RFID News RoundupIndian sugar manufacturer tracks raw materials via RFID; Datalinx, Dunlop test RFID on tires used in motorcycle race championships; Hong Kong RFID unveils new active RFID reader; SML Group, Nordic ID partner on RFID for apparel retail and supply chain markets; Memorial Hermann Health System expands deployment of Stanley Healthcare's infant-protection solution; Zebra Technologies delivers one millionth RTLS tag; NFC Netstore to supply tags to German transit agencies.
Mar 28, 2013—
The following are news announcements made during the past week. Indian Sugar Manufacturer Tracks Raw Materials Via RFID ![]() At a Shree Renuka sugar mill, a tracker and a trailer fitted with Essen's Metallica tag pass an Xtenna antenna-reader. Mumbai-based Essen RFID, which produces radio frequency identification software, antennas, readers and other products, has announced that Shree Renuka Sugars, one of the world's largest sugar manufacturers, is employing Essen's vehicle-tracking system to monitor sugarcane deliveries. The implementations at Shree Renuka's sugar mills include the installation of Essen RFID's Xtenna readers with integrated antennas. During the harvest season, each mill has a continuous flow of vehicles carrying fresh sugarcane for crushing onsite. Prior to adopting RFID, the company used a cumbersome manual system for maintaining a record of all these vehicles, according to Essen RFID. This required one person at the gate to record the number of vehicles entering, along with the number of trailers attached to each vehicle. A second individual at the gate issued tokens to each vehicle, while a third was required to issue receipts. Due to the heavy traffic volume, the manual entry system was extremely time-consuming and inefficient, causing higher processing and queue times, overpayments, delays and more, the company reports. The Essen RFID solution automates the vehicle tracking and data updates in near-real-time, and generates receipts at the point of entry for farmers bringing in their sugar cane. For the implementation, an Xtenna reader was installed and mounted at the entry gate. Essen's Metallica ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) EPC Gen 2 RFID tag was affixed to the side of each tractor or trailer, and the company's EPC Gen 2 Parka tag was affixed to each truck's side window. According to Essen RFID, the system has streamlined the entry process, reduced the number of labor and manpower requirements, and greatly reduced the incidence of errors during the manual processes of recording the amount of sugarcane each farmer delivered. Essen RFID has also completed implementations of its vehicle-tracking system at Larsen & Toubro's modular fabrication facility in Hazira, India, as well as at the Hiranandani Residential Complex, in Powai. For the Larsen & Toubro facility, the RFID system is designed to track vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot, and includes Xtenna integrated antenna-readers installed at the lot's entry and exit gates. Parka tags were issued to every approved vehicle, and were affixed to the windshield. The tags were registered using an Xtenna antenna-reader, and the tracking system incorporates a signal light, triggered via RFID at the entry gate, to manage vehicle flow. When a vehicle enters the company's parking lot, its tag is detected at the entry gate by the Xtenna, which reads that tag and verifies that it is registered and has been assigned to an authorized vehicle. It then logs the entry time and transmits this data to the server, which triggers the switch controlling the gate's signal light. If the tag is verified, the signal light (which is red by default) turns green, and the car is allowed to proceed inside. As the car's tag is read at the entry gate, its time log is stored in the database. Similarly, the Xtenna integrated antenna-reader mounted at the exit gate detects the exiting vehicle's tag, and its departing time is logged in the server database. A similar system was implemented at Hiranandani to accurately identify residents, automate the vehicle entry and exit process, and supply accurate identification regarding authorized vehicles at the residential complex. Datalinx, Dunlop Test RFID on Tires Used in Motorcycle Race Championships Hong Kong RFID Unveils New Active RFID Reader Hong Kong RFID Ltd., an RFID hardware manufacturer, distributor and consultancy firm operating in Hong Kong and South China, has added a new 2.4 GHz RFID reader to its Empress product family. The new model (EM02-ETH) is designed to be a low cost, easy-to-install active RFID reader that connects with a PC via a local area network (LAN) cable, according to Hong Kong RFID. The EMO2-ETH reader supports received signal strength indication (RSSI), a technology that measures the strength of a signal, which the company says enables the creation of more sophisticated RFID applications. The device can read more than 150 tags within seconds—a performance that, Hong Kong RFID claims, is faster than that of other Empress family readers. In addition, its reading range is 20 to 30 percent greater than those of other Empress models. The EMO2-ETH reader features three configurable input-output (IO) ports that can be used to control external devices, like light-emitting diode (LED) lights and alarms, as well as for inputting commands to the reader to perform certain functions. Moreover, the reader's plastic casing is designed to make the device light in weight—only 180 grams (6.3 ounces)—but durable. Remote firmware upgrades are expected to be supported in the future that will make it easier for users to add additional functions and logic to the reader easier. Finally, the EMO2-ETH reader features a new 16-bit platform (compared with the 8-bit platform utilized in other Empress reader models). SML Group, Nordic ID Partner on RFID for Apparel Retail and Supply Chain Markets Login and post your comment!Not a member? Signup for an account now to access all of the features of RFIDJournal.com! |
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