Intermec launches expert RFID deployment services group

Everett , WA— Intermec Technologies Corp. has organized a specialized group of experts to help companies evaluate, install, and maintain radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. Intermec RFID Deployment Services Group reports that its members collectively have more than 25 years of RFID experience, and that they’ll be able to help end-users make informed decisions when choosing and implementing RFID.

The group’s RFIDeploy services include process analysis, to validate RFID business plans against actual and proposed processes; site analysis, to verify that a company’s proposed physical environment can effectively accommodate the technology; and site installation, to place and test designated RFID devices for optimal performance.

‘The Intermec RFID Deployment Services Group helps users establish whether or not RFID is an appropriate technology to help achieve their business objectives,’ says Scott Medford, Intermec’s VP. ‘This group can help customers understand RFID and if it supports their current and proposed processes.’

Intermec adds it already has provided RFIDeploy services to dozens of companies since 1999. These clients include Worley, a third-party logistics (3PL) company. ‘We’re currently working with Intermec on process and site analysis in preparation for our RFID deployment,’ says Blaine Worley, Worley’s executive VP. ‘The level of preparation and information that Intermec provides is essential to understanding how Worley can best implement and use RFID.’

RFIDeploy services facilitate a phased approach to implementation of the technology, so that there is no room for error or waste, which leads to a faster return on investment. The Process Analysis and Site Analysis phases provide validation of the RFID business case as it applies to current and proposed processes.

‘Intermec has been creating, selling and installing traditional data collection equipment for decades, and we have years of experience with real-world RFID,’ Medford said. ‘Our customers know they can trust Intermec to recommend and deliver the best set of technologies for their environments and business objectives without bias.’

Intermec adds that RFID is a complement to present bar code-based tracking systems, allowing companies to automatically track inventory throughout an entire supply chain. RFID automatic data collection typically doesn’t require line of sight or manual scanning as do most bar code-based systems. For example, information from RFID-tagged cases on a pallet can be read automatically using fixed, mobile, or handheld readers, rather than requiring individual bar code scanning. Read/write RFID tags and labels can be reprogrammed to update the information on each tag as it proceeds through manufacturing and supply chain processes, providing new levels of up-to-date information for more timely decision making.

Control Engineering Daily News DeskJim Montague, news editorjmontague@reedbusiness.com

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