Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Volkswagen RFID-Enabled Smart Supply Chain

VW RFID Supply Chain
Volkswagen Group and IBM collaborate to create a smart logistics process using RFID technology to increase efficiency in supply chain operations. Business processes, such as the material receiving process, will achieve operational excellence through automated data collection. An initial pilot has positioned the company to broaden its deployment to increase adoption and benefits realization. ...

... "The new system will significantly enhance the carmaker's efficiencies in day-to-day operations, for instance at the goods-receiving stage. As a result, Volkswagen is preparing to introduce this technology at its central logistics hall, located at its major plant in Germany. Volkswagen is deploying the new system following a one-year pilot project in which the automaker and IBM tested RFID technology with suppliers. Using this system, shipping containers carrying auto parts destined for Volkswagen will be increasingly fitted with RFID tags.

The information on the tagged containers is automatically collected by readers at all key locations throughout the supply chain -- first at the supplier's shipping department, through the transportation process until they arrive at Volkswagen, then during storage, collection and installation on the automaker's assembly line. The same process is used when Volkswagen returns the empty shipping containers to its suppliers to ensure that all containers are returned after the auto parts are received. The technology is also reducing the need for paper documents and barcode labels.

For the pilot, Volkswagen fitted around 3,000 shipping containers with passive RFID tags, supplied by Intermec Technologies Corporation. The technology has been refined so that it can also automatically register metal containers, which normally interfere with RFID technology. The tags were used on containers carrying sunroofs for the new Volkswagen Golf. Readers at the entrances to the manufacturing line, along with mobile handheld scanners and forklifts were used to identify the containers and their contents. " ...


Via IBM: Volkswagen Creates Smart Supply Chain With RFID Technology

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Savi RFID Pilot Tracks Automotive Assets in the Supply Chain

Land Rover and Savi will pilot an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution that will achieve synchronized auto parts deliveries from multiple suppliers in Land Rover's supply chain to the company's assembly plant in West Midlands (U.K.). ...

Land Rover West Midlands

... "Savi is supplying RFID hardware and software to enhance visibility, inventory management, and asset utilization, and to reduce losses, assembly plant disruptions, and time spent locating assembly parts. Phase 2 of this pilot enables 18 suppliers and Land Rover to better locate, track, and deliver stillages (specialized steel conveyances) that carry bumpers, front grills, suspension parts, moon roofs, and vehicle bodies, among other parts. Real-time information on RFID-tagged assets is shared among the partners and is automatically transmitted to cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and web-based tracking software. " ...


Via Savi Technology: RFID PILOT TO TRACK AUTO PARTS BETWEEN SUPPLIERS AND ASSEMBLY PLANT

West Midlands Automotive Cluster

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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Airbus RFID ODIN Expertise

Airbus partners with ODIN tech for RFID technology experience. ...

Airbus leverages ODIN's expertise and solutions experience

... "ODIN will provide solution design, deployment, testing and support services for the first of three ambitious phases to provide real-time automated visibility across the Airbus value chain. Airbus plans to employ ODIN expertise for numerous projects throughout its supply chain and assembly operations, and make ODIN's RFID services and performance optimization software available to Airbus suppliers and customers. " ...


Via ODIN technologies: Airbus Deal

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Honda RFID Assemply Line: Critical Component Traceability

Honda and IBM will implement RFID technology in motorcycle manufacturing processes
Honda Italia partners with IBM to implement RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology and infrastructure in production processes at its plant located in Atessa, Italy. The solution will enable Honda Italy to increase efficiency and accuracy in managing its motorcycle production in Italy. ...

... "IBM Global Business Services will support Honda Italia in the design and development of the RFID implementation, which will enable the real time, automatic identification of each vehicle along the entire production chain. The RFID tags will also be used on micro-lots of critical components, such as engines. IBM business and technology consultants have been collaborating for a long time with Honda Italia engineers in the design of the new processes and in the identification of the best solution. The RFID technology will be then completely integrated with Honda's existing IT systems through an open standards-based, Linux and Java (J2EE) application built on the IBM WebSphere Application Server to track inventory and to monitor ways to improve efficiency.

Honda and IBM collaborate on RFID technology implementation

The first phase of the project, completed earlier this year, simultaneously with the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Honda Italia, calls for the transformation of Honda's large-displacement bikes (Hornet 600, CBF1000/600/500) assembly line. The RFID tags were used to monitor the traceability of critical components, WIP (Work In Progress) management and inventory replenishment. In the future, RFID tags will also be applied to Honda's scooter production line, starting with the European best seller SH150i/125i and the bigger SH300i. " ...


Via IBM: Honda Italia and IBM Revolutionize Motorbike Production With RFID: Innovation Project at Honda's Plant in Italy Expected to Improve Efficiency and Accuracy ...

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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

RFID Supports Nissan Continuous Improvement Initiative

Nissan implements a continuous improvement initiative to target vehicle labor cost reduction, increase logistics throughput accelerating customer service, and enhance vehicle quality through defect elimination early in the product lifecycle. The initiative will be enabled by a wireless architecture and active RFID technology in the Nissan Canton MS manufacturing facility, supplied by WhereNet. ...

Wherenet active RFID tags support Nissan continuous improvement

... "As part of a continuous improvement initiative at its four-million square foot assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi, Nissan will leverage a single wireless architecture to run multiple WhereNet applications, including the WhereSoft Yard Management System (YMS) and Vehicle Tracking and Management System (VTMS), to improve production velocity and throughput, labor productivity, and vehicle quality. Nissan's Canton assembly plant has the capacity to produce 400,000 vehicles per year, including the Altima sedan, Armada full-size sport utility vehicle, Infiniti QX56 full-size sport utility vehicle, Quest minivan, and Titan full-size pickup truck.

Deploying the WhereNet single wireless infrastructure over the entire Canton complex will take less than 90 days. The hardware consists of 1500 active RFID WhereTag transmitters, which are temporarily attached to new vehicles as they roll off the assembly line as part of the WhereNet VTMS system; 700 WhereTag transmitters that are permanently fixed to trailers belonging to Nissan's dedicated suppliers or temporarily attached to others as part of the WhereSoft YMS application; 120 WherePort magnetic exciters positioned between gates and at key choke points across the complex; and a local infrastructure of 80 wireless WhereLAN locating access points.

Nissan also plans to deploy the WhereNet automated gate check-in/out solution known as Fast Gate that supports 24x7 sequenced parts deliveries from Nissan suppliers. Fast Gate senses when a truck is approaching the gate; cross-references detailed information about the truck in a database; and, if authorized, automatically opens the gate to grant entry. Then, based on business rules loaded into the WhereSoft yard management application, the system instructs drivers and yard personnel to deliver the inbound load to the appropriate dock door for just-in-time sequencing of parts based on the assembly line build plan for that work shift.



When new vehicles roll off the Nissan assembly line, each vehicle is assigned an active RFID WhereTag transmitter that is married to the vehicle identification number (VIN). The WhereTag remains on the vehicle until it has been processed and is ready to ship to its final destination. Nissan uses the WhereNet VTMS in off-line areas to manage post-assembly verification and test processes, as well as quality repair, containment and shipping zones. The system includes a logical hierarchy of rules that manages the processing of every vehicle in accordance with its assigned status so that critical orders are processed before lower-priority units. " ...


Via Wherenet: NISSAN SELECTS WHERENET'S LOCATABLE, ACTIVE RFID SYSTEM TO AUTOMATE INBOUND SUPPLY CHAIN AND OUTBOUND DELIVERY CHAIN ...

