Soroush Amidi explains RFID!

Business Case for RFID in Industrial ApplicationsSoroush Amidi Product Marketing Manager Honeywell Charlie Robinson from ISA introduced Soroush by saying that Soroush had claimed to be the best looking Honeyweller. So when Soroush stood up to speak, he commented on his male pattern baldness problem as the reason he shifted from engineering to marketing-- less stress. I am going to be interested in Jack Bolick's take on that.  Agenda: RFID Overview Passive RFID Active RFID Business Case for RFID in Industrial Applications Safety Security and Traceability Workflow Optimization What is an RFID? RFID system are composed of RFID Tags or Transponders and RFID Readers or Transceivers. Used to automatically identify and locate objects. Most RFID tags contain at least two parts: An integrated circuit used for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating (RF) signals and perhaps other specialized functions. An antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. RFID Tags: Three types of RFID Tags: Passive Tags No internal power supply. Incoming radio frequency signal provides enough power for the CMOS integrated circuit in the tag to power up and transmit a response. Active Tags Own internal power source used to power the integrated circuits and broadcast the signal to the reader. Semi-passive Tags Own power source but used just to power the microchip and not broadcast a signal. RFID Innovations Innovation around the design and manufacture of RFID tags is an ongoing process: Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology. SAW technology involves the propagation of radio frequency acoustic waves on the surface of polished crystals. Smart Active Label (SAL) technology offers enhanced range and accuracy attributes while being less vulnerable to liquid or metal. A SAL tag is essentially a semi-active smart label with its power source in the form of a thin, flexible battery. RFID vs Barcode Economics of RFID more and more attractive as cost of tags drop, battery life increases and technology standardized. Passive RFID tags Small and inexpensive (50 cents) Tags must be placed in close proximity (less than a feet) to be read Active RFID tags Bigger than passive RFID and more expensive ($10-50) Battery life varies depending of technology Barcode Much lower cost (1 cents) Need to be scanned RFID Passive Tags: LF - 125KHz and 134.2 KHz Range: Few inches to several fee Access Control, Security, animal identification HF - 13.56 MHz Range: 5 to 1 m (2 to 3 ft) Tracking for individual items, contact less payment UHF - 860 to 960 MHz Range: 3 to 5 m (10 to 15 ft) EPC Global Class 1, V2 Selected by Wal-Mart for Pallet/Container tracking Microwave - 2.45 GHz Range: up to 1 m (3 ft) Lower Tag cost Location and Identification: RFID is used to: Automatically identify assets within the reading range Ensures data is time stamped while person is close to asset (e.g. cannot be falsified "pencil whipping" as is the case with bar codes) Ability to read and write to the tag should information change (e.g. new SAP #) Long term more cost effective - they last for a decade or longer based on studies and hold up to harsh environments (e.g. painting, corrosion, sand blasting etc. ) Ability to store significant amount of data (e.g. SAP #, OEM #, location #, Tag #, warranty/repair status etc.) Locate with various accuracy assets RFID Applications in NON Process Industries Toll Roads Cattle Industrial - Cattle identification Shipping Industry - Pallet and container tracking Pharmaceutical - Prevent counterfeit and errors Automotive industry - Tracking engines and transmissions Health care industry - Patient and equipment tracking Retail industry - Inventory management systems as per Wal-Mart requirements Unlocking the value of RFID-enabled Applications Operational Efficiency Locate assets quickly on the field Analyze asset utilization rate Lay-down yard management Maintenance and Inspections Security Access control of areas without physical barriers Traceability Safety People/Asset Tracking Process Interlocks Safety Business Case Improve Safety and Emergency Response Time Real-time Mustering Real-time tracking of personnel during industrial incident Mustering reports generated within seconds Accurate location of missing personnel Comply with WAC 296-24-567 and OSHA 1910.38c Prevention Automatically stop or start a process based on location of equipment/assets Automatically generate notifications when unauthorized personal or assets located in a restricted area. Historical personnel/asset tracking for auditing purposes Safety Applications ROI Defined by safety regulatory bodies for not meeting the requirements Safety is #1 Examples Steel plant tracks trucks loading and unloading molten iron pot Tracking 1,500 employees and contractors in a refinery during an emergency and obtain real-time head count at mustering areas and process units. Security Applications Improved Security and Traceability Monitor restricted areas without any physical barriers Locating hazardous material within a plant Reduce shrinkage ROI Measure number of units disappearing on a yearly basis Measure time require to collect data for compliance purposes Examples US based chemical company tracks railway cars carrying hazardous materials by combining RFID and GPS India based chemical company tracks cylinders throughout its global supply chain. This allows them to increase safety and security during the order fulfillment process. Operational Efficiency Maintenance and Inspection Data Ensures data is time stamped while person is close to asset (e.g. cannot be falsified "pencil whipping" as is the case with bar codes) Equipment Management Locate accurately expensive equipments used in the field Lay-down yard management system (example: tracking assets during a Greenfield project) ROI Measure errors generated due to poor documentation Measure time spent locating an asset during commissioning or construction phase Measure equipment lost during a greenfield project Examples Scan tags associated to an asset during an inspection Analyze the number of occurrences and time spent maintaining 80 batch reactors Conclusion RFID is already being deployed today around the world in various industrial markets (Oil and Gas, Refining, Pulp & Paper, etc"¦) Important to be aware of the different technologies available before selecting one Identification and location data provided by the technology is used to improve safety, security, and operational effectiveness. Business case required to provide a detailed look into improvements in key processes and related metrics to validate project ROI