Radio Frequency ID RFID:

1
Radio Frequency ID (RFID)

• Brian E. Mennecke
• Deans Faculty Fellow in MIS
• Associate Professor
• Iowa State University
• College of Busiess

2
Why is RFID a relevant technology for research
and practice?

• RFID has the potential to significantly change
  how objects are tracked and managed throughout a
  business process or within a business supply
  chain

3
How is RFID unique?

• RFID is a unique technology because
• It can be used to identify objects and store
  information about the object in question
• Bar codes can store limited amounts of
  information about an object
• RFID can be used to store vast amounts of
  information
• It can be used to accurately locate and identify
  objects from a distance using RF signals
• It can be used to detect and read objects that
  are not in line of sight

4
RFID Technology

• Conceptually somewhat similar to bar codes in
  that they are used to identify and track objects
  of interest to the organization
• Consist of three components
• An antenna,
• A transceiver (transmitter and receiver),
• A transponder (tag), which is where the brains of
  the technology resides

5
An RFID Tag
6
RFID Technology Active vs. Passive Tags

• Active Tags
• Catch the attention of the RFID reader by sending
  out a signal
• Function with battery power (a battery is either
  connected to or built into the tag)
• Can be detected over a greater distance
• Are more expensive (due to the cost of the
  battery)
• Passive Tags
• Alert the tag to communicate through a reader
  when the readers signal is detected by the tag
• Communicates without battery power (giving them
  essentially unlimited life)
• Derives power from the readers electromagnetic
  field

7
RFID Data Collection Process
Enterprise System
RFID Tag
RFID Reader
Middleware
8
The Process in Context
Source Forrester Research
9
Systems Effected

• ERP
• Supply Chain Systems
• EDI Systems
• MRP Systems
• Manufacturing Systems
• Data Warehouse
• End User Applications

10
RFID Applications

• Just a few applications that already exist
• EZ Pass Toll Systems
• Pet identification technology
• Inventory management (usually pallet level)
• Truck routing and management
• Meat traceability
• Others?

11
RFID in Meat Traceability

• Currently, most meat in the U.S. is not tracked
  through the production process
• It is primarily marketed as a commodity
• Most processing plants are not designed to track
  meat products
• RFID has the potential to enable flexible
  manufacturing and support animal and meat
  traceability

12
Technology in the meat production chain

• However, RFID technology has the potential to
  enable identification of the product through the
  production chain

13
RFID is Integral to Traceability
14
Users of RFID
15
Where Do Benefits Arise?

• Compliance and Service
• Achieve or retain preferred customer status
• Meet or exceed customer specifications
• Internal Process Efficiencies
• Labor efficiencies, monitoring, and control
• Security
• Supply Chain Integration
• Transparency of supply chain to management
• Information integration and flow

16
Where is it going?(and how fast will we get
there?)
Item-Level Applications
Case-levelApplications
Feasibility
Pallet-levelApplications
Now
4 years out