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Sunday, October 15, 2006

RFID Battery-Assist Passive Tag: Supports Logistics and Manufacturing ...

Intelleflex RFID tags can be used by logistics companies and in manufacturing in long-range, battery-assisted mode for real-time inventory tracking of assemblies in the warehouses. The RFID system can automatically generate a proof of shipment when assemblies are shipped. When used in maintenance operations in passive mode, companies can realize significant benefits from having actionable manufacturing and repair history data in the 64Kb user memory of the RFID tag at the point of use. ...

... "Intelleflex's InfoSure tags and the I-Beam reader are multi-protocol, ensuring global interoperability using EPC standards. InfoSure tags can be used as passive C1G2 tags with any other C1G2 reader or used in the battery-assisted passive mode at long ranges with the I-Beam reader. InfoSure tags offer up to 100-meter read/write range in free space, which translates to 100 percent read/write reliability at standard working ranges in industrial environments. They also offer 64 kb user memory, which is segmented into 1 kb blocks so they can be independently protected for read/write access through passwords. The I-Beam reader can read any EPC C1G2 tag as well as the Class 3 InfoSure tag. Initial product shipments of both the tags and readers are targeted for asset management, yard management, manufacturing and zonal access control applications. " ...


Via Intelleflex Corporation: Intelleflex Announces Availability of its RFID Battery-Assisted Passive Tag and Reader Products ...

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Saturday, October 14, 2006

Logistics RFID: Inbound Process ...

TNT NV, a global provider of mail, express and logistics services, pilots RFID in inbound logistics processes for manufacturing firm. ...

TNT implements RFID in logistics business processes ...

... "Supply chain processes covered by the projects ranged from inbound logistics and warehousing to multi-country distribution. In the US, TNT worked closely with an automotive manufacturer to improve the inbound process to one of its main manufacturing facilities. The use of RFID led to quicker and more accurate scanning of cargo and therefore resulted in shorter delivery times, simplified processes and a significant decrease in identification errors. Especially in a time-sensitive environment of assembly line manufacturing, RFID has proven to make a critical difference by reducing the likelihood of costly mistakes. TNT is already discussing with its client how RFID can help further achieve cost reductions and apply the solution to other manufacturing facilities. Based on the successful outcome of the six projects, TNT is further implementing RFID technology throughout its divisions. The experience gained from the projects, both on the technology itself and in how to apply it in order to gain maximum benefit, will be used to further roll out the technology within suitable customer operations. For this reason and following the early successes, TNT has already started the second phase of the RFID programme in which the company aims to turn the projects into successful industry sector solutions in very close collaboration with its clients. " ...


Via TNT: TNT successfully finishes phase one of RFID programme ...

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Thursday, October 05, 2006

RFID Army Depot MRO Maintenance Repair Overhaul ...

Tobyhanna Depot implements WhereNet's active RFID technology to manage MRO of command and control systems for the military. ...

Military uses RFID to operate an efficient MRO process ...

... "WhereNet Corp. announced that Tobyhanna Army Depot has expanded use of the standards-based WhereNet active RFID, real-time locating system (RTLS) technology to streamline the repair and overhaul of defense electronic systems at the Pennsylvania facility. Tobyhanna Army Depot performs the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems for the Defense Department. Tobyhanna initially contracted with SYS-TEC to deploy the WhereNet system in late 2004 to optimize the refurbishment of the AN/TRC-170 Microwave Communications System and AN/TPS-75 Air Defense Radar System. After extended deployment in rugged environments while supporting America's armed forces, these communications systems are shipped to Tobyhanna, where each system is disassembled, overhauled, and tested before being shipped out to the field again. With assemblies, subassemblies, components, and spare parts spread across the more than 1.9-million-square-foot refurbishment areas, WhereNet's RTLS technology provides each work center with visibility of the AN/TRC-170 and AN/TPS-75 system's work in process. " ...

Via Wherenet: TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT EXPANDS USE OF WHERENET ACTIVE RFID REAL-TIME LOCATING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY ...

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

RFID Antenna Plater: Europe

European semicon manufacturer reports significant RFID order ...

Large RFID order in Europe ...

... "BE Semiconductor, a leading manufacturer of assembly equipment for the semiconductor industry, announced that the Company's Meco unit received an initial multi-million euro order for its newly developed Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) Flexible Antenna Plater. The specific value of the order was not disclosed. List prices for such systems typically range between EUR1.5 million and EUR4.0 million depending upon the configuration. The order was placed by a major European industrial company for which delivery is anticipated in the first quarter of 2007. " ...

Via BE Semicon: BE Semiconductor Industries Receives Initial Order for RFID Flexible Antenna Plater ...

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Saturday, February 18, 2006

Plastic RFID Electronics Demonstrated by Philips

Philips Research crew demonstrates RFID electronic based on plastic ...

... "Scientists at Philips Research have created a fully functional 13.56 MHz RFID tag based entirely on plastic electronics. In contrast to conventional silicon-chip-based RFID tags, a plastic electronics RFID chip can be printed directly onto a plastic substrate along with an antenna without involving complex assembly steps. This could pave the way for the packaging industry to replace existing barcodes by a low-cost RFID tag that provides individual packages with a unique item-level identification code - something not feasible with current barcode technology.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, based on remotely retrieving information via radio waves from miniature electronic circuits called RFID tags. Philips has now realized the first plastic-electronics-based tag that is capable of transmitting multi-bit digital identification codes at 13.56 MHz � the dominant industry-standard radio frequency for RFID tag applications. As an additional demonstrator for the technology, scientists at Philips Research have also developed a 64-bit code generator, showing the practicality of building plastic electronic circuits with the complexity required for item-level tagging.

Performance results for these circuits will be presented at this year's International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC, February 5-9, San Francisco, CA, USA) in a paper that will also be awarded the conference's Beatrice Winner Award for Editorial Excellence. Being a world leader in the RFID business, Philips supplies silicon-based components for applications such as supply chain management, public transport, pharmaceuticals and animal tracking. Current silicon-based tags have excellent performance, and when produced in volume, can be manufactured at low cost. Philips is also conducting research into plastic-electronics-based RFID tags, since these tags have the potential to be manufactured in a radically different way, namely via even lower-cost reel-to-reel and other in-line processing techniques. " ...


Plastic RFID Electronics Demonstrated by Philips: Via Philips: Philips demonstrates world-first technical feasibility of 13.56-MHz RFID tags based on plastic electronics ...

Additional references on plastic RFID technology:

German researchers move forward on plastic RFID chip - Via Computerworld: "By 2008, PolyIC hopes to have a chip with a storage capacity of 128 bits and a processing speed of 13.56 MHz to comply with radio frequency identification (RFID) standards, according to Mildner. "

Beyond Bar Codes: Tuning up plastic radio labels: Via Science News: "Electronic labels made from plastic semiconductors can now pick up and respond to radio signals at a frequency suitable for use on products. "

OrganicID, Inc.: Printable, Plastic RFID Tags: "Organic Transistors - The Pros: Compatibility with flexible plastic substances, Lower temperature manufacturing (60-120°C), Lower-cost printable deposition processes "

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Wednesday, November 02, 2005

RFID Real-Time Visibility Automotive Industry: TIBCO RFID Software

TIBCO, business integration and process management software company, provides TNT Logistics with complex event processing (CEP) and real-time visibility software for its RFID initiative. This will help prevent interruptions and manual interventions in the automotive supply chain. ...

