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Applied RFID technology pioneered by TransCore in the 1980’s is now used in many other applications in addition to transportation. The latest industry “buzz” is centered on RFID used in retail supply chain applications. So, what’s the difference between RFID technology applied to transportation applications versus retail and wholesale supply chain applications?
First, supply chain applications involve tracking many items (retail item packages, cartons, cases, and pallets) at a relatively slow rate of speed (e.g. fork-lift, conveyor, or items on a storage rack or display shelf) in a protected environment. Many times the value of items being tracked in supply chain applications are of relatively low value.
On the other hand, RFID technology applied to transportation applications involves tracking only a few items or assets (cars, trucks, trailers, shipping containers, etc.) but at a high rate of speed and at long distances. Many transportation applications are specified and tested at highway speeds exceeding 100 MPH. The value of the underlying assets being tracked in transportation applications is generally higher than the value of items being tracked in supply chain applications.
These differences in speeds and numbers of items being identified dictate the performance and cost of the underlying hardware and software necessary to support the desired applications. For example, lower cost RFID readers, typically used in supply applications and which are certified under the FCC’s Part 15 regulation for unlicensed use, will not perform satisfactorily in transportation applications. In transportation applications, due to the travel speed of the vehicles and the requirement for 99%+ accuracy, more expensive, more powerful and licensed FCC Part 90 readers are required.
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