Radio days

It should be fairly simple, this RFID thing. Take a tag, put it on the part, and

pass within range of a scanner. Then beep! You have just had a successful

read. In fact, without thinking about it, most of us do this every day with the

RFID security access and transport fare cards we carry with us.

In the industrial setting, the terminology that has come to be used – “slap and

ship” – implies a process that is fairly untroubled and straightforward. However,

although RFID implementations are certainly on the increase after the supplier

mandates and technology and standards advancements of the last three years, the

predicted take-up rate has been slower than expected.

According to specialist research firm IDTechEx, the one billion RFID tags sold in

2006 was a relatively disappointing number. Although there has been strong growth

in sectors such as retail and transportation, pallet tagging upstream in the supply

chain has been a notable laggard.

Most commentators agree that RFID is still far away from “plug and play”.

Readability in the more complex manufacturing and warehouse environment

still presents challenges (although Gen 2 technology is a definite improvement);

RF interference issues are still commonly reported; and once you have the data,

integration to corporate IT systems is weak.

Another less reported inhibitor is the availability of individuals with the requisite

RFID skills and knowledge. According to a recent study by CompTIA, a global trade

association for the IT industry, with most of the existing capabilities residing within

vendors and a few consultancies, the lack of a sufficient pool of talent “will impact

the adoption of RFID technology”.

The skills that are required, says CompTIA, encompass areas such as RF physics,

data coding, testing for readability, site analysis, standards and regulations. To

this end, it has developed a foundation-level, vendor-neutral certification called

RFID+. The first course took place in February when technicians from Hong Kong,

Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand took a four-day intensive course and the

RFID+ exam.

If you can get there, I would recommend this month’s RFID World Asia 2007 event

in Singapore (April 25-27) as a great opportunity to track the latest trends in this

evolving sector. Along with the technology on show from the major suppliers, the

series of free educational seminars should make it a day or two well spent.