RFID Real-Time Visibility Automotive Industry: TIBCO RFID Software: Via Tibco: TNT Logistics To Deliver Real-Time Visibility and Synchronized Assembly Processes to Automotive Manufacturers Using TIBCO's RFID Software ...

... "TIBCO's next-generation RFID software solution is able to identify and respond to correlated granular business events occurring at diverse layers within an organization and across the value chain. The solution has the capacity to handle literally millions of micro events and uses highly scalable business rules to suggest real-time corrections for supply chain optimization. This helps to provide end users with real-time insight and context around events and the resulting impact on businesses. " ...

Tibco implements RFID integration software in the automotive supply chain for TNT Logistics.

TIBCO Software Inc. is a leading business integration and process management software company that enables real-time business. Real-Time Business is about helping companies become more cost-effective, more agile and more efficient. TIBCO has delivered the value of Real-Time Business, what TIBCO calls The Power of Now®, to over 2,000 customers around the world and in a wide variety of industries.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Siemens RFID Reader Tags: High Speed Identification ...

Siemens offers high-speed RFID reader and tags for identification applications in production. ...

Siemens RFID Reader Tags: High Speed Identification: Via Siemens: High-speed identification in production ...

... "With its Simatic RF300 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) products, Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) offers a new identification system for use in production. Among the new items being introduced are an additional read/write device (reader) and two new data carriers (tags) which have been specially designed for high-speed identification applications in assembly lines, conveyor systems and production lines. The Simatic RF310R reader with its integrated antenna can be operated with the ASM 452, 456, 473, 475 communication modules for Simatic S7-300 and Profibus. Data transfer rates of more than 3,000 bytes per second are possible between reader and tag. This means that tags with a storage capacity of 8 KB, for example, can be read out or written to in approximately two seconds. This allows for exceptionally short cycle times during motor production, for example, in the automotive industry or when manufacturing of small motors, contactors or switches. " ...

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Monday, October 24, 2005

RFID Tag Production: Dominant Semicon ...

Dominant Semicon offers RFID tag production services, including conversion process, across a range of tag frequencies. ...

RFID Tag Production: Dominant Semicon: High Quality RFID Tags from DOMINANT ...

... "Featuring an international certified quality assurance acclaim, DOMINANT now provides a total solution for the production of RFID tags. This includes the converting processes such as inlay assembly, lamination and test from raw materials to finished goods such as smart labels, smart tickets and tags. There are three kinds of tags are available in DOMINANT. There are categorized by the radio frequency: High Frequency tags (13.56MHz), Ultra High Frequency (860MHz – 960MHz) and Microwave (2.45GHz). By adopting RFID technology, companies are able to optimize the accuracy of data collection – something that is not always possible with traditional systems. As a result, it undoubtedly hold a lot of promise and RFID have the advantage over barcode systems as they have ability to be read without line-of sign and it can be read through in a environmentally challenging conditions such as around water or metal. " ...


DOMINANT Semiconductors is an excellence-driven organization, offering a comprehensive variety of product range and selection for diverse industries and applications. With extensive industry experience and relentless pursuit of innovation, DOMINANT Semiconductors, with its state-of-the-art manufacturing, research and testing capabilities, has become a trusted and reliable brand across the globe. Established in 2001 DOMINANT is one of the leading suppliers in RFID Tags. It develops and manufacturers high quality RFID (radio frequency identification) tags used in automatic identification, tracking and supply chain management, which are specialized in high quality, high volume production.

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Sunday, October 23, 2005

RFID Innovation Recognized: Alien FSA RFID Manufacturing ...

Alien Technology recognized for their innovative fluidic self assembly process for manufacturing RFID electronics. Michael Totty reports on the Wall Street Journal's 2005 Technology Innovation Awards where innovators are recognized. ...

RFID Innovation Recognized: Alien FSA RFID Manufacturing: Via Wall Street Journal: A Better Idea ...

... "The Bronze winner was Alien Technology Corp., a Morgan Hill, Calif., semiconductor company that has developed a manufacturing process that dramatically reduces the cost of radio-frequency identification, or RFID, tags. " ...

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Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Toyota RFID Project: Accelerated Processes ...

Toyota project will implement Alien RFID technology to drive accelerated supply chain processes. Anticipated benefits exceed the RFID project's capex investment. ...

Toyota RFID Project: Accelerated Processes: Via Alien Technology: Toyota South Africa Motors Ltd. Selects Alien Technology® RFID Solution for Vehicle Identification: Automated vehicle tracking will accelerate throughput of produced assets in the supply chain, resulting in reduction of time to invoice dealers and thus time-to-cash ...

... "Traditionally, RFID-based vehicle tracking applications have been hampered by the use of costly microwave systems and proprietary RFID protocols. Toyota's application will benefit from the use of open, global-standard EPC RFID technology that combines consistent reads, even in a heavy metallic environment, with the ability to leverage extremely low-cost RFID tags. In Toyota's implementation, an Alien RFID tag will be applied to each vehicle during production. The tags will then be accurately read by field-proven Alien ALR-9780 readers at ranges exceeding six meters as the vehicle is tracked from within the Assembly Plant, through the Plant Exit, into, through and out of the Vehicle Distribution Yard. The resulting precision tracking will enable Toyota to both streamline and accelerate its vehicle shipping and invoicing processes, and thus its time-to-cash. According to Stoop, the anticipated savings on interest for the targeted reduction of Stock (vehicles-on rubber) of one day is expected to more than off-set the CAPEX for this RFID Project. " ...


Toyota South Africa, established in 1961, has been the overall market leader in terms of domestic vehicle sales for more than 25 consecutive years. The company has now been integrated into the global supplier network of Toyota Motor Corporation after TMC took a 75% majority shareholding in the company in 2002. The current production capacity of Toyota SA’s plant in Durban is in excess of 100 000 vehicles annually. This is set to expand to 220 000 units per annum by 2008. The South African operation now exports built up units to both Australia and Europe.

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Thursday, October 06, 2005

RFID Verichip Hospital Growth Explodes ...

RFID Verichip Hospital Growth Explodes: Via VeriChip: VeriChip Corporation Adds 49 Additional Hospitals During Month of September That Have Agreed to Implement the VeriMed(TM) Patient Identification System; Total of 58 Hospitals Exceeds Company's Full-Year Guidance of 20 to 25 Hospitals ...

... "Overall, since the FDA clearance of VeriChip for medical applications, 58 hospitals have agreed to adopt the VeriMed System in their emergency departments. The Company had previously announced that it expected to have 20 to 25 hospitals agree to adopt the VeriMed System by the end of 2005. Most of the hospitals entering into agreements to implement VeriMed in September did so as a result of the Company's demonstration of the system at the American College of Emergency Physicians' (ACEP) Scientific Assembly that took place September 26-29, 2005 in Washington, D.C. " ...


VeriChip: The First RFID Company for People: VeriChip is a subsidiary of Applied Digital and the only company to provide both implantable and wearable RFID identification and security solutions for people, their assets, and their environments. From the world's first and only FDA-cleared, human-implantable RFID microchip to the only patented active RFID tag with skin-sensing capabilities, VeriChip leads the way in next-generation RFID technologies. Today, over 4,000 installations worldwide in healthcare, security, industrial, and government markets benefit from both the protection and efficiencies provided by VeriChip systems.

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Sunday, September 18, 2005

Radio Frequency Identification RFID Label: Certified Preferred ...

Radio Frequency Identification RFID Label: Certified Preferred: Via Nashua Corporation: NASHUA CORPORATION NAMED AN ALIEN TECHNOLOGY® CERTIFIED PREFERRED CONVERTER PARTNER: Selection Recognizes Nashua Label Division’s RFID Capabilities and Positions Company to Help Customers Utilize Advanced RFID Solutions ...

