5 Industries That Leverage RFID for Better Traceability

5 Industries That Leverage RFID for Better Traceability

BY: CHRIS BROWN, RFID SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, TSC PRINTRONIX AUTO ID / DATE: 24/08/2023 / TOPICS: AUTOMOTIVE, HEALTHCARE, RETAIL, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, RFID

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a valuable tool for tracking inventory and improving supply chain management. Companies are using RFID to create better inventory systems and gain new levels of detail about how their products move through the supply chain. Even consumers are starting to see the benefits of RFID tags when checking out groceries at home or ordering items online for delivery – did you know that e-commerce is largely powered by RFID? It’s no surprise that RFID has been labeled a game changer.

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Grow Sales and Customer Satisfaction in the Retail Industry

Using RFID in a retail environment, such as general merchandise retailers, clothing retailers, or convenience stores, ensures the level of efficiency needed to provide the best customer service. Walmart has expanded its requirement for RFID tags to a wide range of product categories such as home goods, sporting equipment, and electronics. Implementing RFID in retail environments helps to:

• Improve inventory accuracy and management
• Facilitate item locationing
• Improve customer satisfaction 
• Coordinate e-commerce operations
• Reduce out of stocks
• Reduce "shrinkage"
• Improve retailer associate job satisfaction
  
   

In a Forbes article, Walmart summarized the impact RFID is having on their business operations: “Over the last year, we have successfully implemented RFID technology in our Apparel departments and have seen dramatic results. We have improved On Hand Accuracy, which has grown Online Order Fulfilment. These dramatic improvements have had major impacts on Sell Through and customer satisfaction. With the success of this initiative, Walmart plans to continue expanding this program to other departments and categories.”

As of September 2022, Walmart mandates all its suppliers to have RFID tags on many new product categories delivered to Walmart. All suppliers of home goods, sporting goods, toys, and electronics for Walmart will need to tag their products with RFID labels. In the future, the RFID requirements will most likely be extended to other departments if the mandate continues to prove successful. Other large US retail companies including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Belk, and Dillard’s, have also made RFID tagging a requirement for some of their product categories. Expect additional product categories to be added as these retailers discover the value of RFID and learn from Walmart.

Not only does RFID improve inventory accuracy and facilitate so-called item locationing, RFID also helps retailers, manufacturers and logistics partners track items in real-time throughout the supply chain. 

Better Tracking in the Automotive Industry

From individual parts to finished vehicles, RFID is changing the automotive sector. RFID is digitizing the automotive industry by enabling it to:

• Keep track of parts during receiving and inventory counts
• Keep track of essential parts during vehicle assembly
• Ensure that the correct vehicle is shipped to the correct location
• Allow full traceability throughout the production stages
  
   

Tire manufacturers are also using RFID to track tires during manufacturing to improve and speed up processes. RFID has now become the most trusted technology to track the lifecycle of a tire. As tires leave the manufacturer, they can now be tracked throughout the supply chain and into warehouses. This process can track through to distribution, resale, and all the way to recycling, re-manufacturing, and to the point of becoming waste material.

Seamless Supply Chain for Transportation and Logistics

The logistics business moves a myriad amount of goods every single day. RFID tags facilitate the tracing and managing of products in each phase.

RFID technology can automate all the processes within the supply chain, making it easier to track pallets, cartons, and containers. It offers advanced technology for capturing, storing, and exchanging information concerning transport means, packaging, and transport units and goods on their way to destinations. Advanced RFID solutions can even capture important transport and storage conditions like humidity, shock, temperature, and more. This capability can help to guarantee safety throughout transport, protect genuine parts from counterfeiting, and provide real-time data for operators.

RFID offers seamless logistics and supply chain management by:

• Reducing human errors and inventory mismatch
• Automating shipping-related tasks
• Providing real-time updates
• Facilitating locationing of logistics units (pallets, cases, cartons, etc.)
  
   

Assuring Accuracy in the Airline Industry

RFID technology is a key factor in improving efficiency and offering a better travel experience. According to IATA Resolution 753, airlines may use RFID to track luggage more effectively. Delta Airlines is a leader in the use of RFID for baggage tracking. The next time you fly Delta, take a good look at your baggage tag!

RFID encoding standards are critical to ensure optimal functionality. Tags might be put on returnable transport items, clothing, or parts that are shipped to customers. If tags are not encoded as per a standard, so-called “Tag Clutter” can ensue. Tags from one application can interfere with another application – and vice versa.

For example, an application to detect airline luggage tags as part of a baggage handling system could be compromised if someone also has a pair of jeans with an RFID label in their suitcase. If the various tags are not encoded properly according to standards, the jeans might be detected and interpreted as a suitcase.

Even though RAIN RFID is reliable and supports real-time tracking, Tag Clutter still presents challenges in the forms of RAIN Flooding and Acid RAIN. The best way to get past those challenges is to use a standardized numbering system to optimize RAIN RFID tags for the best functionality.

Real-Time Safety in the Healthcare Industry

RFID can be leveraged to improve the tracking and usage of virtually any healthcare item, including pharmaceutical products, all the way from the manufacturer to point-of-care to the patient.

RFID’s advanced capabilities can be used in hospitals and patient care facilities to verify stock and even determine whether the right dosage of a medication is being administered. The healthcare industry is now using RFID to monitor and control expiration dates, allowing staff to either use medications with a short expiration date first, or discard expired medications.

Printers can be used to print RFID wristbands to verify a patient’s identity and to tag costly healthcare devices to monitor movement in real-time for better asset tracking.

Harnessing the Power of RFID

Industries from retail to healthcare to biotech, logistics, horticulture, and field service are all adopting RFID technology for better tracking and inventory management. The benefits of using RFID are clear: companies can cut down on excess inventory, track shipments more accurately, improve efficiency, and save money. By using the right RFID printer, companies can be more cost-effective and maximize their profits.

TEKLYNX provides on-demand RAIN RFID tag support in CODESOFT RFID and barcode label software, SENTINEL label printing automation software, and TEKLYNX CENTRAL enterprise label management software. On-demand labeling allows you to encode RFID labels to create unique identities on every label for real-time tracking and enhanced security. The TEKLYNX Driver Service Pack (DSP) supports 4,000+ label printers including TSC Printronix Auto ID RFID printers. Get in touch with a labeling software expert today to learn more about TEKLYNX RFID software or contact your local TSC Printronix Auto ID representative to explore their full RFID printer lineup.

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