AutoID-Technology – quo vadis?
Technology report
Automatic identification systems such as 1D/2D-code and RFID readers are tried-and-tested, indispensable technologies for controlling industrial production processes and logistics workflows in the supply chain. At the same time, Industry 4.0 and IIoT have put digitization at the focus of advancing automation. What demands will in future be placed on modern identification systems? Has the classic reader, which forwards a code via a serial interface to a control, become obsolete?
Advantages of RFID over the bar code
The advantages of RFID compared to the bar code are obvious: Unlike the bar code, RFID requires no direct line-of-sight between the data carrier and reader. And another often important point: Additional data can be stored on the RFID data carrier so that as well as an individual code (the so-called unique ID or electronic product code (EPC)), each object can also be assigned additional, decentrally stored information about its properties, history or its current state. After many years of targeted technical development and with extensive experience in different industrial sectors and applications in practically all industrial production processes and in the supply chain, RFID has developed into an established and reliable identification technology. Its advantages over the bar code play out wherever the application conditions and the cost-benefit calculation allow the use of RFID.
Technology report
Automatic identification systems such as 1D/2D-code and RFID readers are tried-and-tested, indispensable technologies for controlling industrial production processes and logistics workflows in the supply chain. At the same time, Industry 4.0 and IIoT have put digitization at the focus of advancing automation. What demands will in future be placed on modern identification systems? Has the classic reader, which forwards a code via a serial interface to a control, become obsolete?
RFID versus bar code?
Today, both technologies live in peaceful coexistence, particularly in track-and-trace applications. For example in the automotive industry where production processes need to be continuously monitored while at the same time an eye must be kept on all material flows necessary for component supply. Linked to this are further state information about the condition of the machines and systems as well as the control of container loops and warehouse management. As "enabling technology", both laser-based or camera-based optical identification systems and RFID systems today make a major contribution to end-to-end automation and process tracking. And that's not all: They provide the basic data for a digital map of the production system, including all components involved and the logistics processes. At the same time, the evolution of classic production through to the "smart factory", logistics and "smart material flow", all of which was set in motion by Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT, demands the adaptation of established AutoID systems to the enhanced requirements of digitally networked systems on the shop floor. The developments needed to achieve this extend to the functionality, communication capability and performance of AutoID systems.
RFID versus bar code?
Today, both technologies live in peaceful coexistence, particularly in track-and-trace applications. For example in the automotive industry where production processes need to be continuously monitored while at the same time an eye must be kept on all material flows necessary for component supply. Linked to this are further state information about the condition of the machines and systems as well as the control of container loops and warehouse management. As "enabling technology", both laser-based or camera-based optical identification systems and RFID systems today make a major contribution to end-to-end automation and process tracking. And that's not all: They provide the basic data for a digital map of the production system, including all components involved and the logistics processes. At the same time, the evolution of classic production through to the "smart factory", logistics and "smart material flow", all of which was set in motion by Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT, demands the adaptation of established AutoID systems to the enhanced requirements of digitally networked systems on the shop floor. The developments needed to achieve this extend to the functionality, communication capability and performance of AutoID systems.
Technology report
Automatic identification systems such as 1D/2D-code and RFID readers are tried-and-tested, indispensable technologies for controlling industrial production processes and logistics workflows in the supply chain. At the same time, Industry 4.0 and IIoT have put digitization at the focus of advancing automation. What demands will in future be placed on modern identification systems? Has the classic reader, which forwards a code via a serial interface to a control, become obsolete?
Advantages of RFID over the bar code
The advantages of RFID compared to the bar code are obvious: Unlike the bar code, RFID requires no direct line-of-sight between the data carrier and reader. And another often important point: Additional data can be stored on the RFID data carrier so that as well as an individual code (the so-called unique ID or electronic product code (EPC)), each object can also be assigned additional, decentrally stored information about its properties, history or its current state. After many years of targeted technical development and with extensive experience in different industrial sectors and applications in practically all industrial production processes and in the supply chain, RFID has developed into an established and reliable identification technology. Its advantages over the bar code play out wherever the application conditions and the cost-benefit calculation allow the use of RFID.
