Barcodes have long been the backbone of traditional supply-chain management.
However, with tracking requirements becoming ever more rigorous in specific industries, there has been a tangible shift towards the adoption of RFID tags, as the technology of choice, for monitoring mobile assets.
Along with a growing recognition of the benefits this technology can provide in terms of increased accuracy and greater efficiency, an RFID tag provides detailed audit trails of exactly where the mobile items are and when they’re due back.
As one of its most attractive capabilities, RFID tags with “track-and-trace” competencies can not only optimise data accuracy but also streamline the management of critical transportations.
Take, for example, the ability to monitor the movement of expensive and precious items like fine art works or the transportation of animal cargo across borders.
Closer to home, traditionally important documents, such as government certificates, legal agreements, even birth certificates to deeds of trust, have usually been protected from fraud by having them physically signed or notarised by a person acting in a trusted role.
RFID tags mitigate the risks inherent to maintaining the authenticity of these documents such as falsifying original text, fraudulently editing signatures, or misattribution through old-fashioned sign-off procedures.
In addition, there has typically been no easy way to authenticate the value or ownership of physical items including luxury products, or the warranty status of purchased equipment.
Impossible to clone
Due to their design, RFID tags are impossible to clone or duplicate and can also be hidden inside a product or inserted into tamper-proof stickers that can be attached to products and equipment.
At the other end of the chain, by downloading a reader application to a regular smartphone, users can scan a product or document with complete confidence in the same way a barcode functions.
By essentially capitalising on the technology already in your pocket, the credibility of the product or document’s lifetime can be confirmed and recorded. Impossible to clone or duplicate, these tags can be cryptographically secured and hidden inside a product if necessary or inserted into tamper-proof stickers that can be attached to products and equipment.
Through their wireless identification capability, travel and interception information can be recorded, stored, and updated as necessary by a remote manager.
As tracking requirements have become ever more stringent and time-pressured, there has been a tangible shift towards RFID tags, as the technology of choice for monitoring mobile assets as they move throughout the supply chain, along with a growing recognition of the benefits of this technology.
Brewing industry
One particular application where RFID tags are making a real impact is in returnable transport items with the brewing industry, one of the earliest adopters of tracking tags.
Companies at the cutting edge of RFID technology responded to strong demand from the industry for better visibility on what happened to beer kegs throughout the supply process, by developing compact, low-frequency metal container tags to support tracking and identification.
These tags use an RFID-enabled passive contactless transponder to communicate with a reader, with an embedded read/write capability for extra flexibility to store more data as needed, in line with growth of the business. The tags further provide detailed audit trails of exactly where the kegs are and when they’re due back, lending themselves to the maintenance of compliance control through its backward traceability functionality.
As the Internet of Things becomes more of a reality, secure NFC services combined with RFID tags will become increasingly popular and be applied more often to fulfill a wide range of requirements.
In doing so, it will accelerate and blend the management of our interaction with physical objects alongside our already virtualised daily life such as email and social media.
Enjoy the latest fire and security news, updates and expert opinions sent straight to your inbox with IFSEC Insider's essential weekly newsletters. Subscribe today to make sure you're never left behind by the fast-evolving industry landscape.
Sign up now!
We have been down the path of evaluating RFID for inventory control a few times over the past 6-07 years. While the price of tags, their durability and the options for using them are getting better all the time we still run into a couple of issues. Most of our issues are a result of processes already in place that are difficult to change. I think this is pretty common since the majority of the companies I speak to have run into similar issues. It becomes a problem not of should you implement RFID but how much disruption can you… Read more »
interesting point, but with changes in technology and inventory control RFID tags offer excellent solution real time tracking inventory… and on the long run Co. could save a lot…
In specific aspects of our inventory control we see the benefits of RFID, the problems that still exist though are accurate scanning through cases and or spools of cable, accuracy with batch scanning and if we were to go with some active RFIDs we run into their ability to communicate through those same circumstances.
@Mike Clauss: I think RFID has changed things a bit plus it has come a long way. With RFID , I feel there are more things which has to be done plus this can simply be a good alternative for barcodes too.
yes, I see your point, as in some cases it not smart move to put RFID tags/chicklets on 10 cents cable as RFID tags/chicklets cost more… but for big value items it would make sense on the long run… as good RFID implementatition would shrink the shrink(loss prevention), also would help with tracking inventory preventing problems of fantom stock…
@bayte, I’m not talking 10 cent cables, I’m talking $1000+ cables coiled in a case. That much copper around a RFID tag has proven to be problematic for us as well as the cases that everything we handle gets packed into.