... "Nashua Corporation (NASDAQ: NSHA), a manufacturer and marketer of labels, thermal and specialty papers, and imaging products, announced that Alien Technology Corporation has named the Company's Label Division a Certified Preferred Converter Partner. Partner status recognizes the Label Division's Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capabilities and strengthens the relationship between Nashua and Alien Technology Corporation, a leading supplier of inlays and other RFID hardware and components. Alien Technology initiated the Certified Preferred Converter Partner program in order to team with key industry leaders such as Nashua, which utilizes RFID technology in the low cost, high quality inventory and product tracking solutions applications it provides its customers. " ...


Nashua Corporation manufactures and markets a wide variety of specialty imaging products and services to industrial and commercial customers to meet various print application needs. The Company's products include thermal coated papers, pressure-sensitive labels, bond, point of sale, ATM and wide format papers, entertainment tickets, as well as toners, developers, and ribbons for use in imaging devices. Alien Technology® Corporation is a leading supplier of radio frequency identification (RFID) hardware that enables consumer packaged goods companies, retailers and other industries to improve their operating efficiency throughout their supply chains. Through its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien fabricates high performance electronic product code (EPC) Class 1 tags in unprecedented volumes at very low cost.

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Thursday, September 15, 2005

RFID WIP Work in Process ...

RFID WIP Work in Process: Via IBM: IBM Introduces New Work In Process and RFID Express Solutions ...

... "RFID for Work in Process helps manufacturers accelerate materials management within a plant floor environment. The SOA-based solution can help a manufacturer better manage assembly automation, track plant floor assets, and manage inventory by integrating applications inside a company, as well as externally with customers and suppliers. It offers customers real-time visibility of key assets to improve the identification and tracking of tools and equipment and also to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley and other mandates. The solution includes IBM's WebSphere RFID middleware, tags and readers from IBM Business Partners, as well as IBM's Global Services expertise implementing manufacturing and Work in Process solutions. " ...


IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key business partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable companies to take full advantage of the on demand era.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2005

1Million RFIDLabels 12.9Cents Each: SALE!

1Million RFIDLabels 12.9Cents Each: SALE!: Via Alien Technology: Alien Technology Corporation Achieves Another Step Toward Pervasive, Economic RFID with Announcement of 12.9 cent RFID Labels ...

RFID labels reach the 12.9cent level in quantities of 1million, courtesy of Alien Tech ...

... "Alien Technology Corporation today achieved another RFID industry milestone with the announcement of EPC Class 1 RFID labels priced at 12.9 cents. This represents a 44% decrease in the price of 96-bit RFID labels from Alien in the past 12 months reflecting significant progress towards the goal of widely available, economic RFID labels. The Alien Technology ALL-9338-02, a fully converted EPC Class 1 tag, can be purchased today for 12.9 cents in order quantities of 1 million or more. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. The 12.9 cent RFID label offered by Alien is made possible by the company's patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®) and Alien's new cost efficient High Speed Strap Attach Machine (HiSAM) assembly technology. These manufacturing technologies allow for low-cost packaging of very small semiconductors in very high volumes that in turn are packaged as low-cost RFID tags.

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Monday, August 29, 2005

Zebra RFID Smart Labels Supply Alien Tech ...

Via Zebra Technologies: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES EXPANDS RFID SMART LABEL BUSINESS: Zebra adds smart label converting equipment to its supplies plant and qualifies as a supplier of Alien Technology EPC Class 1 RFID labels ...

Zebra supplies RFID Smart Labels with Alien Technology ...

... "A smart label is created by embedding a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and antenna within the label material. Zebra is working closely with chip providers, such as Alien Technology, to ensure the quality and performance of each tag. With its expanded RFID label converting capabilities, Zebra can offer a wide range of high- and ultra-high frequency inlays to meet a variety of application needs as well as customized label facestocks, adhesives, sizes and formats. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company also provides RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

Zebra Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, "smart" label, receipt, and card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than four million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, and also offers software, connectivity solutions and printing supplies.

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Alien RFID Walmart Exec Joins Board

Alien RFID Walmart Exec Joins Board: Via Alien Technology: Alien Technology® Announces Election of Bob L. Martin, Retired Wal-Mart Information Technology Innovator, to Board of Directors ...

Walmart Exec joins Alien Tech's board of directors ...

... "Alien Technology announced the election of Bob L. Martin to the Board of Directors. Mr. Martin, a retired Wal-Mart executive and member of the Wal-Mart Executive Committee from 1985 to1999, is widely recognized for his leadership role in bringing innovative information technology to the retail segment. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Tuesday, August 16, 2005

High Durability RFID Equipment for Harsh Environments ...

High Durability RFID Equipment for Harsh Environments: Sampling of durable RFID equipment supports operation of RFID capability in harsh operating environments ...

Omron: Omron RFID systems function in a wide range of operating conditions, including harsh environments,where bar coding is not practical. RFID Tags, RFID antennas and RFID controllers are industrially hardened to withstand wet, oily and other adverse conditions. Read reliability in RFID asset tracking and automatic identification is not affected by a misaligned tag or compromised by airborne dust, dirt, oil mist, or other factory conditions. RFID asset tracking systems are non-contact and non-line of sight, which allows them to read and write through non - metallic objects, such as plastic conveyors.

Escort Memory Systems UHF Series / UHF525HT: The UHF525HT is a rugged high-temperature long-range Ultra High Frequency (902-928 MHz) tag. This tag is designed to work at up to four feet. It is ideally suited for Body & Assembly and Paint Shop applications in the automotive industry, the UHF525HT is the only high-temperature tag in the market that survives over 204 Degrees C.

IDENTEC SOLUTIONS, long-range active RFID systems: Long Range Identification: RFID tags can be read from up to 300 feet (100 meters). This allows assets to be monitored in a very large environment with reliable results. Durability: Bar codes become unreadable if they are dirty or scuffed; RFID tags function in almost any harsh environment such as fog, ice and dust. RFID, therefore, reduces the problems associated with those "contact" or "line-of-sight" technologies. This means RFID can operate in harsh environments and will not be affected by temperature changes.

ScanSource RFID Edge: The significant advantage of RFID systems is the no contact, non-line-of-sight nature of the technology. Tags can be read through a variety of substances such as snow, fog, ice, paint, crusted grime, and other visually and environmentally challenging conditions, where barcodes or other optically read technologies would be useless. RFID tags can also be read in challenging circumstances at remarkable speeds, in most cases responding in less than 100 milliseconds.

Zebra RFID Printer R110XiIIIPlus: Built upon Zebra's highly regarded Xi platform, the R110XiIIIPlus is designed for high performance and mission-critical ruggedness in the most demanding environments. It delivers the legendary round-the-clock reliability and heavy-gauge steel durability of Zebra's high-performance Xi series as well as full 4-inch print width, 203-dot per-inch resolution and the extensive connectivity choices of 110XiIIIPlus, making it ideal for shipping, warehousing, and manufacturing. The R110XiIIIPlus will support both Class 0 (read-only) and Class 0+ (read/write) tags.

DC400 RFID Portal System: Turnkey High Performance for Dock Door Visibility: The DC400 from Symbol Technologies delivers a high-performance RFID turnkey solution for premium inventory visibility of assets entering or leaving designated read zones within warehouses, distribution centers, cross dock locations and a variety of other applications. With the DC400, you can automatically identify and track inventory in motion on pallets, bundles of assets on skids or cases using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. IP54 certification for dust and water resistance ensures improved uptime in harsh, industrial environments.

