The Significant Role Of RFID In Industrial Automation
These days, the term “industrial automation” has been seen as the key to enhancing the possibilities of companies. An increasing number of companies of all industries and sizes are applying different technologies to automate and ease their supply chain operations. Industrial automation means implementing along with the integration of various technologies in order to achieve monitoring and essential control of industrial processes.
The main objective of industrial automation is to minimise human intervention and increase the amount of data being collected in processes to optimise them. When talking about industrial automation, most experts could not help but discuss at the same time the significance of RFID inventory management.
Read on to learn more about industrial automation and the significant role of RFID technology in advancing it.
How industrial automation works
As mentioned earlier, industrial automation involves applying different technologies to monitor and control industrial processes to reduce human intervention and increase the amount of data collected. Automation implies enhancing productivity, cycle times, the quality of the production process, and a company’s competitiveness in this ever-globalising world.
To perform an industrial automation process, it is essential to apply various technologies, depending on each company’s needs or the automation level they wish to achieve. The principal goal of automation is to carry out repetitive processes that can appropriately be performed more autonomously. It also aims to boost the entire production cycle times, enabling increase in production in a shorter time and with the reduction of errors.
RFID and industrial automation
Various kinds of technologies can be used to automate companies, including machines, devices, and even software. Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that enables numerous phases or processes of the supply chain to be automated. There are multiple uses of RFID technology in the industrial sector. It allows identifying and transmitting an object’s information through radiofrequency waves.
To do so, an RFID tag is needed for storing, transmitting, and identifying the data. RFID is among the several applications that enable higher industrial automation. It is necessary for certain supply chain processes, specifically repetitive processes, that can avoid or reduce human intervention and errors with the use of RFID.
Here are some processes in which the use of RFID can be very significant:
1. Logistics
RFID is currently the most widely used technology for automating and controlling logistics processes. Logistics is a complicated process that involves tracking every product that comes in and out of the warehouse along with those that are sent back. RFID inventory tracking avoids sending incomplete or erroneous orders in all logistics processes.
Through the application of RFID, a company can know if the loaded products are correct and accurate for a shipment that is in progress. In case they are not, the company, through alarms and notifications, can be notified if a shipment is incorrect before sending it.
2. Traceability and production control
When generating a product, materials are needed for its final production. Regarding sorting, distributing, and tracking materials or parts, RFID devices enable fast and automated identification of every item at every stage of its production. An advantage of RFID over barcodes is that it allows labels to be read in huge quantities without visual contact or opening of packages, thereby hastening and increasing inventory accuracy.
3. Point of Sale
In the store, RFID can also be used to control many pieces of information about the products. RFID tags enable complete stock control, allowing stores to avoid unknown losses or stock issues and manage a fast replenishment. Because RFID tags allow enormous data storage, customers can also benefit from acquiring complete traceability of the products, which is highly valued in the retail sector.
Conclusion
RFID undoubtedly plays a significant role in the advancement of industrial automation. RFID technology has numerous advantages. It allows companies to know the flow within every operation, optimise the supply chain at critical points, minimise the waste of items and reduce time wastage.
This solution results in a reduction in operating costs and an increase in profits. Ultimately, with the use of RFID for industrial automation, costly errors in production can be avoided, processes can be improved and profits can be maximised.
