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RFID in automotive

RFID – the best automation support in the automotive industry

RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification), i.e. identification using radio waves, is used more and more often in almost every industry, e.g. in access control, trade, logistics or contactless payments. Thanks to RFID tags, you can give your assets unique digital identities. This in turn allows them to be identified and located. RFID system is one of the best ways to increase efficiency available today, also in the automotive industry.

What exactly is RFID technology?

Let’s start with the basics. RFID is a kind of alternative to barcodes. This fast-developing radio-frequency identification technology consists of a series of tags, called tags, and a device that is able to read the radio signals sent by these tags. In UHF standard, which is widely used in logistics, passive tags are used. They contain a chip with a programmed identification number of a given product, as well as a transmitting and receiving antenna. The tags are powered by energy from radio waves generated by the reader, so they do not require batteries. When the tag receives the waves, energy flows through the internal antenna to the chip.

Who is RFID technology for?


The technology has been designed for all companies that strive to automate work and eliminate human errors. RFID helps to save time, and at the same time facilitates work and supervision over the production line. The systems are implemented in many industries, including industry, logistics and transport. RFID helps companies:

  • eliminate manual scanning errors,
  • speed up the label scanning process,
  • reduce the delays associated with manual barcode handling.


Although the initial investment in RFID may seem expensive compared to the cheaper barcode technology, it is increasingly being implemented in manufacturing, industry, logistics and commerce. For many companies, it is already an irreplaceable element of such processes as inventory, identification of employees and registration of their working time, product marking, production tracking, record of returnable packaging, security and access control.

The greatest advantages of RFID system

These are the biggest benefits of implementing an RFID system in your organization:

Multiple tags are identified quickly and simultaneously, saving you time. RFID tags in UHF EPC Gen 2 technology are mainly in the form of a label. There are also tags in the housing, resistant to weather conditions, which can be used many times. With additional memory available to the user, they can store much more data than barcodes.
Stocktaking using the system takes a few or several minutes – for comparison, traditional bar codes required even 2-day stocktaking.
The system can run virtually maintenance free. For example, a wheelchair driver does not have to stop to manually read the codes from the labels. It is enough to pass the wheelchair through the RFID gate.
Data can be read from a distance (up to 10 meters), which is useful for inventory.
Excluding manual scanning not only saves time but also reduces the possibility of human error.
Data reading is fast up to 100 tags per second.
Thanks to RFID system, it is possible to automate many business processes.

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    RFID in the automotive industry

    RFID, already used for quite some time in the automotive industry, has recently faced new challenges – the marking of products with RFID tags must comply with the latest guidelines developed by the largest car concerns in cooperation with the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). This directive means the need to adapt to new standards in the field of drivers, implementation, decoding and automation.


    RFID technology at IBCS Poland


    IBCS Poland, one of the largest producers of comprehensive RFID systems, is the creator of ibcsGate gate, working on the basis of software that reads tags encoded in accordance with the VDA directive. The gateway sends data directly to the host without the need for additional software.
    ibcsGate gate works based on author ibcsGate software, which works in an RFID reader and does not require an external PC. The software correctly decodes the data stored in the RFID tag in VDA standard, and then sends them to the master system. The technologies used by Ibcs Poland can be used for receiving and issuing goods, transfers between production and warehouse, and verifying the correctness of goods receipt without checking the content. Within a few seconds, it is possible to scan even several dozen containers.

    Elements of IBCS Poland system


    IBCS Poland solution, thanks to remote radio identification, enables quick data reading and transfer. Thanks to the use of radio waves, it allows contactless identification of the object using the reader. ibcsGate system consists of the following elements:

    It is a structural element and contains all elements of the RFID set. The gate is equipped with: RFID reader, automation elements, panel computer, antennas, motion sensors, power supply and wiring. Thanks to the gateway, you can fully automate the reading of tags on packaging, containers, pallets and other goods.