Advantages of RFID over the bar code
The advantages of RFID compared to the bar code are obvious: Unlike the bar code, RFID requires no direct line-of-sight between the data carrier and reader. And another often important point: Additional data can be stored on the RFID data carrier so that as well as an individual code (the so-called unique ID or electronic product code (EPC)), each object can also be assigned additional, decentrally stored information about its properties, history or its current state. After many years of targeted technical development and with extensive experience in different industrial sectors and applications in practically all industrial production processes and in the supply chain, RFID has developed into an established and reliable identification technology. Its advantages over the bar code play out wherever the application conditions and the cost-benefit calculation allow the use of RFID.
Advantages of RFID over the bar code
The advantages of RFID compared to the bar code are obvious: Unlike the bar code, RFID requires no direct line-of-sight between the data carrier and reader. And another often important point: Additional data can be stored on the RFID data carrier so that as well as an individual code (the so-called unique ID or electronic product code (EPC)), each object can also be assigned additional, decentrally stored information about its properties, history or its current state. After many years of targeted technical development and with extensive experience in different industrial sectors and applications in practically all industrial production processes and in the supply chain, RFID has developed into an established and reliable identification technology. Its advantages over the bar code play out wherever the application conditions and the cost-benefit calculation allow the use of RFID.
Functionality
An important step toward the optimization of AutoID systems with respect to the digitization of production processes is condition monitoring. This requires the integration of sensors in the AutoID devices. These sensors enable condition monitoring of the reader and deliver cyclical information on the device state, warn of irregularities in the quality of the acquisition process and by means of downstream analyses allow prompt intervention or predictive maintenance of the system. The integration of external sensors in order to determine the current state at the same time as object identification and to link this to the object ID stored on the data carrier also provides a considerable benefit for the optimization of process transparency. Operating as an IO-Link master, an AutoID device can, for example, collect data from multiple IO-Link sensors installed at the reading location very easily and – either forward this data to a control system – or, with the appropriate hardware equipment, even preprocess it in the device itself using suitable software applications.
Functionality
An important step toward the optimization of AutoID systems with respect to the digitization of production processes is condition monitoring. This requires the integration of sensors in the AutoID devices. These sensors enable condition monitoring of the reader and deliver cyclical information on the device state, warn of irregularities in the quality of the acquisition process and by means of downstream analyses allow prompt intervention or predictive maintenance of the system. The integration of external sensors in order to determine the current state at the same time as object identification and to link this to the object ID stored on the data carrier also provides a considerable benefit for the optimization of process transparency. Operating as an IO-Link master, an AutoID device can, for example, collect data from multiple IO-Link sensors installed at the reading location very easily and – either forward this data to a control system – or, with the appropriate hardware equipment, even preprocess it in the device itself using suitable software applications.
Functionality
An important step toward the optimization of AutoID systems with respect to the digitization of production processes is condition monitoring. This requires the integration of sensors in the AutoID devices. These sensors enable condition monitoring of the reader and deliver cyclical information on the device state, warn of irregularities in the quality of the acquisition process and by means of downstream analyses allow prompt intervention or predictive maintenance of the system. The integration of external sensors in order to determine the current state at the same time as object identification and to link this to the object ID stored on the data carrier also provides a considerable benefit for the optimization of process transparency. Operating as an IO-Link master, an AutoID device can, for example, collect data from multiple IO-Link sensors installed at the reading location very easily and – either forward this data to a control system – or, with the appropriate hardware equipment, even preprocess it in the device itself using suitable software applications.
Technology report
Automatic identification systems such as 1D/2D-code and RFID readers are tried-and-tested, indispensable technologies for controlling industrial production processes and logistics workflows in the supply chain. At the same time, Industry 4.0 and IIoT have put digitization at the focus of advancing automation. What demands will in future be placed on modern identification systems? Has the classic reader, which forwards a code via a serial interface to a control, become obsolete?