Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has long become a valuable ally for businesses. These devices, which enable identification of objects, animals, and people via radio frequency, are highly versatile and find applications across many commercial and industrial sectors.
It’s no surprise, then, that many warehouses have already invested in RFID tags to gain full control over logistics management, easily identifying goods, speeding up workflows, and reducing human error.
But how exactly do RFID devices work, and how are they applied in modern warehouse operations? We discussed this with Enrico Mazzon, Team Leader at Stesi.
What RFID technology is and how it works
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It’s a technology that uses radio waves to automatically identify and track objects, animals, or people, whether stationary or moving.
This technology relies on two main components:
RFID Tags
An RFID tag is a device containing a programmable microchip and an antenna which can take various shapes and sizes. The microchip stores information that can be accessed by readers through the antenna, which “wakes up” the chip to transmit the data.
RFID tags can be active or passive (and passive tags are further classified by operational frequency). To put it simple, we can classify them in the following manner:
- Low Frequency (LF) passive RFID tag: short-range, typically used for car keys.
- High Frequency (HF) passive RFID tag: detectable up to ~1.2 meters.
- Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) passive RFID tag: most commonly used in logistics, though local regulations may vary.
- Active RFID tag: in addition to the antenna and microchip, active tags contain an additional component: a long-life battery needed to generate the signal. These tags perform better than passive tags (the signal can be received from up to 500 m away) and are subject to common global regulations.
RFID Readers
An RFID reader is a device that generates a magnetic field to activate (or “wake up”) dormant tags. Once the reading process has started and the awakening magnetic field has been generated, the reader receives all the information available within the set reading range. The reader then sends the data to higher-level systems dedicated to managing the acquired data.
Readers are paired with antennas, which vary by type and read distance:
- Proximity: very short-range, up to 20–25 cm.
- Vicinity: short-range, up to ~50 cm.
- Mid-Range: up to ~1 meter.
- Long-Range: several meters.
Practical Applications of RFID Technology
RFID technology actually offers an extremely wide range of applications, spanning all environments and operational sectors, from logistics and supply chain to retail and large-scale distribution. For example, RFID systems are commonly used in stores as part of the anti-theft gates installed at exit doors.
“Imagine buying a new bag or wallet, and the cashier forgets to deactivate the security device. That device is an RFID tag that triggers the alarm when passing through the sensor gates,” explains Enrico Mazzon.
RFID in Logistics
So, what are the practical uses of RFID labels and devices in logistics and warehouse management?
According to Enrico, what makes RFID technology so versatile is the ease with which RFID tags can be produced in different shapes and sizes. This allows tags to be easily embedded into labels that are already printed and applied to pallets and individual items entering the warehouse, as well as to equipment, operators’ clothing, storage racks, and forklifts used to move goods inside the warehouse.
Moreover, labels do not need to be applied in any specific way to goods or pallets. The use of radio frequency technology removes the need to pay special attention to label positioning, without affecting the operation of automated sorting and/or packaging machinery. Data capture from the label, wherever it is placed, is enabled by antenna reading and allows conveyor systems to correctly route items and/or pallets to the appropriate assembly or packaging stations.
In addition, if RFID labels are already applied by the supplier, it becomes possible to know what goods and in what quantities have been delivered even before unloading the container, making the receiving process easier for operators.
“The interesting aspect” Enrico continues, “is that each company can decide how far to go with the use of RFID technology,” thus defining the level of monitoring of the entire warehouse operation. For example, by assigning RFID tags and readers to storage racks, it is possible to obtain accurate data on stock levels at any time, regardless of the analysis of warehouse movements.
RFID technology and logistics therefore prove to be a winning combination. The main benefits of adopting these systems include:
- Faster processes across the entire warehouse operation chain
- A significant reduction in human error
- Easier identification and localization of goods
- More efficient workflows
- Greater control over product traceability
What about warehouse operational flows?
Adopting RFID technology makes it possible to achieve full visibility of the warehouse, including the position of operators and forklifts. What naturally makes the difference is the number of readers installed throughout the facility.
“Another aspect worth highlighting about RFID tags,” Enrico continues, “is that they can also be used in specific use cases, precisely because they are extremely flexible devices”. Indeed, RFID devices can operate in a wide range of temperatures, from cold to heat, as well as in environments where water resistance is required.
For this reason, RFID tags can also be used to restrict access for operators and forklifts to specific areas, for example those associated with extreme temperatures, as well as to better manage the cold chain by monitoring goods stored in those areas and reporting any anomalies.
Naturally, the more widespread and pervasive the use of this technology becomes within the warehouse (for example through the presence of multiple gates and/or antennas and the correct labeling of all goods), the more it becomes possible to reduce human error and automate certain workflows. This advantage, unsurprisingly, continues to convince an increasing number of e-commerce warehouses. For companies, widespread adoption of this technology means being able to know who is moving the material, from where and to where, to block the movement of goods when necessary (if the operator is not authorized to complete the operation) or to delegate handling to specifically implemented automations. “For example,” he adds, “just like with operating procedures and checks, it could be established that flammable materials may be handled exclusively by authorized operators wearing the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)”.
Where is this technology heading?
“I imagine that the increasing miniaturization of components, combined with improvements in battery performance, will make it possible in the near future to further expand the use of RFID technology, both for purely statistical purposes and for more advanced operational applications”.
Moreover, integration with the IoT world is becoming increasingly common in everyday life, thanks to existing sensors that will make it easier to verify whether materials are properly stored or whether environmental issues require them to be moved to more suitable areas, for example due to temperature, humidity, and similar variables.
Even today, there is no shortage of studies and developments related to integration with blockchain technology to increase the reliability and traceability of goods, products, and production batches.
“But as we mentioned earlier,” Enrico continues, “the potential of installing receivers directly on storage racks is enormous. It will make it possible to always access real-time warehouse status, enabling even the prediction of replenishment needs”.
In the future, integration with automation systems (conveyors, robotic arms, and so on) will also contribute to the creation of increasingly high-performing operational warehouses.
The silwa WMS and the use of RFID tags
Stesi’s WMS suite, silwa, has supported the use of RFID technology for several years now, both for scanning labels and directing and handling materials, and for generating labels themselves using RFID printers provided by leading industry vendors.
Among Stesi’s long-standing customers that use RFID technology is Linpac, a company specialized in plastics manufacturing, which has been using these devices since 2018 to manage material handling flows in specific warehouse areas.
When necessary, operators at the receiving stage print and apply labels containing RFID tags. The reading of these labels is ensured by special gates installed at access points (mandatory passage areas for forklifts both when entering and leaving storage zones) which allow silwa to identify the composition of the load.
At this point, silwa WMS performs the necessary checks and indicates to the operator where to place compliant goods. Non-compliant goods, on the other hand, are flagged both by the software and by the gates, showing the issue to the operator, who can then take action (incorrect goods, incorrectly encoded tags, and so on).
At the Linpac plant, RFID technology is also used in production areas to speed up the detection of materials about to be used. Thanks to its simplicity and accuracy, this functionality is also used during inventory operations, in this case through a handheld reader that activates the tags one by one.
Would you like to learn more about silwa and its features? Contact us.