Managing the "ID" in RFID

Industry experts believe that the long-predicted adoption of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology will occur within the next few years. James Butcher, Managing Director of Claricom, explains how the application of a Package Coding Management System can help to ensure a smooth transition.

For about the last ten years we have been told that the revolution in packaging logistics made possible by RFID is about to occur. Nevertheless, recent signs suggest that this long-anticipated leap into widespread use of the technology is, if not imminent, then certainly gaining ever increasing momentum.

In theory, this will mean a faster, more efficient supply chain. The problem is that, despite its already long gestation period, the new technology is still evolving, standards have yet to be fully defined and cost remains an issue for manufacturers.

In anticipation of the change, manufacturers and retailers alike are analysing the quantifiable benefits of RFID and, consequently, the best solution to their needs. They are rightly taking a practical approach – if there is no benefit, why invest in the new technology?

At the same time, any improvements that RFID can bring in supply chain management will be worthless unless the systems exist to ensure tags can be written and read reliably and consistently, and this is therefore an equally important area of concern for manufacturers.

Such an approach is common with the introduction of any new technology. Indeed, there is an obvious parallel in the development and introduction of the bar code and the subsequent further enhancements and refinements of the technology.

However, the availability of another technology will not alter the most fundamental requirement of a coding system – data integrity. Whether information is carried in RFID, bar code or human readable formats, if the original input of information is incorrect or if the data on the outer case differs from that on the packs it contains, then even the most sophisticated coding and tracking system is useless.

This becomes even more critical given the fact that RFID is likely to join rather than replace existing systems. Some customers will want RFID, others may not; bar coding may be a more appropriate solution in many instances; human readable codes will still be necessary for primary packs. For many manufacturers this will necessitate an infrastructure that can handle all technologies with equal effectiveness.

This need not be as daunting as it sounds. Already, Package Coding Management Systems (PCMS) have proved invaluable in removing the risk of errors in human readable and barcode data. An integrated PCMS ensures a centralised environment where the creation and movement of all data is carefully controlled, to bypass superfluous manual entry and potential mismatches between primary and secondary packaging.

The same principle can be extended to incorporate RFID technology, providing a vital cog in the management of the supply chain. Once the correct data is confirmed within the production database, it can be transmitted via a generic PCMS to all makes and models of printer, coder or RF writing technology, ensuring consistency across all packaging.

This also gives manufacturers the freedom to adopt the most appropriate coding technology for every area of their operation.

Once a commitment to managing data integrity is assumed, then manufacturers and retailers can strike off “data errors” from their list of concerns – and begin to develop their best possible supply chain solution from all available technologies.