RFID gateway designed by Etisoft! Another step toward fast and precise data registration
Classic inventions are applied in the modern world. There are discoveries by great physicists that have not only stood the test of time but have also found their place in present-day innovative technologies. An example is a Faraday cage, known for its use in electromagnetic shielding, which is now seeing a new application in RFID technology as an RFID gateway. It is like moving a concept from the physical past to the modern day to solve one of the biggest logistics challenges, i.e., efficient reading and verification of the contents of a pallet.
Etisoft is continuing its efforts to offer more and more advanced RFID solutions to customers and is expanding portfolio. Following the launch of two new production lines for manufacturing and personalizing RFID tags, our specialists have designed and built an innovative RFID gate for reading tags.
Etisoft’s gateway – high efficiency and maximally short read time
An RFID gateway built by Etisoft is a proprietary design with advanced parameters. Internal testing has demonstrated high efficiency in reading tags while maintaining a minimal time frame.
Not only bulk cartons but also individual logistics units can be verified for pallet contents. Reading as many as 600 individual RFID tags using a device designed by Etisoft takes less than 20 seconds. For comparison, verifying the same number of tags using a handheld reader would take up to 2 minutes!
RFID basics, or rather facts and myths about RFID
The physical barrier provided by the structure eliminates the need to designate a safe read zone. The process focuses solely on what is inside the RFID gateway. This allows you to save space that is usually limited in storage areas. Automating the tedious task of reading RFID tags saves time as well. This also eliminates the risk of errors that could occur if the task were performed manually.
Modern approach changes inventory management. What problems of traditional systems can we solve using an RFID gateway?
In traditional RFID systems used for pallet content verification, you can encounter many problems that interfere with an effective flow of processes and information. These difficulties pose serious challenges for warehouse and logistics operations, adversely affecting the efficiency and accuracy of inventory management.
Problem 1: Difficulty identifying products in piles or on the lower layers of a pallet
Traditional RFID readers can struggle to read tags located deep within a pallet or hidden under other items. The bottom layers of the pallet are especially problematic because readers are frequently incapable of penetrating dense materials, such as the metal contents of packages, to reach tags that are placed deeper.
Problem 2: The need to manually move pallets to read RFID tags
Traditional RFID readers frequently find it difficult to read tags placed deep inside the pile or concealed by other objects. To address these challenges, reader power is often increased to improve range and penetration capabilities. However, this results in a new problem: tags nearby that are not necessarily the pallet contents are also read.
What it means in practice is that increased reader power leads to accidental reading of tags from other items located near the pallet. These can be products, vehicles, machines, or even components of warehouse infrastructure. Such a situation generates false information about the contents of a pallet leading to errors in the inventory management system. Additionally, excessive tag movement may disrupt actual inventory information, affecting the accuracy of demand forecasting and decisions regarding replenishment.
An innovative solution for precise reading of RFID tags on pallets
Inspired by the classic Faraday cage concept from the field of electrostatics, an RFID gateway is a perfect solution to the problems associated with reading RFID tags on pallets. A controlled electromagnetic environment is created through the use of electromagnetic shielding, which effectively eliminates environmental interference and concentrates radio wave energy inside. This makes it possible to accurately read tags on pallets without any interference from the outside.
Advantages of a modern solution
By eliminating interference from the environment, precise reading of tags on pallets is achieved, even in conditions where traditional RFID readers face challenges.
The solution focuses only on tags within the structure, preventing accidental reading of tags from other objects surrounding the pallet. This ensures that information about the contents of the pallet is accurate and uninterrupted. This translates into increased efficiency in pallet content reading processes, resulting in faster and more effective inventory management.
Key to new efficiency standards
The RFID gateway is not only a new solution, but it also holds the promise of a revolution in inventory management. Its ability to eliminate traditional difficulties, such as interference with the environment or the necessity to manually move pallets, provides real benefits for companies.
The precise reading of pallet contents provided by this solution may translate into increased efficiency and reduced operating costs. Implementing this innovative solution can be an important step toward excellent warehouse and logistics management, opening the doors to new efficiency standards in the supply chain.
