 | Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Issue 873 | | Will Smith, Editor |  |
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Editor's Note: Today's top story is a system from Ubisense and Alien that combined ultra wideband RTLS with passive UHF RFID to identify and track nearly 400,000 components as they were installed across 15,000 vehicles. During the six-week production trial, the system tracked vehicles through the final assembly process to ensure they received the correct parts.
RFID network infrastructure provider Reva Systems has announced a new version of its flagship product, the Tag Acquisition Appliance (TAP). The TAP 721 can support facilities with up to 1,024 read points. The company also announced an upgrade to the software for all current- and previous-version TAPs.
RFID education and consulting services provider RFID Revolution has released RFID Roulette, a free web-based game to educate people on the many uses of RFID. Try a turn of the wheel here.
RFID hardware and solutions provider Sirit made two announcements this week: first the appointment of John Albright to its board of directors, and second that it has signed a supply agreement with 3M Brazil to support transportation deployments in that country.
Lastly, note the new classified listing for a live webinar on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 1 pm EST for SkyeTek's MetaFi, a turn-key, mobile solution that automates the process of managing remote inventory. |
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Thousands of Auto Parts Verified with RFID and UWB
By John Burnell
An automaker used approximately 405,000 passive UHF RFID tags and active ultra wideband (UWB) real time locating system (RTLS) tags to make sure the right parts were installed in the right vehicles during a six-week test that was announced this week. Ubisense of Cambridge, UK provided the UWB technology and tracking software, and Alien Technology provided the UHF systems for the automaker, which will not disclose its identity, the manufacturing site location, or details of the results.
A UWB tag was applied to each chassis at the beginning of the final assembly process and encoded with the unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Ubisense CEO Richard Green told RFID Update. Ubisense UWB readers tracked each vehicle as it progressed through 26 different assembly stations. Every component installed at the stations included a passive RFID tag from Alien. Fixed-position readers automatically recorded each component installed. System software matched the component to the specific vehicle using part data from the passive system and chassis location data from the UWB system. Alerts were issued if incorrect components were installed in the vehicle.
Passive UHF RFID technology commonly has a read range of 20 to 30 feet, but provides limited ability to determine the actual tag location within that range. Ubisense's UWB technology was developed to provide precise location data, and is accurate to within about 15 centimeters, according to the company.
The RFID readings replaced bar code scanning to verify that vehicles were at the right production station and receiving the correct components. "In the automotive industry, the practice is known as 'error proofing,'" said Green. "Most importantly, RFID can prevent errors. The automaker also believes it can reduce the labor required for verification by a significant amount."
The manufacturer will not disclose its labor requirements or error rates. Green said the company is now evaluating whether to use the UHF-UWB system full time in production. During the test, the factory produced 500 vehicles per day, according to Green. Based on that production, the six-week trial would have required approximately 405,000 RFID tags, including 15,000 UWB tags for vehicles and 390,000 passive UHF tags for components.
"We thought this project was a really neat combination of the two types of technologies," Green said. "Anywhere there are components you need to track and verify where they have been placed, the combination of technologies makes enormous sense."
Green said most of Ubisense's installations in industrial environments have been for tool tracking, and that the company has integrated with UHF systems before. There is increasing momentum for multiple-frequency RFID systems. In May, Cisco released a new platform to simplify the integration of RTLS and other RFID technologies (see New System Marries RFID Location Data With Item Info). Previously, RTLS provider AeroScout announced other RFID technologies could be integrated into its system (see New RTLS Solution Combines WiFi, UWB, and RFID), and several other vendors reported similar developments during an industry event in April (see RFID Journal LIVE a Signpost of RFID Market Maturity).
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| Webinars | Leveraging RFID to Optimize Field Inventory Management
You are invited to a live webinar on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 1 pm EST for SkyeTek's MetaFi, a turn-key, mobile solution that automates the process of managing remote inventory. MetaFi significantly increases data accuracy, and eliminates the need for manual counts thereby reducing out-of-stocks/shrinkage. Register here. | | | Products & Services | Real-Time WIP Visibility Appliance from Omnitrol Networks
Meet the industry's most innovative award winning RFID solution that enables complete work-order traceability in manufacturing. Real-time web-based dashboards and multi-site monitoring for work-order pedigree and traceability, including proactive bottleneck management and real-time performance analytics optimizing shop-floor efficiency. All at the lowest TCO in the marketplace. www.omnitrol.com/WIP. | Employees steal over $1 billion per week from employers
the American Management Association reports. 95% of businesses are victimized by employee theft. Managers are reluctant to ask questions, because trusted employees may feel offended, leaving business owners in a difficult situation. What can you do? Nox: Intelligent Perimeter Defense from Simply RFID provides advanced security and protection for business assets. | | | RFID Tags & Labels | Ferroxtag HF tags: Smart on Metal!
Ferroxtag is a new family of HF RFID tags suitable for operation on metallic surfaces. Ferroxtag's special ferrite antenna was developed using Ferroxcube's years of experience in ferrite technology. The high performance antenna means longer read range with a smaller tag. Visit www.ferroxtag.com | | | Upcoming Events | RFID World | Sept 8-10, 2008 | MGM Grand | Las Vegas, NV
Now in its 6th year, this industry leading event is recognized as the gathering place for the builders, buyers and sellers of RFID and other Auto-ID technologies. Registration now open! Special Early Bird Savings: Save $300 off registration. Offer ends July 31st. Don't miss out! | AWA PABS08 N. America Conference, Sept 11-12, Chicago, IL
AWA is organizing the Product Authentication & Brand Security Conference 2008 on September 11-12 in Chicago, IL. The event includes presentations and panel discussions with brand owners, legal authorities, associations, converters and suppliers; also networking sessions, a supplier forum, a social program and more. Find more on the program here. | AWA PABS08 Asia Conference, Dec 4-5 - Hong Kong, China
AWA presents the Asian Product Authentication & Brand Security Conference 2008, to be held on 4 & 5 December in Hong Kong, China. PABS08 Asia focuses on the threats specific to the Asia Pacific region, various elements of IP Theft, and leading-edge solutions. Find more on the program here. | | | RTLS & Active RFID | Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how!
Ekahau RTLS (Real-Time Location System) automatically tracks assets and people via your existing Wi-Fi network. Control costs and improve asset management with Ekahau. For more information, visit us at www.ekahau.com. | | | Employment | RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting
Whether your company is looking for the best RFID talent or you have the best RFID talent and are looking for the best RFID employer, RFID Recruiters offers the most focused approach to your objective. To learn how the RFID industry and the RFID job market are evolving, visit www.rfidrecruiters.com | | | Research & Whitepapers | RFID Marketing Strategies Report
Thirty-nine pages of original research on RFID audience perceptions, including 30+ figures of tactics, content & messaging, and recommendations to guide marketing strategy. Also, Top-10 RFID company rankings based on 550+ survey respondents. View the executive summary free, with Top-3 sample rankings. Only $495 Individual License or $795 Corporate License. Available now |
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