@N De Silva, I agree that RFID has come a long way and in ideal conditions RFID does have benefits over barcodes but once you get into complex situations it can be frustrating since you revert back to using them just like you would a barcode.
I see, yes some metals could create interference or block the RFID tags…maybe solution in this case barcode inventory control system…
“once you get into complex situations it can be frustrating since you revert back to using them just like you would a barcode.”
@Mike Clauss: Well I agree upto some extent with your comment but what alternative do we have for this right now ? Is there any other possibility which is in the testing mode right now ? The answer would is NO.
It’ll always get cheaper! Same as everything. Today, I saw a press release saying they’ve just invented an RFID tag that can go in the wash: it’s designed for the laundry industry, but I wonder what else you could do with a tag like that?
@Alexander Stephens, we have a barcode inventory control system now. We’re looking at expanding that to RFID and running into some challenges.
@N De Silva, I agree that RIFD is coming along and that there really isn’t another option that I’ve seen. I’m not anti-RFID, I’m just fishing for some solutions to issues we’ve come across.
I see… but like you said before with boxed cables it gonna be a problem with getting clear RFID tags reading… unless you/Co. attach RFID tags to the manifest/shipping invoice… outside the box… but this way it will not prevent internal shrink… also manifest/shipping invoice could get separated from the box…
@Mike Clauss: I get your point. I too feel that we do need some sort of a new form to overcome the current RFID issues we have, but right now there is no option left for us.
I agree RFID is growing and while it’s not a perfect technology it has some very strong points. Until every issue we have can be addressed the fall back of treating an RFID tag like a barcode will work, it’s just a little frustrating as is redesigning long held processes that may or may not make the tags more effective.
@Alexander Stephens, the problem there is that you can’t properly inventory or track items by the case they are in. If a cable is moved from one cast to another you just lost all of your tracking ability, history and your inventory is off. That and if you’ve got a dozen cables in one case you still have to physically touch each one to verify what is in the case. You don’t want to just blindly scan those tags in a case like this.
yes, with cables, I see the problem… as they do not have unique identifier…
Exactly and therein is a large part of our problem aside from our own tagging there is no way to identify a single cable. That means inspection gets visual if we can’t get good reads from an RFID.
I think the solution is ATM approach… before giving out money… ATM – check it weight…
probably in your case you need to calculate weight of each single cable x amount + weight of the box…
I actually had a nice long talk with a researcher doing RFID work, apparently the solution to try is a newer style tag intended for use on metal, it has a thicker substrate that will get it far enough away from the cable that it can be read. There were also some antenna tricks mentioned so it does sound like these limitations aren’t just known but they are being addressed and solutions refined. It’s just a matter of time I guess.
yes, but the new onces will cost around 2.5 times more… per RFID tag….
@Mike Clauss: I think only time will decide the fate of this. I hope this will not die in a way that the barcodes did. It has a lot to offer. I’m not sure the possibility on this but what if barcode methodology and the RFID methodology gets combined and make something out of the two ?
The tag in particular that I’m talking about runs between $1 and $2 per tag. Now you wouldn’t tag everything you own with this tag. That’s part of the challenge, figuring out what you need and where to use it.
@N De Silva, well you can print your barcode formatted data onto an RFID tag and use it as both. That was part of a long conversation I had this week with an RFID researcher. I suspect that we’re going to see this method used to address issues with RFID as more people try rolling out solutions.
RFID tags may be difficult to clone with today’s technology, but don’t bet on it in the future!
Criminals are, by and large, the most innovative folks around, and I feel sure that it is only a matter of time before any technology will be cloned. As practitioners, we need to keep innovating in order to keep one step ahead of the crooks.
“I suspect that we’re going to see this method used to address issues with RFID as more people try rolling out solutions”
@Mike Clauss: Yes looks like it will take some time to get things going. Btw is there a specific requirement for RFID where you need to use the recommended tools used by your software principles ?
shipwreck right. I presume proactivity is the word for that. I always be surprised about hackers evil geniousness and always staying ahead of the lot. Hackers must be knowing the nitty gritty of RFIDs and then working in a direction finding loopholes. You are right if we feel secure today we cannot guarette same tomorrow. We need to invest heavily to remain safe and prgressive.