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Thursday, August 11, 2005

RFID Integration Manufacturing Process ...

RFID Integration in the Manufacturing Process: Via ClearOrbit: ClearOrbit Launches Xtended Quality Control (X.QC) Suite to Add Manufacturing Execution Directly to ERP Systems: Tier One Automotive Supplier ArvinMeritor Selects X.QC to Automate Component Verification for Vehicle Assembly ...

... "RFID integration. Traps RFID tag reads in the assembly process for improved efficiency." ...


Since 1994, ClearOrbit has assisted more than 275 clients in automating and controlling their supply chain execution processes. ClearOrbit extends enterprise systems value with proven Supply Chain Execution (SCE) and Collaborative Supply Management (CSM) software solutions that allow customers to fully leverage their investment in enterprise applications while also gaining additional value by incorporating their trading partners into their supply chains. ClearOrbit products work within the existing enterprise system to leverage a "single version of the truth," expanding rather than duplicating functionality to eliminate inefficiencies in the supply chain. By using the customer's data model, ClearOrbit delivers on the promise of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) and SAP (NYSE: SAP) with fully integrated supply chain execution and collaboration solutions that address "last mile functionality" issues inherent in most ERP systems. ClearOrbit customers include Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU) and Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN).

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Thursday, August 04, 2005

Embedded Middleware RFID Reader ...

Embedded Middleware RFID Reader: Alien Technology® And IBM Work Together On New-Generation RFID Reader: Alien ALR-9800 Reader Embeds IBM WebSphere RFID Middleware for Seamless Integration With Enterprise Business Processes ...

Alien embeds IBM middleware into Gen2 RFID reader ...

... "Alien Technology and IBM today announced that the two companies have integrated IBM's WebSphere RFID Device Infrastructure (WRDI) middleware on the newly announced Alien ALR-9800 RFID Reader, the first RFID reader designed from the ground up for Gen2 RFID environments. Alien also announced it is offering customers a specific version of the ALR-9800 incorporating IBM's WRDI middleware, which enables the seamless integration of RFID data with IBM platform-based systems and enterprise business processes. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs.

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key business partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable companies to take full advantage of the on demand era.

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Friday, July 29, 2005

Alien RFID Obtains Funding ...

Alien RFID Obtains Funding: Alien Technology® Secures $66 Million In New Round Of Funding ...

... "Alien Technology announced the completion of a $66 million round of financing, led by SunBridge Partners. The financing provides the company with capital to continue its expansion and drive new market opportunities in the face of accelerating global demand for RFID technology. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Wednesday, July 20, 2005

RFID Age Verification System

RFID Age Verification System: Precision Dynamics Corporation Showcases Its Enhanced AgeBand System at the International Association of Assembly Managers Conference: AgeBand Provides Defensible Action Against Underage Drinking ...

Precision Dynamics will demonstrate an age verification system enabled by RFID technology ...

... "Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC), a global leader in automatic wristband identification, will showcase the new version of its AgeBand ™ Age/ID RFID Verification System during the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) Conference in Washington, D.C., July 16 – 18. " ...


With nearly 50 years of experience, PDC is the global leader and pacesetter in the development of automatic identification wristband systems. The company introduced the first patient Bar Code ID Wristband System in 1984, the Smart Band® Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Wristband System in 2000, and the AgeBand™ Electronic Age/ID Verification System in 2004. PDC is committed to 100% quality in service, design, and manufacturing. This is substantiated by their ISO-9001: 2000 and ISO-13485: 2003 certification at their main facility in San Fernando, CA. Plans to establish certification at their new facility in Tijuana, Mexico are underway.

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Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Microsoft RFID Infrastructure: Alien Technology Support

Microsoft RFID Infrastructure: Alien Technology Support: Alien Technology: Alien Technology® Announces Alliance with Microsoft on RFID Initiatives: Microsoft Showcases New RFID Infrastructure Using Alien RFID Readers and Tags at TechEd Europe 2005 ...

Alien Technology supports Microsoft's RFID infrastructure initiative ...

... "Alien Technology today announced an alliance with Microsoft that establishes Alien as one of the key partners in Microsoft's RFID Initiatives whereby Alien RFID reader and tag products will be supported by Microsoft's RFID technology. Alien also announced that Microsoft selected Alien tags and European-compliant high powered ALR-8780 readers as one of the readers to demonstrate its RFID technology at the Microsoft TechEd EMEA conference this week in Amsterdam. Designed for demanding supply chain applications, the Alien ALR-8780 reader was the first EPC RFID reader certified to the stringent new European specification (ETSI EN 302-208) for higher power readers. " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005

Smart Feeder RFID Tags ...

Smart Feeder RFID Tags: Hover-Davis embeds Cogiscan RFID Smart Feeder Tags in their new Siemens Siplace® Compatible Feeder Range ...

... "This is an essential consideration for our customers since they often buy our feeders for their installed base of equipment. The Cogiscan RFID technology is so valuable, and yet so cost-effective, that it made sense for us to imbed an RFID tag in each of our new Siemens Siplace compatible feeders. We are also planning to start including Cogiscan technology in other families of feeders. " ...


Cogiscan designs and manufactures material tracking systems for the electronics manufacturing market. The Cogiscan platform encompasses material identification with barcode and RFID technology, data acquisition hardware, and application software. Software applications include Real-Time Inventory, MSD Control, Line Setup Control, and Traceability. Cogiscan is dedicated to establishing a global standard for material tracking. Sales and customer service affiliates are located throughout the world, including the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Hover-Davis is recognized as a world leader in the design and manufacture of component delivery systems for the electronics assembly industry. We provide feeding solutions for Fuji, Panasonic, Universal Instruments, Siemens, Assembleon, Samsung, Mydata, Juki, Yamaha, Alphasem, and numerous custom automation manufacturers. Our products include electronic multi-pitch tape feeders, label feeders, print-on-demand label feeders, and bare die feeders. In order to provide world class solutions to our customers today and tomorrow, we continue to invest heavily in new product development, operations, applications, and after-sales support. Located in Rochester, NY, Hover-Davis was founded in 1989, and is now a subsidiary of Dover Corporation.

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Tuesday, June 14, 2005

RFID Library Automation Package

RFID Library Automation Package: Litum Technologies Announces Value Added Solutions Provider Agreement for Alien Technology® RFID Products ...

Using Alien Technology's RFID products, Litum Technologies delivers a library automation package based on RFID-enabled inventory management ...

... "Litum Technologies, a leading provider of turnkey RFID solutions in Turkey, announced a value added solutions provider (VASP) agreement with Alien Technology to resell Alien® RFID reader and tag products as part of its solutions for the Turkish retail, pharmaceutical, library and healthcare industries. Litum is already incorporating Alien’s products in its recently introduced LAKSIS library automation package, a pioneering solution that leverages RFID technology for automated check-in and check-out and improved security. " ...


With R&D facilities in Izmir, Turkey and San Diego, California, Litum is dedicated to producing RFID software and solutions to the highest international standards. It is the first company in Turkey to provide turnkey RFID solutions for retail, pharmaceutical, library and healthcare, in addition to designing and implementing biometric security systems. Litum’s success stems from its sound business strategies and exceptional technical competencies, which provide the flexibility to address the evolving needs of customers and create new application opportunities in multiple environments.

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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RFID Data Capture Solutions

RFID Data Capture Solutions: Creativesystems Announces Value Added Solutions Provider Agreement for Alien Technology® RFID Products ...

