As businesses try to incorporate technology in day-to-day operations to streamline operational bottlenecks, the need for innovation in technology as well as innovative use of available technologies in business becomes quite apparent. The progress in the field of internet of things (IoT) over past two decades is testament to that. IoT has become a very important factor in modern digital age steering the fourth gen. industrial revolution aka Industry 4.0.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is a wireless IoT technology that has become popular in the area of automatic identification and data capture for its efficiency and accuracy. Let’s see what RFID is and how it can be used for improving quality control and traceability in manufacturing industry.
What is RFID?
RFID, short for radio frequency identification, is a wireless AIDC technology that uses radio frequency (RF) signals to communicate between an RFID tag and an RFID reader.
You can tag an asset and track it using an RFID tag. That’s the whole gist of it.
RFID in modern manufacturing processes
With the growing complexity and diversity of products and processes, manufacturers require greater visibility, control, and traceability to achieve high levels of productivity, efficiency, and quality. RFID technology, by providing real-time data capture, automated tracking, and seamless integration with enterprise systems, offers a powerful solution to these challenges which is quite interesting I think. More importantly, RFID can also address some manufacturing specific particular concerns pretty easily.
The RFID market is changing drastically and it is changing for better growth and new innovations in RFID applications.
According to a recent market research report by MarketsandMarkets, the global RFID market size is projected to reach $31.42 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2018 to 2023. This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of RFID in various applications such as asset tracking, inventory management, and supply chain management, among many others.
The report also highlights the benefits of RFID technology in reducing labor costs, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing customer experience, which are critical factors for success in today's competitive manufacturing landscape.
As the global RFID market continues to grow, manufacturers who leverage this technology are likely to achieve a competitive advantage in their respective industries like in retail, Walmart took the lead in using RFID in their store operations and inventory management.
Using RFID for improving quality control and traceability in Manufacturing
Manufacturing industry can benefit from RFID technology greatly. Be it manufacturing part tracking, tool tracking or enhancing the overall visibility of available resources.
The RFID technology is also playing a crucial role in ensuring product safety and quality in manufacturing. For instance, in the food and beverage industry, RFID tags are used to track and monitor the temperature and humidity of perishable goods during transportation and storage. This helps to prevent spoilage and contamination, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
The use of RFID technology in manufacturing quality control and traceability can help manufacturers reduce the risk of quality issues and product recalls, improve production efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction.
RFID improving quality control
Use of RFID technology in manufacturing provides one of the key benefits in the form of quality control owing to its ability to provide real-time visibility into production processes. This allows manufacturers to monitor the quality of their products as they move through the production line, and quickly identify and address any issues that arise.
For example, RFID tags can be used to track the movement of raw materials and finished goods, and monitor the performance of machines and equipment in real-time.
This data can be used to identify bottlenecks, optimize workflows, and improve overall production efficiency.
RFID improving traceability in manufacturing
RFID can also help manufacturers improve traceability, which is critical for ensuring product safety and quality. RFID tags can be used to track the movement of products throughout the supply chain, from raw materials to finished goods, and provide a detailed record of each step in the production process which can be used to trace products back to their source in the event of a recall or quality issue, and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
To summarize, use of RFID can greatly streamline the manufacturing process by wirelessly tracking assets, resources and enhancing the overall visibility in the manufacturing plant.
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