Motion Software started in
2001 with the intention of supplying innovative and time saving software with a
focus on usability. Our focus has always been on software but with the advent
of mobile devices and smartphones, it is obvious that the migration to include
hardware and tagging is logical. With this in mind, we realise that tagging is
becoming an important factor which should be considered in any solution.
What is tagging?
The first step in an
inspection or an audit is identification. Electronic identification technologies
such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or barcodes can be taken
advantage of to ensure quick and accurate identification of equipment. RFID is
a technique which uses a radio signal to communicate with a small tag, and by
extension, the item to which that tag is attached. These small tags carry a
unique identity that can be read by a handheld computer and provide a way of
identifying hooks, slings, hoists and other lifting gear.
But, with the vast variety
of advancements in technology that businesses could be exploring, why should we
worry about RFID? After all, the ideas behind it have been around since 1940’s,
and it is only now becoming part of the technology mainstream, whilst more
traditional methods such as barcodes have been in used successfully for
decades.
Whilst the typical
one-dimensional barcode method has been in use for decades now, another, more
recent method which is available, and should be considered is the 2D barcode.
2D barcodes capture more information in a smaller space than 1D barcodes
(typically 1000 characters compared with 20 characters on a traditional
barcode). The difference between one and two dimensional barcodes is that where
a traditional barcode presents a string of information as a one-dimensional
line of black and white bars, a 2D barcode packs a lot more information into a
grid of black and white, square-shaped dots.
RFID has typically been a
very expensive method to use, and with barcoding available significantly
cheaper, this has been the preferred choice. The main reason the interest in
and the use of RFID is now becoming more mainstreamed is that greater
standardisation of the technology has increased its usability, and allowed mass
production, which in turn has driven down costs. Now that 2D barcoding is also
becoming widely available, the question of which is best is open to discussion.
Should I be tagging?
The question many
businesses are now facing is ‘Should I be tagging?’
Managing the movement and
maintenance of lifting gear presents some big challenges. The main challenge to
be faced lies in identification of equipment. Lifting gear is often used in
environments which are hostile to many auto-id solutions. Equipment may be
covered in oil or grease and may have to spend considerable time outside in low
or high temperatures and with exposure to all kinds of weather elements. Any
system which is put into place must be able to withstand such constraints.
Furthermore, inspecting and certifying equipment such as cranes and containers
has many more issues which must be taken into account, ranging from allocating
engineer visits and complying with industry standards to compiling up-to-date
analysis for a client’s senior management. With this in mind, a solution
is required which can withstand the physical constraints and simultaneously
improve the complications involved with the overall process.
So, what is the most
practical solution to this problem?
Typically, companies use
some form of tagging system. With the above problems in mind, however, the type
of system required will vary dramatically from company to company.
In order to fully
understand whether using a tagging system could be the most appropriate method,
a company must first evaluate what problem it is they want to solve, and also
keep in mind that whilst there are many advantages to be gained from using a
tagging system, there are a variety of disadvantages related to each type of
tag also.
Advantages and disadvantages of tagging
Whilst there are many
advantages of tagging, there are also some disadvantages which should be
considered. RFID tagging is very popular and highly useful in environments
where it may be difficult to get a direct line of sight to the tag. This means
that the RFID tag can be scanned without actually seeing it, so it could be
implemented for use in areas which may be difficult to perform inspections on.
This is one advantage RFID has over barcoding, since barcodes must be scanned
with a direct line of sight. 2D barcodes offer a much faster scanning process
than the traditional 1D barcode, but the 2D still offers no comparison to the
speed of an RFID scan. Further to this, one reader is able to collect data from
a large number of RFID tags, almost simultaneously, which dramatically reduces
the time taken to perform an inspection, something which is not possible using
barcodes. An example which had been used to explain the difference in time
taken to inspect using RFID and barcodes is the idea of scanning a shopping
basket. Scanning shopping through a checkout using a barcode method is
something most people are familiar with. It involves taking each individual
item, one at a time, and scanning them past a barcode reader. If this was to be
done using an RFID system, however, it would involve something along the lines
of placing the full basket onto a scanner, and having all the items scanned
through within a second. The time saving qualities an RFID scanning system
offer are clear to see. One disadvantage which has been highlighted in relation
to this, however, is the chance that RFID tags may ‘collide’. Two types of
collision are possible with RFID systems – tag collision and reader collision.
Reader collision occurs when the signals from two or more readers overlap. The
tag is unable to respond to simultaneous queries. Tag collision can occur when
many tags are present in a small area. There is no such issue when using
barcode based tagging systems, since each individual barcode is tagged one by
one. Whilst scanning each item may take longer, this highlights one of the key
advantages of using barcoding over RFID.
Despite the fact that the
standardisation of RFID tagging has reduced in cost significantly, the price of
the tags still offer no comparison to how cheap barcodes can be. This is a
clear disadvantage of implementing an RFID system, however, whilst this system
may be expensive to implement, it is suggested the implementation will provide
a good return, due to improved work rate, reduced rate of human error etc. 2D
barcodes are becoming increasingly popular in respect to the cost of
implementation, since they can be produced and implemented very cheaply, and
they can be printed onto a wide variety of different materials, depending on
requirements.
Tagging is something that
could be advantageous to any company, and there should be a focus on finding a
solution that fits you. At Motion Software we are passionate about making
solutions that work the way you do and would love to have a chat about how we
can help you.
You can find more information about us at
http://www.motionsoftware.co.uk and download our brochure at http://www.motionsoftware.co.uk/documents/motion_inspect.pdf
