How RFID
technology works for your business
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID is a form of wireless communication that uses radio waves to identify objects, places or people from a distance, without a direct line of sight.
The technology has been developed over many years, and has been implemented with great success by many businesses as a cost-effective way to keep track of their valuable assets.
Like any technology, it pays to use an expert solution provider such as RAMP to help you implement the best solution for your business.
RAMP uses a combination of tags, hardware, software and networks to create customised solutions that improve your business performance. Our team of RFID experts works to understand your specific needs, then implement the most effective solution for your business.
RFID Tags
RFID tags are placed on objects you need to track. This can include assets, inventory, vehicles or people. There are essentially two types of RFID tags – passive and active. They both use radio frequency to communicate between a tag and a reader, but they are powered quite differently. Passive tags have no battery and draw power from an external RFID reader, while active tags contain a battery to transmit signals and respond to messages.
UHF Gen 2 Passive
RAMP RFID solutions primarily include UHF Gen 2 passive RFID labels and tags. These tags comply with the global UHF Gen 2 standard. They come in a range of form factors including adhesive labels, hang tags and hard tags to suit any environment. They typically have a range between 0.5m and 15m.
Long Range Active RFID
Solutions incorporating Active RFID use a battery powered active tag. These use proprietary technology and usually have a battery life of 3 to 5 years and a read range between 50m and 300m.
2D (QR) barcodes
These types of barcode can be printed on labels and are also often used on RFID tags or labels for redundancy or use with a Smartphone app when no RFID reader is at hand.
GPS tags
These tags collect GPS location as programmed and transmit location data to the Cloud.
Hardware
UHF Gen 2 Passive
RAMP solutions include handheld RFID readers, smartphones, RFID portals on doorways, dock doors and conveyors, smart cabinet readers, vehicle mounted readers (forklift, reach stacker) and roadside readers. These reader stations often incorporate embedded PC's, Wi-Fi or cellular modems, i/O devices, UPS and Solar Power options.
Long Range Active RFID
RAMP solutions include handheld RFID readers, vehicle mounted readers (forklift, reach stacker) and roadside readers. These reader stations often incorporate embedded PC's, Wi-Fi or cellular modems, i/O devices, UPS and Solar Power options.
2D (QR) barcodes
These are read by handheld readers where RFID tags are read at close range or by smartphone apps when the user does not have an RFID reader handy.
GPS tags
GPS tags do not require local reader infrastructure, they rely on cellular or other long range networks to send data to the software.
Printers
RFID printers are used to print and encode RFID labels for use both on and off metal. Our range of high-performance RFID printers deliver superior flexibility, high print speeds and high media roll capacity.
Software
Loca.Fi - powerful asset and inventory tracking software
Loca.Fi is RAMP’s own powerful RFID asset tracking platform, versatile enough to manage your inventory and assets. Loca.Fi uses RFID data captured by fixed and mobile readers to provide real time asset and inventory visibility throughout your supply chain.
Designed to suit the requirements of a wide range of industries including manufacturers, transport and logistics providers and retailers, Loca.Fi provides clients with the insight and data to drive smarter, leaner processes and informed decision making.
is built on Microsoft technologies, with all data being securely stored in a Microsoft SQL Server Database. The web front end is accessible from desktop, tablet and mobile devices.
KegFlow – keg tracking software
KegFlow is a proven product that has been specifically developed by our partner Alizent for keg tracking within the Brewing Industry and has been adopted by some of the world’s leading Brewers such as Carlsberg and AB InBev. Based upon deep domain knowledge and experience, the solution combines tracking technology, software and algorithms built specifically for the supply chain and environments unique to beer kegs.
The solution is a combination of the following technical elements:
- RFID tags that uniquely identify the assets (kegs and casks). These tags have been specifically designed for withstanding the special conditions of the washing and sterilization processes of the Brewing Industry.
- RFID reading stations (for filling lines) and portals (for entry and exit gates at warehouses and plants).
- A software solution that receives, stores and analyses RFID scans data, which is then presented in the form of analytical reports and graphics to be used by the business.
Acuity – fully integrated and highly scalable line inventory visibility system
ACUITY is a complete IoT, RFID-based platform enabling real-time inventory availability and visibility over textile assets, from linen manufacturers to laundry groups and their customers in the Hospitality and Healthcare industry.
Developed by our partners Invengo, ACUITY is an innovative and proven technology platform combining RFID tags, equipment, software suites and services to efficiently identify, track and monitor linen, increase financial gains through reduced operational costs, optimize stock movements and purchases, and improve customer satisfaction.
Linen data is collected, stored, analysed and acted on, in real-time, from the RFID-enabled equipment. ACUITY transforms the RFID data into rich, interactive dashboards and reports, providing a comprehensive and real-time overview of your linen stocks by article reference or individual items, per zones in your facility and at customer sites. ACUITY allows you to significantly improve linen life-cycle management, optimize washing schedules, anticipate deliveries, identify lost or misplaced items and manage cage assets as well.
IQ Beacon – active RFID vehicle tracking software
iQ Beacon is RAMP’s vehicle tracking middleware designed to work with Active RFID tags. The Active tags are set to transmit or “beacon” at a set rate with its unique ID, location and battery health among other things. When a tag passes over/under a position marker’s induction loop field two events occur:
- A configured location ID is written to the tag issuing 125 kHz.
- The tag enters a “burst” transmission mode, transmitting 1 or more times within 1 second.
These “beacon” and “burst” 915MHz transmissions are received by an RFID Reader. IQ Beacon polls these readers (via LAN, WAN or Internet) or at a pre-configured frequency or time, to filter out certain reads based on pre-set parameters and to output a file for integration into a 3rd party system.
Networks
RAMP asset, inventory and vehicle tracking solutions use a range of network options to communicate data captured by readers to the software. Options include:
- Fixed Ethernet or fibre to local network for locally hosted or Cloud solutions
- WiFi to WAN to local network for locally hosted or Cloud solutions
- Cellular communication direct to Cloud via 3G or 4G networks