the fullness of trailers during loading. Similar technologies have been introduced at Chevrolet enterprises and major Asian ports. Tags are applied to large-capacity containers, and loading equipment is equipped with readers. This made it possible to increase the turnover, since there was no need to recalculate and verify large volumes of goods manually. With such a tracking system, the number of human errors is reduced.

At Sony Electronics factories use rewritable RFID tags. They are applied to kinescopes on production lines of the final stages of production. By scanning the tag, the system transmits data to the central database, and the operator receives information about testing and the location of a particular product unit.

In a number of European countries, RFID tags have saved car owners from having to use the cash register every time they fill up their car. Electronic readers are mounted directly on the fuel pumps. The system starts the fuel supply after receiving the corresponding signal from the scanner.

Transport companies have also adopted the technology. . Labels are placed at the bottom windshield trucks. RF scanners are located at each control point and end point. Not only the date and number of the vehicle are read, but also all information on the goods: waybills, waybills, etc. During the movement of the car, paperwork is completely excluded, data is transmitted through a central server.

RFID technologies appeared in our country about ten years ago and are mainly used in warehouses. But manufacturers of radio frequency equipment have already set up serial production, as they are confident in its active implementation.

Application of RFID in warehouses

The use of RFID technology for a warehouse is justified from an economic and practical point of view, especially when it comes to terminals with a large turnover. The purchase of equipment for large companies pays off pretty quickly.

Advantages of the RFID system:

Specialists who deal with the RFID device in the enterprise, Special attention should be given to the tasks that will be assigned to the system. It is necessary to determine the optimal reading range, adjust the antennas accordingly, study the specifics technological processes in stock. It is important to understand the principle of movement commodity items. For example, a package passed through RFID-reader, does not have to leave the warehouse. It may be transported to another site, so the system does not have to mark it as shipped.

Perspectives on RFID

Similar chipping technologies are already used in Russia, for example, in new passports. But the system is not yet as active as in developed countries. Experts predict a great future for RFID, up to the complete replacement of modern computers. Of course, this will not happen soon. While technologies are being finalized in order to expand functionality and increase efficiency. One of the most promising directions development is work in all kinds of online stores. Given the daily turnover, their warehouses need especially strict accounting of goods, tracking movements.

The positive experience of using RFID in this capacity was presented by Paxar. Its specialists created the Magicmirror program based on radio frequency technologies. This is some kind of electronic mirror. A visitor to the Paxar branded clothing store can choose any model from the collection with an RFID tag and bring it to the mirror. The display will show detailed information about fabric composition, available colors and sizes. Based on the scanner data, the program will also suggest accessories suitable for this garment. With the RF reader, the buyer will be able to call the sales assistant while in the fitting room.

The technology is good, especially when applied to warehouses. However, today system developers face some difficulties. Ways to solve problems over time should be found, but so far the technology inspires some concerns among users.

Difficulties in using RFID technology for a warehouse

So, what are the developers and end users of RF scanners afraid of:

1. Price. The first RFID equipment was quite bulky and expensive. It is inconvenient to use and required financial investments that are unbearable for small firms. The engineers managed to gradually make the installations more compact. After all, small and light scanners are cheaper, and easier to use. The cost of the RFID tags themselves is not declining as fast as we would like. Not every company can afford to equip the entire warehouse with microchips worth 10 euro cents. Experts are confident that as soon as the cost of tags falls to 1 euro cent, the demand for them will increase significantly.
2. Computer threats are viruses. The average amount of microchip memory is only 2 kb. Initially, it was believed that the label was simply impossible to infect with a virus, but Amsterdam scientists proved the opposite. They not only infected the microchip, but also analyzed possible consequences this situation. A faulty tag gives false information or stops working altogether. RF data transmission also infects the scanners through which the chip passes. This disrupts the central database and can completely stop the operation of the warehouse, which means huge losses for the company. Even more dangerous, the virus can spread via radio channels and other tags, causing havoc. When applied to hypermarkets and other large facilities, the consequences are completely unpredictable.
3. Possibility of hacking . Actually, we are not talking about hacking, because the chips are not protected. The scanner is able to read information from long distance, which gives a large field for the activities of criminals. Anyone who has received a product with a tag can use the reader and access the database. This includes customer credit card information and other sensitive information.
4. Data theft from electronic documents . For example, when reading passports, the scanner automatically sends the data to the central computer. In Germany, England and the USA, RFID technologies have long been used in the defense and healthcare sectors. But recent research has shown that data from chips can be copied from a distance of 100 meters, with a special scanner. That is, a criminal can gain access to the most important information, whose distribution is completely unacceptable.

All of these concerns apply to the use of RFID in warehouses. Experts are actively looking for methods to "break" the chip after the thing is transferred to the buyer, but so far all of them are ineffective. The tag deactivation programs only cause it to be put to sleep, not disabled.

