The Future is Centered on Visibility
Since each business varies on specific products and services for their warehouse inventory tracking and management process, we’ve put together a quick overview with the main elements to think about when investing in your system.
These Technologies Include:

• Barcodes
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Environmental sensors
• Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS)

Use 2D barcodes, intelligent automation and RFID incorporating RTLS, GPS and sensoring to track and trace items as they move through the supply chain, and monitor the movements of employees and other assets. Enable full visibility into warehouse operations to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.

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Barcodes

In manufacturing, barcode applications have spread throughout the enterprise to include warehousing, customer service functions, time, attendance, and package delivery, as well as the assembly line operation itself, helping to improve data management and accessibility, and reduce costs.

Barcoding, particularly in fast-paced industrial environments, enables consistent and predictable operations for enhanced product quality by combining data management functions and preventing bottlenecks at data entry stations.

Benefits of barcodes includes improved data accuracy, increased efficiencies, a consistency across operations, and improved inventory and asset management.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Manufacturing operations are increasingly adopting RFID tags. These carry an RFID transponder, commonly called a ‘smart label’ to complement the barcode and text on the labels. Unlike barcodes, RFID technology requires no line-of-sight between the object and the reader. This solution enables the identification and recording of entire pallet loads in less time than it takes to scan a barcode shipping label.

As customers demand build-to-order and just-intime deliveries from their suppliers – replacing the traditional build-to-stock model – traceability and data collection at the item level is critical. A relatively small investment in an RFID tracking system will ensure scheduling and materials applications will deliver benefits, leveraging the investment in those more expensive planning applications.

Most businesses apply RFID and barcode shipping labels when finished goods leave their facility. The most efficient producers have learned that pushing their identification and tracking systems as far back into the production process as possible provides tremendous labor and material savings.Benefits of RFID includes improved accuracy, faster data collection, streamlined production lines, and improved inventory and asset tracking.

Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS)

RTLS solutions can incorporate a mix of barcode, RFID, GPS and sensory technologies that mark, track, and show the status of assets in real-time. Where passive technologies such as barcodes simply locate an item, the active RFID element of these solutions delivers both live location and actual status.

Benefits of RTLS, GPS, & Environmental Sensors includes intelligent management and flow of all critical assets – in the facility or the yard, end-to-end visibility and traceability of all containers, pallets, and packages, and improved overall enterprise resource planning across the supply chain.

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