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RFID Trends, North America (Nov. 2022)

“RFID in Manufacturing” Virtual Event (11/3/2022)

The manufacturing industry is adopting RFID and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to improve operations, and RFID Journal‘s virtual event “RFID in Manufacturing 2022” took place on Thursday, November 3, focused on how companies can reduce costs and increase efficiency by tracking tools, fixtures, reusable containers, work-in-process and finished goods inventory.
Also discussed how to plan for production line deployment, reasons to use RFID in manufacturing, and how to integrate RFID with PLCs and manufacturing systems.

In many cases, the main purpose of using RFID on a production line is to manage parts and materials, and it is important to identify the most cost-effective work processes that can be achieved by reducing work time with introducing RFID solutions.
The initial procedure required to use RFID is the preparation of RFID tags, and the decision on whether to write/print data on RFID tags in advance, or to write/print at the manufacturing site, depending on the situation at the manufacturing site.
And this decision has a significant impact on the effectiveness of RFID implementation. Furthermore, when introducing RFID, it is necessary to consider what data will be written to the RFID tags, including the decision on data format, in consideration of the linkage with a high-level WMS or ERP.
It is critical for the customers who is considering RFID implementation who understands their manufacturing process and procedures best, work with a partner who has extensive experience and knowledge of RFID solutions as well as flexible ideas, to achieve great results.

The “RFID in Manufacturing” virtual event showcased six reasons to implement RFID in manufacturing:

  1. Increased accuracy and reliability in the supply chain
  2. Improved production line efficiency
  3. Equipment management
  4. Improve accuracy of inventory control
  5. Maximize asset utilization
  6. Improve overall ROI

These are areas where it is relatively easy to quantify and visualize the efficiency of improvements from the current situation, making it easy to study the introduction of RFID at many manufacturing sites. One approach, especially for those considering RFID for the first time, is to start with partial efficiency improvement, and then proceed with RFID implementation in stages based on its effectiveness at the actual manufacturing site.

Video recordings and presentation materials from this virtual event can be found here for those interested.

Event Calendar

Here’s a list of some upcoming RFID-related events you may be interested in.

[Webinar] 2022/11/29 Tue 2pm EST “Asset Tracking with Zebra Technologies and ServiceNow“, by ZebraTechnologies and ServiceNow

RFID Journal, in partnership with Zebra Technologies and ServiceNow, will host a special webinar from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, titled Asset Tracking with Zebra Technologies and ServiceNow. Sign up now to find out how Zebra’s MotionWorks Enterprise Asset Management Connector lets users:

  • Deploy, configure and manage a population of sensors and readers
  • Gather data about hardware assets tagged with radio frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
  • Obtain meaningful information from that data
  • Connect that information into ServiceNow’s Hardware Asset Management system

[Webinar] 2022/12/20 Tue 2pm EST “Top Reasons WhyTrack and Trace Is Your Best Bet for Inbound andOutbound Applications“, by Bryan Ferguson, Market Product Manager, SICK, Inc.

Join us for a robust discussion of end-to-end traceability and the valuable insight it provides in our fast-moving, increasingly automated world. Track-and-trace solutions offer real-time visibility of production lines, inventory, and more, making it easier to efficiently replenish product and track any sort of inbound or outbound application.

[Virtual Event] 2023/02/07 Tue “RFID in Retail and Apparel Virtual Event“, RFID Journal

Retail and apparel companies have been among the early adopters of RFID technologies, both internally and within their shared supply chains. Today RFID’s value has evolved far beyond inventory visibility to building the foundation for responsive retailing.

[Virtual Event] 2023/3/9 Thu “Smart Packaging: Revolutionizing the Link Between Manufacturers and Consumers“, RFID Journal and IoP Journal

Automating supply chains leads to improved operational efficiency and higher profitability. Internet of Packaging (IoP) technologies, such as RFID, barcodes, QR codes and digital printing, have already been understood and adopted, and are now beginning to emerge with new competitive market advantages. Inventory control, authenticity, security and the customer experience are just part of what the IoP has begun to provide.