1. Radio Frequency ID (RFID): Brian E. Mennecke Deans Faculty Fellow in MIS & Associate Professor Iowa State UniversityCollege of Busiess

2. Why is RFID a relevant technology for research and practice?

RFID has the potential to significantly change how objects are tracked and managed throughout a business process or within a business supply chain

3. How is RFID unique?

RFID is a unique technology because

• It can be used to identify objectsand store information about the object in question

• • Bar codes can store limited amounts of information about an object

• • RFID can be used to store vast amounts of information

• It can be used to accurately locate and identify objects from a distance using RF signals

• It can be used to detect and read objects that are not in line of sight

4. RFID Technology

Conceptually somewhat similar to bar codes in that they are used to identify and track objects of interest to the organization

Consist of three components:

• An antenna,

• A transceiver (transmitter and receiver),

• A transponder (tag), which is where thebrainsof the technology resides

5. An RFID Tag 6. RFID Technology:Active vs. Passive Tags

Active Tags

• Catch the attention of the RFID reader by sending out a signal

• Function with battery power (a battery is either connected to or built into the tag)

• Can be detected over a greater distance

• Are more expensive (due to the cost of the battery)

Passive Tags

• Alert the tag to communicate through a reader when the readers signal is detected by the tag

• Communicates without battery power (giving them essentially unlimited life)

• Derives power from the readers electromagnetic field

7. RFID Data Collection Process RFID Tag RFID Reader Middleware EnterpriseSystem 8. The Process in Context Source: Forrester Research 9. Systems Effected

ERP

Supply Chain Systems

• EDI Systems

• MRP Systems

Manufacturing Systems

Data Warehouse

End User Applications

10. RFID Applications

Just a few applications that already exist

• EZ Pass Toll Systems

• Pet identification technology

• Inventory management (usually pallet level)

• Truck routing and management

• Meat traceability

• Others?

11. RFID in Meat Traceability

Currently, most meat in the U.S. is not tracked through the production process

• It is primarily marketed as a commodity

• Most processing plants are not designed to track meat products

RFID has the potential to enable flexible manufacturing and support animal and meat traceability

12. Technology in themeat production chain

However, RFID technology has the potential to enable identification of the product through the production chain

13. RFID is Integral to Traceability 14. Users of RFID 15. Where Do Benefits Arise?

Compliance and Service

• Achieve or retain preferred customer status

• Meet or exceed customer specifications

Internal Process Efficiencies

• Labor efficiencies, monitoring, and control

• Security

Supply Chain Integration

• Transparency of supply chain to management

• Information integration and flow

16. Where is it going? (and how fast will we get there?) Now 4 years out Feasibility Pallet-level Applications Case-level Applications Item-Level Applications