Radiant’s RFID Tracking System: How RFID Tracking Systems Work

Radiant’s RFID tracking system is an excellent choice for businesses looking for an easy and efficient way to track their fixed assets. But how does it work?

This blog post will take a closer look at the basics of RFID tracking systems and how Radiant’s RFID-based asset tracking software works specifically. We will also explore some of the benefits of using RFID tracking technology in business. Keep reading to learn more!

What is RFID Tracking and Why Does it Matter?

One of the most complex challenges large organizations face is efficiently keeping track of critical assets while reporting real-time item dispositions. It is a scenario that, without a reliable, automated asset tracking system, often increases redundancies, expenditures, and labor.

RFID tracking is a type of asset tracking system that uses RFID technology to track and manage assets, vastly reducing human effort – and human error. Because asset tracking solutions using RFID technology can read multiple tags at once without requiring a line of sight, customers are able to save time while accurately locating assets without scanning labels one-by-one. When tracking assets is easy to do, it gets done.

RFID Tracking Tags: Active RFID and Passive RFID

RFID tags are often used in industrial and commercial settings for asset tracking purposes. RFID based asset tracking systems typically consist of RFID tags that are affixed to assets, RFID readers that track the location of the assets, and software that processes and stores the data collected by the RFID readers. RFID asset tracking systems can be used to track the location of individual assets or groups of assets.

In addition, RFID asset tracking systems can be used to track the movements of people or vehicles. RFID asset tagging is also used in some retail settings for inventory management purposes. For example, RFID tags can be used to track the inventory levels of store shelves. RFID tags can also be used to track the movement of goods through a supply chain.

However, it is important to know and understand the difference between the two types of RFID tags- active and passive. Active RFID tags have a power source, typically batteries, and can transmit their signal up to 100 feet. Passive RFID tags do not have a power source and rely on the RFID reader to power their signal. Passive RFID tags have a much longer read range, up to 100 feet, but their signals are more susceptible to interference. 

Active RFID tags are typically used in applications where it is important to know the exact location of an asset in real-time. For example, an active tag could be used to track the location of a piece of equipment as it moves throughout a factory. The tag would constantly transmit its location, which could be received and interpreted by an RFID tracking system. 

Passive RFID tags are typically used in applications where assets do not need to be tracked in real-time, but it is important to know if an asset has been moved or tampered with. For example, A passive RFID tag would be used by a university or government agency to track items that are loaned out from a library or archives. The tag would be attached to an item when it is checked out. When the item is returned, the tag would be scanned again and the system would update its records to reflect the new location of the item.

How Does Radiant’s RFID Asset Tracking System Work? 

Radiant’s RFID asset tracking system consists of RFID tags, RFID readers, and software – Radiant’s IoT Portal. RFID tags are attached to assets and contain information about the asset, such as its type, ID number, and location. RFID readers are used to read RFID tags and can be handheld or fixed. Radiant’s RFID asset tracking system works with both active and passive RFID tags, of which we offer an array of options so that we can provide the best sensor for each use case. It is imperative organizations select the correct RFID based asset tracking software for their specific needs.

Radiant’s IoT Portal is used to store, track, and manage information about assets. RFID asset tracking systems can be used to track a wide variety of assets, such as inventory, equipment, tooling, and more. RFID technology is becoming increasingly common in asset tracking due to its accuracy, real-time location data collection capability, and low cost. 

Next-Generation Asset Tracking

Radiant’s RFID tracking solutions harness the latest in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to locate assets in a wide variety of environments. The time it takes to conduct inventory is significantly reduced while data accuracy is increased. Everything from mobile computers, smart devices, books, furniture, vehicles, and supplies can be reliably located. The RFID-based asset tracking software solution integrates passive and active RFID into a single intuitive tracking system. Radiant’s RFID tracking systems allow customers to:

• Quickly locate critical equipment
• Reduce inventory time
• Achieve real-time physical inventory of assets
• Enhance productivity by remotely monitoring assets and infrastructure
• Deliver more timely information for decision making
• Track WIP to identify and correct process bottlenecks and inefficiencies
• Improve security by preventing assets from leaving premises and keeping designated assets out of unauthorized areas

Radiant’s RFID asset tracking solution consumes real-time data from thousands of RFID sensors at multiple locations to locate critical production and non-production assets (where is it?) and to enable preventative insights and analytics to monitor and protect their health (how is it?). Benefits are recognized across many enterprise departments:

• Accounting & Finance: enable true cost control and audit-proof inventory. Improve asset accounting with customized and ad hoc reports of asset locations, trends, status, and history.
• IT: support life cycle management and scale more efficiently
• Facilities & Security: protect critical information on devices
• Operations: quickly locate critical assets in a timely manner thereby preventing the slowing or stopping of production lines (WIP), spending too much time and money chasing down assets, achieving near real-time physical asset inventory, and passing asset audits.

Radiant’s IoT platform is device agnostic (integrates and works with many different types of sensors) empowering customers to have a heterogeneous sensor environment – providing investment protection plus forward and backward compatibility – all in a single intuitive system that can quickly deploy on premise or as cloud-based; in many cases with little to no infrastructure required.

ERP Integration

Our IoT / RFID asset management system integrates with ERP systems like SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Banner, Sage, ServiceNow, and SunGard, and delivers standard reporting including:

• Exception Report
• Matching Report
• Lost Inventory
• Total Inventory
• Moved Assets

The Future of RFID Technology

RFID based asset tracking systems are becoming more and more common, and they offer a number of advantages over traditional methods of asset tracking. RFID asset tracking systems are more accurate, more efficient, and more versatile. They can be used to track assets in a variety of environments, including indoors and outdoors. In addition, RFID asset tracking systems are becoming more affordable, making them a viable option for businesses of all sizes. As the technology continues to evolve, it is likely that RFID location tracking systems will become even more commonplace, providing businesses with an invaluable tool for managing their assets. But, when evaluating RFID-based asset tracking software, know there are other technologies you should inquire about when speaking with vendors.

The future of RFID asset tracking looks very promising, and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is playing a big role in making it even more efficient and effective. BLE tags are smaller and more lightweight than traditional RFID tags, making them well-suited for tracking small assets such as tools and parts. In addition, BLE tags have a much longer battery life than RFID tags, which means they can be used for extended periods of time without needing to be replaced. As BLE technology continues to develop, it is likely that RFID asset tracking systems will become even more widely adopted.

Ready to learn more about how an RFID asset tracking system could help your business? Reach out to our team to discuss your fixed asset tracking needs and let us help you select the right technology for your business. Request your demo below!