RFID is not a new technology, so professionals have discovered many of its practical applications. However, while several industries rely on it for asset tracking, relatively few have deployed it to enhance their predictive maintenance strategies, even though its potential is promising.
1. Identify Machine Components Subject to Recalls
Whether a brake light fails to illuminate or a hydraulic control unit locks up tracking systems, recalls happen often. Manually tracking them and scheduling timely replacements can be challenging. An RFID solution that uses artificial intelligence could automatically alert technicians and provide the recalled asset’s exact location, streamlining the process.
2. Track Condition to Extend Equipment Lifespan
Although RFID is a mature technology, the United States International Trade Commission reports it experienced substantial growth in recent years due to its increasing applications in commercial sectors. Additional industries are beginning to incorporate it into predictive maintenance strategies.
Predictive repairs are superior to fixing broken parts reactively. An effective maintenance strategy can significantly increase equipment lifespan while maximizing operational efficiency. With RFID, manufacturers, retailers and logistics companies can monitor time, distance traveled, location, and orientation, unlocking insights that help technicians.
3. Identify the Location of Assets in Need of Repair
Real-time asset tracking enables technicians to identify the location of assets needing repair quickly. On top of saving time, this prevents operators from continuing to use machinery when a critical failure is imminent, preventing costly wear and tear.
4. Limit Operation and Repairs to Authorized Personnel
Workers don’t always use equipment as intended. Even if they aren’t blatantly disregarding the manufacturer’s instructions, they may still ignore best practices, accelerating wear. RFID tags and locks can restrict access to expensive or delicate machinery, preventing misuse. This can inform pattern detection and improve repair scheduling to help technicians.
5. Make Predictive Maintenance More Affordable
RFID technologies— even solutions with sensing capabilities— are relatively cheap. The tags and sensors are just four cents on average, making installation, upgrades and scaling accessible for large enterprises, small businesses, and everyone in between. The more accessible predictive maintenance is, the more various sectors will benefit.
6. Help Maintain Infrastructure With Limited Metrics
Predictive maintenance is not exclusively for machinery, even though preventing equipment failures is among its most common applications. This technology can monitor movement and attendance patterns, informing infrastructure repair. For example, a civil engineer could monitor foot traffic on various pedestrian bridges to determine which one will wear faster.
7. Advance Insights With Sensing Technologies
A motion, proximity or vibration-sensing RFID tag can track abnormalities that strongly predict equipment failure. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors can help identify problems in advance, significantly lowering repair costs and reducing unplanned downtime. They enhance reports when paired with location and time insights.
8. Prevent Counterfeiting When Ordering Components
Sometimes, even reputable vendors fall victim to counterfeiting. Fake parts— including airbags, spark plugs, oil filters and brake pads — enter the country through major ports before reaching consumers. Even though they are low quality, they are cleverly designed to mimic trusted brand-name products, making it challenging for vendors to detect their true nature.
Radio-frequency technology can track assets’ serial numbers and locations, ensuring only genuine, high-quality goods are used as replacement parts. This way, the predictive maintenance algorithm doesn’t have to account for rogue data points that could drastically skew output and impact accuracy.
9. Automate Replacement Part Inventory Management
Professionals can use this radio-frequency technology to automate inventory management for replacement parts. On top of preventing stockouts, they can save time — never again will staff spend hours searching for a spare bulb, tire or wire only to realize they are out.
10. Ensure Technicians Complete Assigned Tasks
Preventive maintenance quickly dissolves into reactive territory when technicians don’t complete assigned tasks. Fearing discipline for rule violations or increased scrutiny from management, they sometimes engage in pencil whipping — signing off without proper review — which results in underreported or inaccurate data.
With RFID tracking the serial number, location and usage pattern for individual components, management can determine whether workers actually complete jobs. This data can also help them trace recurring problems back to specific operators, enabling them to reduce wear and tear at the source and spend less on repairs.
Enhancing Predictive Maintenance With RFID Technology
While RFID tags are somewhat limited by transmission distance and data storage capacity, retail, construction and manufacturing professionals could use them to enhance predictive maintenance strategies. They can gain data-driven insights and streamline processes without investing much or overhauling their existing technology stacks.