    RFID gate design

    It is a structural element and contains all elements of the RFID set. The gate is equipped with: RFID reader, automation elements, panel computer, antennas, motion sensors, power supply and wiring. Thanks to the gateway, you can fully automate the reading of tags on packaging, containers, pallets and other goods.
    When antennas are connected to the reader, a set for reading RFID tags will be created. The task of the reader and antennas is to generate energy to power the tag and receive the information it transmits. When the tag is placed in the field of radio waves, it sends data. The reader receives data and sends it to IT system.

    RFID reader and antennas

    When antennas are connected to the reader, a set for reading RFID tags will be created. The task of the reader and antennas is to generate energy to power the tag and receive the information it transmits. When the tag is placed in the field of radio waves, it sends data. The reader receives data and sends it to IT system.
    Industrial grade labels stick and stay attached to assets. Tags are selected individually depending on the product and customer requirements. The choice of tag type depends on its size, mounting method and memory size. The tag consists of an integrated circuit (chip), antenna and housing. One tag stores the product code (SKU, index) in one of the memory banks (EPC), has a unique serial number, and can also collect information from each stage of production in memory (User Memory). RFID tags are reusable and their resistance depends on the type of the top label in which they are attached. There are also Hardtags whose plastic housing ensures resistance to external factors.

    Labels (and RFID tags)

    Industrial grade labels stick and stay attached to assets. Tags are selected individually depending on the product and customer requirements. The choice of tag type depends on its size, mounting method and memory size. The tag consists of an integrated circuit (chip), antenna and housing. One tag stores the product code (SKU, index) in one of the memory banks (EPC), has a unique serial number, and can also collect information from each stage of production in memory (User Memory). RFID tags are reusable and their resistance depends on the type of the top label in which they are attached. There are also Hardtags whose plastic housing ensures resistance to external factors.
    They enable instant printing and programming of RFID labels. The label printer has a built-in option to encode RFID tags, which fully replaces manual programming.

    Printers

    They enable instant printing and programming of RFID labels. The label printer has a built-in option to encode RFID tags, which fully replaces manual programming.

    Coding software according to VDA 6bit standard


    Our RFID solution fully integrates with the customer’s existing infrastructure (e.g. ERP system). External software, e.g. Loftware, can be used to print and program tags. Thanks to its high scalability, it can be completely adapted to the current production process. The app can also be used as a standalone labeling system. It can operate in manual or automatic mode, in which tag encoding and printing are initiated by an external signal.

    IBCS Poland and VDA standards

    VDA recommendation includes rules for special marking of products with RFID tags. In connection with the guidelines, all manufacturers who want to work with automotive concerns must correctly label their products. This is not easy, because the adopted standards are complicated and difficult to develop on your own. Therefore, many companies decide to purchase ready-made VDA labels from external suppliers. IBCS Poland provides by far the highest standard in the automotive industry, offering mobile gates and labels that meet the requirements of VDA. Thanks to IBCS Poland solutions, you can carry out activities such as:
    production status control (verification of the entire chain from the stock warehouse through the semi-finished products zone and the production zone to the final warehouse)
    production status control (verification of the entire chain from the stock warehouse through the semi-finished products zone and the production zone to the final warehouse)
    improvement of production processes thanks to the monitoring of efficiency and work time
    improvement of production processes thanks to the monitoring of efficiency and work time
    location of end products, molds and tools using the tracking function, which graphically allows you to locate tags based on the strength of the signal it sends
    location of end products, molds and tools using the tracking function, which graphically allows you to locate tags based on the strength of the signal it sends
    loading - verification of the correctness of entire batches of goods
    loading – verification of the correctness of entire batches of goods

    Summary

    RFID technology is changing the way modern warehouses are designed and operated every day. Automation of activities is the only possible direction for companies that want to develop dynamically by optimizing processes. Thanks to the use of RFID gates, work becomes more efficient and economical, and the risk of human error is almost eliminated. When choosing or designing a warehouse, it is worth considering this type of solution. However, remember to implement the system with a trusted partner such as IBCS Poland, experienced in implementing technology.

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