RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, a technology that involves wireless data capture and transaction processing. It uses radio waves to transmit information about an object or a person to the concerned person. How it works  Thus, an RFID system essentially consists of two components – an RFID tag and an RFID reader. When a reader reads the chip, the antenna allows the data that is recorded in the chip to be converted into digital information. This can then be easily accessed by the concerned person. When a chip is read by an RFID reader, along with the data contained in the chip, three things become clear:
It would not be wrong to say that RFID is the bridge between a physical product
and the digital data relating to the product. |
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RFID can be used for long-range as well as short-range applications. Long-range and short-range applications are also referred to as 'Vicinity' and 'Proximity' applications respectively. RFID can serve a vast range of purposes, which can be broadly summed up into two categories:
'Tracking' refers to the use of RFID to determine the location of a particular person or object. 'Tracing' refers to actually locating the person or the object, and obtaining relevant information about them. This track and trace application of RFID, as stated earlier, can be used in case of both people and objects, which makes it highly useful in various areas ranging from healthcare to libraries. The textile industry also has a wide scope for the application of RFID, and can exploit its varied advantages. The major application areas of RFID in the textile industry and its benefits can be listed as under: Ease in production: The application of RFID tags on spare parts and raw materials, as stated above, helps in locating them easily. A lot of time and energy can be saved. Using RFID tags on work-in-progress enables the management to track the time taken in various processes, so that unnecessary processes can be eliminated and time can be saved. The production process becomes more efficient, and ultimately the quality of the product rises. This, in turn, leads to an improvement in the profitability of the firm, and a rise in its goodwill. Reduction in wastage and theft: There are certain spare parts and materials which are highly valuable, but which can be easily misplaced or stolen, on account of their small size. This can be prevented by using RFID tags. This proves to be very helpful in retail outlets also. Saving time: The use of RFID makes the production process simple and efficient, and helps in avoiding wastage of time. The same is the case with finished goods at a retail outlet. The location of the merchandise can be easily tracked using RFID tags, which ensures that the right goods are placed at the right location. Even if the goods are not placed at the right place, their location within the store can be easily determined with the help of RFID. This would help in reducing customer wait time at the point of sale. If a certain item demanded by a customer is not available, RFID helps in obtaining this information within seconds. As RFID helps in maintaining up-to-date information, the customer can be correctly guided about the time frame within which new stock would be available, or can be guided about the availability of another alternative product. Reduced customer wait time, consequently, leads to improved customer satisfaction, increase in goodwill, increase in sales and profitability. |
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The
RFID boom is on! Be it libraries or government offices, retail stores or
manufacturing companies, RFID is the buzz word today. It serves a wide range of
applications, and has proved to be a boon for many organizations. The number of
organizations recognizing the benefits of this wonderful technology called RFID
is on the rise. Consequently, more and more organizations are adopting this
technology. This article studies the concept of RFID in the textile industry in
detail – from the meaning of the concept to its various applications and the
benefits that it provides.