Creativesystems leverages Alien Technology's RFID products to deliver data capture solutions that improve operational efficiency through RFID technology ...

... "Creativesystems, a leading integrator of smart wireless information solutions in Portugal, announced a value added solutions provider (VASP) agreement with Alien Technology to resell Alien® RFID reader and tag products. Creativesystems will incorporate Alien products and technologies into end solutions that seamlessly integrate intelligent RFID-based data capture solutions with enterprise information systems for enhanced process efficiency and business performance. " ...


Based in the north of Portugal, and focusing on the automotive, electronics, food & beverage, retail, pharmaceutical, and textile sectors, Creativesystems develops and integrates smart wireless information solutions that enable organizations to focus on added value activities. The company’s solutions enable improved process efficiency and productivity by integrating smart peripheral systems such as RFID devices, RF Portable Data Terminals, PDAs, BarCodes, smart printing and Data visualization systems with central enterprise information systems such as ERP systems.

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs.

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Sunday, June 12, 2005

Sysco RFID Pilot in Cold Chain: Alien Technology Used ...

Sysco RFID Pilot in Cold Chain: 3PL Solutions and Alien Technology® Announce Successful Field Test of RFID & Sensor-based System for Cold Chain Management: Successful field test deployed for SYSCO Corporation, North America’s largest food service marketing and distribution organization, demonstrates capability of RFID to transform the monitoring of temperature and environmental conditions during food transport with huge strides in documentation for food quality and safety ...

Sysco pilots RFID in their cold chain leveraging Alien Technology's RFID solutions with value chain services from 3PL Solutons ...

... "The DAX pilot program field testing was conducted by Alien Technology, 3PL Solutions and SYSCO in the SYSCO Frozen Foods and Produce supply chains and addressed dedicated, LTL, and inter-modal shipments. The RFID and Sensor-enabled system provides cost-effective Chain of Evidence documentation for food shipments, addressing anticipated regulatory requirements for better documentation of quality & safety control in food shipments, as well as improving methods to avoid waste and spoilage losses. Today, when food products leave the controlled environment of a well regulated distribution center, there are few cost effective mechanisms to insure and document continuous environmental control and access control... " ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

3PL Solutions, Inc. supplies the Commercial Warehousing and Supply Management Industry with products and services for the Third Party Logistics Industry with a Commercial and Public Distribution Services focus. In close coordination with affiliate, Geometric Solutions, Inc., 3PL systems and services help manage millions of SKUs for thousands of manufacturers across the country. 3PL Solutions staff is comprised of seasoned professionals with a mandatory combination of skills encompassing Information Systems, Business Practices, and floor Operations. With years of hands-on experience in virtually all major product families flowing through the nations’ supply lines, 3PL Solutions cross-pollinates best practices from one industry focus to another, and enables customers to meld the best of all worlds into cost effective and unusually efficient and profitable operations.

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Friday, May 27, 2005

RFID Label Qualification Process ...

RFID Label Qualification Process: LOWRY COMPUTER PRODUCTS ANNOUNCES ALIEN TECHNOLOGY® QUALIFICATION FOR RFID LABELS ...

Alien qualification process for RFID labels ...

... "Lowry Computer Products, Inc., a leading provider of RFID-EPC, wireless, bar code and data collection solutions, today announced that it has completed Alien Technology’s RFID label qualification process for Alien® EPC Class 1 UHF RFID tags. Alien Technology Corporation is a key provider of high-volume, low-cost RFID products for case and pallet tagging. Lowry’s label conversion facility is now a qualified label converter for Alien’s EPC Class-1 UHF Squiggle™ and “I” design tags. " ...


Lowry Computer Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturer, integrator and provider of RFID-EPC, bar code, wireless and data collection solutions that are in the vanguard of technology, equipment, and industry compliance.

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at a low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications.

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Monday, May 23, 2005

RFID Technology: Production Management

RFID Technology: Production Management: PARAGON TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES A DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT WITH TGW TRANSPORTGERÄTE GMBH ...

... "The Company's SI Production & Assembly Systems capabilities have enabled it to become a market leader in serving customers in selected niches seeking horizontal transport of unit load products. Its LO-TOW Ergonomic Towline Vehicle employs RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to impart ergonomic capability to the production of vehicles, ranging from golf carts, motorcycles, and snowmobiles to the assembly of lawn mowers, motor assemblies, and farming vehicles. This product line is installed in numerous government facilities, ranging from the Defense Logistics Agency to the U.S. Postal Service. Paragon's high precision CARTRAC product line has a well established customer base in the appliance and automotive industry, with new applications possible in the radiation technology field, where the need for precision guidance is paramount. " ...

RFID technology can play a role in production management in various industries ranging from automotive through public service ...

Paragon Technologies is a leader in integrating material handling systems and creating automated solutions for material flow applications. Ermanco’s branded conveyor technologies and material handling solutions address the needs of the distribution, assembly, and manufacturing marketplace. SI Systems’ branded technologies and material handling solutions address unit assembly handling and order fulfillment applications. One of the top material handling systems suppliers worldwide, Paragon’s leading clients have included the United States Postal Service, General Motors, IBM, BMG, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Peterbilt, Harley-Davidson, Walgreens, and Clark Equipment.

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RFID Transportation Market: Systems and Services Capabilities

Alien Technology® Acquires Quatrotec To Drive Expansion In RFID Transportation Markets ...

Alien makes acquisition that strengthens its ability to deliver RFID solutions to the transportation market ...

... "The market for RFID in transportation is projected to grow rapidly in the next three years. Venture Data Corporation predicts that the market for RFID systems for air transportation & airports alone will reach $236.4 million in 2008. In acquiring Quatrotec, Alien has expanded its ability to address air, sea, ground and homeland security-related RFID applications of any scope and scale. Serving the air transportation industry for more than 20 years in projects ranging from $1 million to well over $200 million, Quatrotec possesses particular design and implementation expertise in such highly specialized areas as airport security systems, baggage handling systems, passenger services and terminal operations. " ...

Opportunity exists to better serve the air transportation market through the application of RFID technology: Alien makes acquisition to enhance its capabilities in the RFID application space ...

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Sunday, May 22, 2005

Construction Metrology RFID Automation ...

BFRL: Construction Metrology and Automation Group

... "Construction Metrology and Automation group developed a prototype system of integrated hardware and software to measure the position and orientation of steel frame components and sub-assemblies at the job site and to allow for web-based interactive information entry and query while at a component's location. This prototype implementation is a web-based system for rapid tracking of construction components with compact, field-rugged sensors and computers, interoperability protocols for data transmission, and 3D site simulators that reflect the instant state of tracked components on the construction site. The approach involves the use of RFID and bar code identification systems, 3D long range coordinate measurement technologies, local data processing, wireless communications, high speed networking, temporal project databases, web-based data analysis, and 3D user interfaces to provide real-time access to part status updates at the jobsite. " ...

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Wednesday, May 11, 2005

RFID Healthcare Business Intelligence ...

RFID Healthcare Business Intelligence: Mantic Point Solutions Ltd Announces Value Added Solutions Partner Agreement for Alien Technology® RFID Products ...

Mantic integrates RFID into the business intelligence capabilities of the healthcare industry ...

... "Mantic Point Solutions Ltd, a leading UK value added solutions provider (VASP) specializing in combining business intelligence with RFID data, today announced an agreement with Alien Technology to offer Alien® RFID reader and tag products as part of solutions aimed at the UK healthcare industry. By integrating real-time tracking data from RFID readers with data from other hospital systems, Mantic Point’s Chaperone solution helps hospitals and clinics track mobile assets and optimize their utilisation, control capital equipment costs, and enhance patient and staff safety. " ...


