Here comes the last part of the article by Chris Kapsambelis, Auto-ID consultant and our creative reporter:

Shipping Point RequirementsIn order to comply with this extra need for data synchronization, hardware and software will need to be acquired and installed that can accomplish at least the following.

- Prepare an RFID tag for application to each case and pallet scheduled for shipment to a trading partner.

- At the point of tag application to a case, read the case tag and transmit the data to a system that can add all the needed fields to describe the contents of the case.

- At the point where pallets are being loaded with cases, RFID readers are required to read tagged pallets and each case as it is being loaded onto the pallet. The readers transmit the data to a system that can add the pallet tag reading to a pre-existing record of the case tag.

- A computer system that can receive data from the RFID readers, and build the database of case records and associated pallet tag numbers.

- The capability to integrate the case/pallet data with other systems needed for Shipping/Receiving, Inventory, WMS, ERP, etc.

- The capability to share the data with various trading partners for data synchronization.

Receiving Point Requirements

In order to automatically receive orders of palletized goods, a system will be required that has access to synchronized data from each trading partner. This system will require at least the following:

- Strategically installed RFID scanners to read at least one RFID tag(case or pallet) from each pallet load.

- Each RFID reading will be transmitted to a system that can derive the data needed for receiving all the cases on the pallet.

- The resultant data will be configured into the necessary transactions for receiving by higher-level applications.

Conclusion

RFID and EPC have always been envisioned as requiring middleware to support data capture and derive transactions for higher-level applications. By requiring the linkage of a pallet EPC to case EPCs loaded on the pallet, RFID reader requirements can be simplified as follows:

- Case tags are read one at a time, as they are loaded onto pallets.

- Readers at receiving portals need only read any of the RFID tags on a pallet loaded with cases. The direction (inbound/outbound), and unread tag numbers can be derived from the synchronization database.

The need to develop RFID pallet readers that can read the pallet tag and 100% of the case tags on the pallet is not possible due to the limitations of RFID by the laws of physics (because of the material characteristics of the products and the interference or obstruction they produce. By linking pallet tags with associated case tags, and synchronizing the data between trading partners, the requirement for 100% readability of pallet loads is eliminated.

REFERENCES:

Final Report of the Passive Radio Frequency Identification Project at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Norfolk, Virginia, Ocean Terminal Division

http://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/FISC%20Norfolk%20OT%20Report%20v8.pdf

For some time now some experts have been saying that RFID hype is in violation of the laws of Physics. The results from recent pilot studies have shown that real limitations, as a result of the laws of Physics, do exist. This article explains how some application specialists plan to overcome them..

This article was submitted by Creative Reporter Chris Kapsambelis .

Chris was a founder of Computer Identics Corporation. where he participated in the early use of barcodes for logistics applications. Later he founded Barcode Data Systems that provides consulting, and software development for auto-ID applications. He received training in radio systems while serving with the U.S. Air Force, and later graduated from NortheasternUniversity,Boston, MAwith a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He has been granted numerous U.S patents related to the development of bar codes and bar code readers.