The technological subversion of intelligent RFID supply chain management

Currently, RFID technology is widely used in a variety of industries and for various purposes, most commonly Asset tracking and inventory management, and its versatility is impressive. RFID Readers and RFID handheld terminals are used as intelligent data collection equipment to realize fast, automatic, effective and batch collection of information in key operational links such as warehousing, outgoing warehouses, inventory, transportation, and warehouse transfers in the logistics and supply chain management process. collection.

With the continuous development of enterprise scale, the number of items in logistics and supply chain management is increasing, and the frequency of entry and exit has increased dramatically. Logistics Management and warehouse management operations have also become very complex and diversified. Traditional manual warehouse operation modes and data collection This method is no longer able to meet the fast and accurate requirements of warehouse management, seriously affecting the operational efficiency of the enterprise. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build an intelligent warehouse management system to improve logistics and supply chain management, improve warehouse space utilization, speed up the execution efficiency of warehousing operations, reasonably allocate labor, and improve production efficiency; thereby achieving human resources, equipment utilization, logistics and Effective optimization of supply chain management improves the core competitiveness of enterprises.

RFID technology has had a huge impact on supply chain management efficiency and costs. It is being used to: collect, manage and analyze large amounts of data, and then use this information to make more informed decisions; keep labor costs and operating costs low (digitization Tracking assets means less manual labor); minimizing security risks (assets are always accounted for, reducing the likelihood of theft); adhering to regulatory and compliance standards, etc.

Companies can use RFID technology at any point in the supply chain. For example, an OEM company might use this technology to track every component of its finished product as well as the finished product itself. Scanning can be done as parts leave the supplier as they drop off at the satellite manufacturing site, to the 3PL, to the parts warehouse, as they enter and exit the gate, on elevator lifts, and as empty containers are loaded and on their way back to the supplier. Each step in the supply chain is a potential tracking point for identifying an item's progress through the system.

The logistics and supply chain management system based on RFID technology introduces RFID technology into the existing logistics and supply chain management, and collects data from warehouse to goods material flow, distribution, warehousing, outbound, transfer, inventory counting and other operational aspects. Carry out automated data collection to ensure the speed and accuracy of data input in all aspects of logistics and supply chain management, ensure that enterprises can timely and accurately grasp the real data of inventory and in-transit, and reasonably maintain and control inventory. Using the system's warehouse location management function, you can also know the current location of all inventory items in a timely manner, which will help improve the efficiency of warehouse management.

By affixing RFID electronic tags to materials, RFID readers and UHF handheld devices can realize rapid and batch identification of materials, and accurately obtain product-related information at any time, such as material types, suppliers, Delivery time, validity period, inventory level, etc. The RFID logistics and supply chain management system can realize real-time monitoring of all aspects of materials from warehousing, outgoing, inventory, and transfer. It can not only greatly improve the degree of automation, but also significantly reduce the error rate, thereby significantly improving logistics and supply chain Management transparency and management efficiency; the application of RFID in logistics and supply chain management helps companies reduce costs and gain competitive advantages. Smooth information is conducive to controlling and reducing inventory, and reducing costs (including labor costs), allowing companies to improve their warehousing The management of materials is more efficient, accurate and scientific.

RFID technology can also help optimize shipments by scanning delivery trucks loaded with RFID tags to create an up-to-date and detailed list of exactly what has been placed and removed from the truck (with some limitations). With this visibility, companies are able to find inventory and put it where it’s needed, when it’s needed. Therefore, there is much less risk of having an overly long trailer sitting on the dock, expedited carrier fees, customer dissatisfaction, and loss.

Introduction to the functions of RFID equipment in supply chain management

In the RFID warehousing supply chain system, the hardware devices used mainly include RFID fixed readers and writers, RFID channel Access Control, RFID handheld readers and writers, RFID electronic tags, RFID desktop card issuers, RFID label printers, etc. These devices will jointly complete the information identification and process identification of warehouse materials in the RFID warehousing system.

1. Fixed RFID reader/RFID channel access control

Fixed RFID reader/writer/RFID channel access control mainly collects information on incoming and outgoing materials quickly and in batches, and improves the efficiency of incoming and outgoing materials during the warehousing process.

2. RFID handheld reader/writer

RFID handheld readers are mainly used by warehouse workers for functions such as entering and exiting the warehouse, taking inventory, moving warehouses, and querying materials in the warehouse.

3. RFID electronic tag

RFID electronic tags are mainly used to install RFID electronic tags on materials when they are newly put into storage, and are used for information identification of materials in the entire RFID supply chain management.

4. Desktop card issuer

The desktop card issuer is mainly used to write material-related data into special material tags, such as anti-metal tags and special-shaped electronic tags, to complete the information entry of materials in RFID supply chain management.

5. RFID label printer

RFID label printers are mainly designed for printable paper labels or flexible anti-metal labels, printing relevant material information on the surface of the label, and at the same time writing material-related information through the RFID read-write module embedded in the label printer to complete the process. Information entry of materials in RFID supply chain management.

The advantages of RFID logistics and supply chain management systems are as follows:

1. Support multi-warehouse management requirements

Through a complete RFID system, we can quickly implement centralized management of customers' warehouse networks across the country, and effectively provide differentiated logistics and supply chain management services for a large number of different warehouses. Linkage operations can be achieved between related warehouses to build an integrated inventory service system; analysis and statistical reports can be viewed in real time; centralized deployment enables global control and local coordination of various businesses.

2. Provide powerful job rule strategies

The RFID system provides powerful warehousing strategies, shelving strategies, picking strategies, and inventory strategies; when the operation instructions arrive at the warehouse, it can meet various collection and management requirements of the warehouse (such as first-in-first-out, last-in-first-out) according to the pre-established strategies. , shipment by batch, etc.), optimize warehouse operation lines, save operator workload, solve operation bottlenecks, and optimize inventory placement layout.

3. Refined management within Library operations

The RFID system subdivides various operation modes in the warehouse according to material receipt, warehousing, shelving, picking, outbound, shifting, inventory, etc., and arranges tasks into job queues, and operators in each warehouse area will automatically Job assignment received. Finally, the RFID system uses the inventory log to completely record every system operation action and inventory changes. When a goods discrepancy occurs, it can be documented.

4. Visualization of global inventory of materials

Through centralized management, all warehouse inventories can be mastered, and the total inventory and distribution can be viewed from different angles. Achieve accurate warehouse management and inventory turnover control, and provide basis and support for transfers between warehouses and shifts within the warehouse.

5. Fast and accurate RFID inventory

The system RFID system can realize the rapid and accurate collection of data in each key operation link in the warehouse management system: warehousing, outbound, inventory, and warehouse transfer, ensuring that enterprises can grasp the real inventory data in a timely and accurate manner, and providing an effective basis for enterprise decision-making. .

RFID technology is not a panacea, but it is indeed a great help in supply chain management. Without the guidance of an experienced partner, development, execution and proper utilization of this technology can go awry. Used correctly, it can make the difference between lackluster improvements and true efficiency optimization to optimize supply chain management.