Mantic Point Solutions Ltd is a UK software company with a focus on applying business intelligence techniques to real-time and historic RFID data to provide new insights into asset movement and utilisation. Mantic Point is a member of AIM UK, the automated identification (AIDC) industry association, and a strategic partner of the National RFID Centre.

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Saturday, May 07, 2005

RFID Systems Support Functions ...

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)BULLETIN

... "Selection of a RFID system, if appropriate, should be made on the basis of a solution that best meets the criteria, and the circumstances unique to each agency. Finally, agencies need to determine how to best implement RFID technology on current or proposed contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements along with the impact on small and disadvantaged businesses. RFID systems should support one or more of the following functions:

A receipt function to automatically update inventory and valuation.
A storage and issuing function to include inventory management.
A transportation function to include the movement and consolidation for trans-shipment.
A maintenance function to track equipment needing preventative maintenance, calibration, etc., and assembly or disassembly.
A disposal function to track the disposition of property including the tracking of hazardous materials. " ...

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Tuesday, April 12, 2005

50Million EPC RFID Tags Milestone Reached ...

50Million EPC RFID Tags Milestone: Alien Technology® Announces Milestone of 50 Million EPC Class 1 RFID Tags Shipped ...

Alien breaks the 50Million RFID tag milestone through active deployment at Walmart and the DOD ...

... Alien Technology announced that the company has now shipped 50 million EPC Class 1 RFID tags. The Alien® RFID tags, which are manufactured using Alien’s patented Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®) technology, are widely deployed in a large percentage of Wal-Mart and DoD-related RFID implementations. Alien continues to lead the market in delivering reliable, high volume, low cost EPC tags. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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ALR-9780 Gen2 Firmware Upgrade ...

ALR-9780 Gen2 Firmware Upgrade: Alien Technology® Announces EPC Class 1 Gen 2 Compliant Firmware for ALR-9780 RFID Reader ...

Alien provides Gen2 firmware upgrade for the popular ALR-9780 RFID reader ...

... Alien Technology today announced plans to offer EPC Class 1 Gen 2 compliant firmware in all Alien ALR-9780 RFID Readers beginning in June 2005. The firmware will also be available to upgrade customers’ existing ALR-9780 Readers enabling a seamless transition to implementation of Class 1 Gen 2 RFID tags. The popular ALR-9780 is currently installed in hundreds of retail and DoD-related RFID implementations. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs.

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Saturday, April 02, 2005

RFID Enables Strategic Supply

Strategic Supply

... "In today's global economy, in-transit visibility is vital. Just-in-time manufacturing and assembly operations require firms to know sometimes to the minute when a key part or component will arrive from a supplier. Technology such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and automated identification technology (AIT) can provide this information to all firms in the supply chain. Customers increasingly demand the capability to use the Internet to track their package from the time it is shipped to the time it arrives at their home or office. FedEx provides world-class tracking capabilities for items shipped through its network of airborne and ground-based transportation channels. Wal-Mart's move to implement passive RFID tags may accelerate the spread of this technology throughout the retail sector given the huge volume of goods moved through Wal-Mart distribution channels. The payback from implementing such programs can be substantial. For example, Savi Technology's implementation of DoD's Ammunition AIT project produced a 98% cost avoidance in the inventory/reconciliation of category I ammunition. Scanning labels and reconciling inventories used to take 40 man-hours per building. It now takes 30 minutes per building, yielding a cost avoidance of over $860,000." ...

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Monday, March 28, 2005

Alien RFID Reseller STid ...

Alien Technology - Press Releases

... "STid, a multi-technology integrator specialized in sales of RFID readers, today announced a reseller agreement for Alien Technology RFID reader and tag products. Under the agreement, STid will distribute Alien products on a non-exclusive basis in Europe, Mexico and South America." ...


Founded in 1996, STid has specialized in Contactless Identification Technology, and designs, develops and sales RFID readers to target access control, traceability and logistics markets. Its unique market approach based on its technological independence enables STid to offer the widest choice of products operating at the main frequencies (125 kHz, 13.56 MHz and UHF) and compliant with existing chip technologies (Mifare®, ST, INSIDE, EM) and international standards (ISO 15693, EPC, ISO 18000).

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Alien RFID EPCGlobal Interoperable ...

Alien RFID EPCGlobal Interoperable: Alien Technology RFID Products Successfully Complete EPCglobal ...

Alien finalizes EPCGlobal interoperability tests ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Alien Technology(R) today announced that all four Alien(R) RFID readers that were presented successfully ...

... Alien Technology(R) today announced that all four Alien(R) RFID readers that were presented successfully completed the EPCglobal Class 1 Gen 1 Hardware Interoperability test, the most comprehensive testing to date of interoperability between the over 20 vendors supplying EPC Gen 1 RFID products. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA(R)), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Saturday, March 05, 2005

Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks ...

US NSF - ERE - Award#0308498 - IDEA: Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks for In Situ Observation of Ecosystem Processes

... "A grant has been awarded to Northern Arizona University under the direction of Dr. Paul Flikkema for the development and deployment of a wireless sensor network for the purpose of enabling a better understanding of environmental and ecosystem processes across multiple scales. Progress in an array of technologies, including microelectronic sensing and computation, wireless communication, and the self-assembly of autonomous devices into cooperative networks has inspired the vision of wireless sensor networks. While networks of intelligent agents transparently embedded into our physical environment could advance human welfare in a number of domains, research indicates that any successful wireless sensor network must be carefully optimized for its application. Our goals are to (i) complete the development of wireless environmental sensor network technology, (ii) make significant progress in understanding the maintenance of biodiversity and in measuring ecosystem properties by applying this technology to three field projects, (iii) build awareness of the benefits of the technology to society, and (iv) improve collaboration between engineering and the sciences. " ...

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Monday, February 28, 2005

Radio Frequency Identification Tags - History

PNNL Available Technologies: Radio Frequency Identification Tags - History

... "In 1998, PNNL spun out its first RF tag company: WaveID. This company was acquired by Alien Technology, and along with their patented fluidic self assembly process, formed the basis of Alien's new business venture into low cost RF tags." ...

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Flip-Chip: Advanced Vehicle Electronics (CAVE)

NSF I/UCRC: Center for Advanced Vehicle Electronics (CAVE)

... "Wafer-Scale Applied Reworkable Fluxing Underfill for Direct Chip Attach, funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology Advanced Technology Program. This program will develop the materials and processes for the next generation of flip-chip assembly technology. " ...

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Tuesday, February 08, 2005

DOD RFID Compliance Kit Ready ...

DOD RFID Compliance Kit Ready: Alien Technology Announces RFID Ready Kit to Enable Compliance ...

Alien Tech has developed training, a software development kit SDK, and a guide to aid suppliers with their DOD RFID compliance efforts ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA  ... Alien Technology(R) today announced the Alien(R) RFID Ready Kit, a comprehensive package to assist suppliers in preparing to meet Department of ...

... Alien Technology(R) today announced the Alien(R) RFID Ready Kit, a comprehensive package to assist suppliers in preparing to meet Department of Defense (DOD) mandates for RFID. The package includes Alien EPC RFID Readers, Antennas, and Tags, as well as the training, services and information needed for successful planning and deployment of RFID with DOD. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA(R)), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Supply Chain RFID Forum Discussion at the Automation Summit ...