@N De Silva, in most cases there’s a middleware layer that needs to be in place if you’re going to an RFID solution, most of them are good about working with existing software to hand off the important bits of information. If you’ve got something really old or incredibly proprietary I’d have a talk with them before heading down the RFID path.
Great discussion here that I’m only just getting back to. I suppose with tags at that cost you only tag the high-value stuff, which generally is what is most at risk?
I don’t know sometimes I think security practitioners have to keep up with criminals rather than the other way round. Changing threats are so adaptable these days
@N De Silva I’m sure there’ll be new solutions on the near horizon, there always is. Either that or the way we use RFID just needs to catch up to what you actually want
in most cases there’s a middleware layer that needs to be in place if you’re going to an RFID solution
@Mike Clauss: What does the middleware layer exactly does here with relevance to RFID? Is it kind of a bridge between the 2 ?
@Robert Brown: True you do need to catch up with RFID for sure but I really feel that if we does not find any alternative that can replace RFID, the technology will have monopoly effects which might be harmful
Monopoly is a word that we should all be pretty fearful of, indeed. Not just because it’s a horrible board game! Competition is always vital in any market, you’re correct.
The middle ware gets between the scanning software/drivers and the application you’re trying to scan into. If you think about it you’re shooting an area with radio waves and listening for responses from the tags. If one tag answers back a couple dozen times you probably don’t want to count it that many times so you have middle ware that throttles the data sent to your software and strips off control bits for example.
At that cost you’d follow a plan similar to that. We tag lots of items now with bar codes and it only makes sense to keep tagging those same items with RFIDs but we’d obviously use less expensive tags for less important items. You would only use the specialized tags when necessary then use less expensive tags for everything else. Unlike bar codes you might end up with 3-04 RFID tag types depending on what they will be affixed to.
@Robert Brown: If we allow a monopoly market to be created, then it’s a disadvantage for all of us who act as buyers or customers. We need to make competition happen since it will benefit us.
I still believe (off topic here slightly) that we’re still set for a big consolidation in the major security manufacturers some time soon, though. Less competition, but perhaps a more focused market.
@Robert Brown: Im not sure about happening it in reality right now since most of us want competition in the market rather than anything else.
Rob you are right… in Canada we have crown/gov. corporations and they have monopoly… for example Canada Post… and now with out healthy competition Canada Post is in big trouble… as it at big loss… and gov… do not know what to do… how to bring it to the road of recovery…
if you have true/honest competition… everyone do benefit from it including consumers…
I don’t know, I just see the scale of many security businesses and wonder if it’s sustainable. Obviously, I hope it is.
yes, Rob with time – we will know and see …
Due to their design, RFID tags are impossible to clone or duplicate and can also be hidden inside a product or inserted into tamper-proof stickers
@Richard Spencer, thanks for the post. Do you think DNA marking which is upcoming technology will eventually replace RFID tags ?
It becomes a problem not of should you implement RFID but how much disruption can you handle while doing it and can you make those process changes to make them effective.
@Mike Clauss, no doubt implementation of RFID will cause disruption initially but the advantages of implementing RFID outweighs problems caused by such disruptions. RFID is not only helping the customers to secure the system but it is also acting as a deterrant against counterfeiting.
While customer facing RFID systems are pretty common, my focus lately has been more industrial in nature, tracking items as they move in and out of our warehouses. I can’t say that we are very worried about counterfeiting, we are more concerned with lost gear and the logistics of turning gear around in our warehouses to get it QC’d and heading out the doors again.
RFID tags may be difficult to clone with today’s technology, but don’t bet on it in the future!
@Stephen Spiegel, I totally agree with your opinion. The development of quantum computers threatens to shatter the security of current cryptographic systems used by businesses and banks around the world. I guess they can also be used to clone RFID tags as well.
@Alexander Stephens: Yes exactly, since competition is something which not only highlights the price wars but also benefits all factors since both parties will try to provide the best for the lowest price.
a lot of the times low price = low quality… as you could not build a Jag on KIA budget….
a lot of the times low price = low quality
@Alexander Stephens, low price doesnt necessarily mean low quality. Sometimes when the production starts in large scale then the price of the products automatically comes down.