RFID
RFID stands for "radio frequency identification" and refers to technologies that use radio waves to identify objects or people automatically. Typically, a serial number or other product- /object-related information ("identifier') is stored on a microchip. This chip is attached to an antenna that enables the chip to transfer the information needed for identification to a reading device. The combination of antenna and chip is called an "RFID tag" or "RFID transponder."
RFID readers create an energy field which activates the tags. Most common RFID tags are passive, which makes them largely maintenance-free. Depending on the type of RFID tag, a wealth of different product-related information can be stored on a single tag. Special interfaces enable the communication of the RFID system with a PLC or other IT systems.
Once an RFID system is applied in a process, error-prone manual data collection becomes a thing of the past. This means minimized administrative errors, better transparency, and huge speed gains.