Supply Chain RFID at the Automation Summit: Al Frink, US Department of Commerce to Keynote at SME Automation & ...

From Yahoo News (press release) ... RFID Forum (Radio Frequency Identification) "Making Waves: Integrating RFID into Your Supply Chain," and a Workshop "Extending the Lean Toolkit to the Whole ...

... Al Frink, assistant secretary, Manufacturing and Services, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., will deliver the keynote, "A Government Perspective -- The Role of Government in Automation and Assembly," on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 8 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) 2nd Annual Automation & Assembly Summit, "Achieving World Class Manufacturing with Advanced Automation." The event is being held at the Sheraton West Port Hotel Lakeside Chalet, St. Louis, Mo., on April 18-20, 2005. ...


SME established the Automated Manufacturing & Assembly Community (AMAC) to identify advanced and evolving manufacturing technologies and processes in the area of automation and assembly.

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Monday, January 24, 2005

Marketing RFID Technology to the Transportation Industry ...

Marketing RFID to the Transportation Industry: Alien Technology Names Robert J. McKinley Vice President Business ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... McKinley will lead Alien's business development and marketing efforts directed to RFID applications in transportation industries, including airlines and third ...

... Alien Technology(R) today announced that Robert J. McKinley, former Director of Security and Airport Systems at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), has joined the company as Vice President Business Development. McKinley will lead Alien's business development and marketing efforts directed to RFID applications in transportation industries, including airlines and third party logistics. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA(R)), Alien(R) manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2005

RFID Company Adds Depth in Financial Management Leadership ...

RFID Company Adds Depth in Financial Management: Alien Technology Expands Management Team with Addition of Chief ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... with exceptional opportunity and an early leadership position in the rapidly growing markets for RFID, and look ...

... Alien Technology(R) today announced the addition to the company's management team of Ronald K. Shelton in the role of Chief Financial Officer with responsibility for the finance, legal, human resources and information technology functions at Alien. Shelton brings to the company extensive experience as a public company CFO with expertise in the many aspects of financial management and administration important to Alien's next stage of growth. ...


Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA(R)), Alien(R) manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company also provides RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

More information on financial management depth at RFID companies ...

Manager - RFID - Strategy and Operations Job: supply chain, mergers & acquisitions, financial management, program leadership ... Our depth of experience allows us to ... Consulting LLP, in our RFID practice, will ...

SkyeTek Expands Executive Team and Board of Directors: "These appointments bring the depth of technology ... the top players in the RFID world. ... 14 years of entrepreneurial financial management experience predominately ...

Blackstone Technology, Inc.: startup RFID companies such as Gentag, Inc, and combined with IT infrastructure experience, provides Blackstone with superior financial management depth for ...

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Thursday, January 13, 2005

Conference Program on RFID Integrated into the Supply Chain ...

Conference Program on RFID Integrated into the Supply Chain: SME's Automation & Assembly Summit: Achieving World-Class ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... Also featured: Two special full-day programs -- the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Forum, "Making Waves: Integrating RFID into Your Supply Chain," and a ...

... The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) will bring the 2nd Annual Automation & Assembly Summit, "Achieving World Class Manufacturing with Advanced Automation," to the Sheraton West Port Hotel, Lakeside Chalet, St. Louis, Mo., on April 18-20, 2005. Smart manufacturers need to be lean, flexible and agile and U.S. companies need to improve manufacturing efficiency to improve their competitiveness. The 2nd Automation & Assembly Summit offers solutions for manufacturers. ...


The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) is the world's leading resource Where Manufacturing Comes Together - both people and information - to advance manufacturing knowledge. Since it was formed in 1932, SME has worked to make engineers, companies, educators and others successful in their quest to advance the manufacturing industries.

Additional resources on RFID integrated into the supply chain ...

RFID for Supply Chain: The benefit is that RFID doesn’t require line of sight, as ... technology is already saving companies money and time when integrated into the supply chain. ...

Supply chain software firms back RFID: Auto-ID connectors for SAP R/3, version 4.6c or higher, and mySAP ERP allow the RFID tools to be integrated into existing supply chain systems. ...

Supply Chain RFID: File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat ... Companies in all segments of the supply chain are proving ... evaluate if they could benefit from RFID and how it could be integrated into business processes. ...

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Tuesday, January 04, 2005

RFID Product Compliance Testing Validates to Europe RFID Wireless Standard ...

RFID Product Compliance Testing Validates to Europe Wireless Standard: Alien Technology Corporation Taps MiCOM Labs for Testing of New ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... 4, 2005--MiCOM Labs, Inc., today announced that it has completed product compliance testing of a new radio frequency identification (RFID) system for Alien ...

... MiCOM Labs, Inc., today announced that it has completed product compliance testing of a new radio frequency identification (RFID) system for Alien Technology Corporation of Morgan Hill, Calif. Alien Technology is an industry leader in the development of RFID tags and equipment that includes electronic product code (EPC) or "smart" tags that reflect radio signals. RFID equipment is revolutionizing inventory tracking and supply chain management in retail and defense operations. The testing performed by MiCOM Labs validated the new RFID system to a new European standard (EN 302 208) for wireless RFID product performance, qualifying the RFID system for certifications needed for product sales in Europe. ...

RFID Testing Validates to Europe ETSI RFID Wireless Standard ...

MiCOM Labs, Inc. (www.micomlabs.com) is a RF and EMC testing laboratory serving the global wireless, telecommunications, medical and security industries. Headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., and accredited by the globally recognized United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) organization, the company provides traceable, repeatable, accurate and secure testing and reporting to enable companies to certify product compliance with global performance standards and bring new products into global markets. Alien Technology is a leading provider of reliable, high-volume, low-cost, EPC-compliant Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products. Using Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA), a patented manufacturing process, Alien manufactures electronic product code (EPC) tags used in a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics operations and anti-counterfeiting to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs.

Additional resources on European Wireless RFID standards ...

Wireless Tracking - Standards Spat: But delays by the European Telecoms Standards Institute (ETSI) in approving its EN 302 208 RFID specifications, which govern radio frequencies and ...

The New RFID Standard in Europe: industry to make the new standard work as ... very different to that described within EN 302 208. ... Communications Committee (ECC) within the European Conference of ...

New ETSI RFID Rules Move Forward: use of the available spectrum, EN 302-208 divides the ... legislative and judicial decisions of the European Union (EU ... The standard has to be translated into the ...

Wireless Computing Technology: is the first to meet the ETSI 302 208 standard and gives our European customers RFID ... mechanisms, including RS-232, wired Ethernet and wireless 802.11g ...

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Tuesday, November 30, 2004

RFID in Construction for Component and Sub-Assembly Tracking ...

From BFRL: Construction Metrology and Automation Group ...

... "the Construction Metrology and Automation group developed a prototype system of integrated hardware and software to measure the position and orientation of steel frame components and sub-assemblies at the job site and to allow for web-based interactive information entry and query while at a component's location. This prototype implementation is a web-based system for rapid tracking of construction components with compact, field-rugged sensors and computers, interoperability protocols for data transmission, and 3D site simulators that reflect the instant state of tracked components on the construction site. The approach involves the use of RFID and bar code identification systems, 3D long range coordinate measurement technologies, local data processing, wireless communications, high speed networking, temporal project databases, web-based data analysis, and 3D user interfaces to provide real-time access to part status updates at the jobsite. In FY99, we demonstrated 3D spatial tracking of discrete components in real-time to viewers at a remote location over a km away under highly controlled conditions. " ...

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