Here are a few ways that consumers themselves have invented to keep their privacy private:

• cutting the antenna. In some cases this is not possible. For example, when removing a label from clothing, you will have to ruin the fabric;
• processing things in microwave oven. The radiation causes an explosion of the chip, which also does not pass without a trace for the purchased goods.

German engineers have been working for many years to create a device that can permanently deactivate an RFID tag. The technology is based on strong impact electromagnetic pulse. But while the device is being tested, it cannot be found in the public domain.

Data protection systems

If it is impossible to disable the label, the scientists decided to develop ways to protect it. To date, there are several:

1. Password protection. The chip sends the correct information to the scanner only after entering the secret code. Other code may trigger the chip's self-destruct program, for example, after purchasing an item. The technology turned out to be vulnerable to hackers, so it was not widely used.
2. Hardware and network protection. The system blocks all tags in the warehouse and opens the required one only upon request. The program constantly scans the air, providing information about an unauthorized reading attempt. This technology applicable to chips of any complexity and size. It is quite effective and protected from hacker attacks.
3. Broken antenna. When buying a product, the buyer simply breaks off the tip of the antenna, which is responsible for transmitting data over a distance. When returning the goods, the seller can identify the item by bringing the scanner close to the label.
4. Installation of "silencers". The device works on the principle of the RFID tags themselves, copying the algorithms of microcircuits. The difference is that the "jammer" gives false information to the scanner's requests - digital garbage. The creation of such an interfering chip is complicated by the fact that it must recognize various reading devices and issue a stream of unnecessary information to unregistered devices.

In the future, the use of RFID technologies in the organization of the warehouse should increase the speed of turnover and the efficiency of the entire warehouse system. If there is a serious data protection program, or the information on the chips is not of particular value to third parties, then RFID tags are perfect solution for any business.

Tracking the movement of objects through workshops or warehouses is a rather urgent task. To track the movement of objects across the territory, we recommend the use of UHF tags. To account for movement, you can use both one label and a group of labels. At the same time, another approach is also possible, when a group of goods can be identified by a single label.

ISBC RFID equipment has a wide range of placement options, both covertly and openly: in an archway, in a passageway, in a gate, under a false ceiling or under a false floor. Our experts will help you decide optimal scheme placement for the best performance and tag reading quality. At the same time, we will help to solve the issue of integration into the information system, which can be carried out both by our forces and by the IT employees of your company (). If necessary, we will definitely hold a training seminar in which we will tell you in detail about RFID technology and our equipment.

An example of the use of RFID equipment and tags for identifying car tires

An example of the use of RFID equipment and RFID tags for the control of returnable containers

An example of cargo tracking by production workshops

Sample application of RFID in dough production (vacuum packaging identification)

Challenges and benefits of using RFID technologies in warehouses

• Organization of effective accounting of Inventory assets.
• Control over the movement of products in the warehouse.
• Significant reduction staff errors when picking orders.
• Reduction of personnel and other costs for warehouse maintenance.

RFID-equipment that is suitable for use in your enterprise

To automate warehouse accounting and logistics, you can choose RFID readers and RFID tags of almost any configuration that will best suit the specifics of your enterprise. On the page you can get acquainted with and which operate in the UHF frequency range.

When choosing readers, pay attention to the "Type of execution":

• to terminals or automatic systems,

Similarly, you should pay attention to the "Type of execution" of RFID tags, they can be:

• , which are conveniently mounted on pallets or attracted to accounting objects with plastic clamps,
• or .

Transition from Barcoding to RFID

Currently, most enterprises and, in particular, warehouses, have introduced a product accounting system based on Barcodes. To make it easier to understand the possibilities of using RFID, it is worth treating this technology as an analogue of a barcode, however, it does not have the disadvantages of barcode-based systems, but, in addition, it has a number of advantages. We list some of them:

• high wear resistance
• high reliability,
• the ability to write additional information to the label,
• the ability to read data at considerable distances (for example, a stationary RFID reader paired with a highly directional antenna is able to read information from a passive tag from a distance of up to 20 meters),
• there is no need for direct visibility of the label, it can even be embedded inside the object,
• the ability to simultaneously scan several tags at once (for example, a stationary RFID reader can simultaneously process up to 150 tags per second), so you can significantly reduce the time for receiving and shipping goods.

Warehouse application examples

A brief description of the use of readers for solving warehouse management tasks can be downloaded in .pdf files from the links below:

1. Handheld RFID reader for inventory and product accounting. General information about the device and application (link)
2. Long range RFID readers Automation, inventory, monitoring, control. General information about the device and application (link)

The antennas are aligned and tuned to achieve maximum "readability" and performance inside and minimum outside. The equipment allows you to evaluate the signal level and set up filtering of tags by numbering (or by belonging to a particular product class).