Why RFID Is The Best For Tracking Assets
Monday, October 26th, 2009The past 10 years has seen the development of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) rocket, making it easier for all companies to track and manage their fixed assets UK. However, RFID is still not completly optimised for use. Presently the technology is overly expensive and is only really used at the manufacturer stage or on more expensive products. The most ideal use of RFID technology would be to track items off shop shelves.
RFID is a form of tracking assets, similar to a barcode. A barcode uses a visible tagging system to store data about the product, this is then read by a scanner. An RFID tag is a chip that’s included into the item that stores data, it can then be accessed remotely using an RFID reader. Radio waves are used by the reader to retrieve information off the chip.
Alas, asset tracking UK hasn’t reached this level, however, there are a great deal of companies in the US that are already using the technology. New passports, public transport, museums and libraries are just some of the many services that use RFID technology. A large number of the users are government run.
Although the majority of companies know why RFID is so important, but they haven’t got the money to buy into it. In the recent years, knowing where your assets are has become very important. However, all companies knwo that auditing their assets slows down business. Many also find that after auditing, they have missed some of their assets.
Using RFID tags on a large number of your assets, you are able to track hundreds of your items instantly from a location within the tags range. This helps you to manage your assets more simply.
Just one company that is using RFID tech is Unilever. They have attached over 20,000 tracking tags to assets on their production lines. The tagging system allows Unilever to audit their items from a remote location, whereas if they had to do this manually, it would result in shutting down the production line.
This example shows how RFID tracking saves your business money and time. There is a huge number of examples. Another example would be in the emergancy services, allowing them to track vital pieces of equipment, saving time. It also ensures that when the vehicle goes to the incident, it’s got the correct tools required.
Unfortunately, RFID tracking can be expensive. With the more advanced tags costing around , tracking your assets efficiently is not check. Hopefully costs will fall as the technology becomes cheaper to develop. As soon as more companies use this form of tracking, fixed asset register UK programs will become more widely used.