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European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is testing an RFID solution using active RTLS RFID technology that does not require batteries. The French startup Uwinloc provides the system to provide 2D or 3D location information. The system uses low-cost passive ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags, beacon readers, and hosted or dedicated server software to manage reading Get data.
Uwinloc is an indoor positioning system company that was established a year ago to solve the factory and warehouse problems that the existing RFID system failed to properly solve. The company’s founder, CEO Eric Cariou and CTO Jan Mennekens both have decades of technology and innovation background. They started the company to develop a way to help industrial, manufacturing and logistics companies track tools, equipment, raw materials, consumables and finished products.
Current automatic positioning solutions can be used in active RTLS scenarios that require battery-powered tags and passive systems that only detect the location of tags in the area or when they move through the portal. Cariou said that in the latter case, passive systems cannot provide companies with sufficient information about the location of tools and consumables. This type of system can only provide the most recently read data.
For most active RTLS solutions, tags must be battery-powered, which also makes them expensive, bulky, and require routine maintenance. For most manufacturers or warehouses, this type of system is not feasible if you want to track thousands or even millions of marked items.
Carwin said that the Uwinloc technology operates on a different principle, and the company has four patents on the system. He said: “Our solution is the first to track millions of tags in harsh metal environments.”
The tags are powered by beacons and are transmitted to all tags within a range of 30 to 50 meters (98 to 164 feet) via UHF RF signals. They only send energy and do not send unique identifiers or query messages. These tags are designed by Uwinloc, manufactured by third-party manufacturers, and built-in chips provided by “leading IC manufacturers”. The tag can obtain energy from the beacon and only send a unique ID number when it is powered on, without specifically responding to queries. The working power of the beacon is much lower than that of the traditional passive RFID reader, and it can work in a metal environment. He pointed out: “Passive UHF signals emitted in a metal environment are not very reliable, because reflections can cause multipath radio signals.”
In the Uwinloc system, the beacon simply sends energy, receives the RF signal from the tag and forwards the data back to the server via Wi-Fi connection or using the transmission technology selected by the customer. The beacon body uses a socket for power supply. The data can be read from the server or SaaS server on the customer site. In either case, Uwinloc software uses a triangulation algorithm to analyze the location of the label, while providing a real-time location dashboard and the reports and analysis required by the customer. Due to the less energy required by the reader and the elimination of reflections, the tag can achieve a longer reading range.
Airbus and other undisclosed companies conducted two pilot deployments of the system.
In a deployment project, the technology is used to track the location of tools used in manufacturing. Cariou explained that the Uwinloc tag is attached to each tool, and the tag works well. Airbus not only uses the software to identify the location of the tool moving around the factory, but also analyzes the length of time it has stayed in a specific location, indicating that the item is in use. The system can monitor the time of use, and will send reminders to the administrator when the tool needs to be calibrated.
If companies use the SaaS version of the system, they can also get apps based on Android or iOS. The user can view the location of the required tool on the map.
The technology is also used to manage spare parts and finished products. In this case, the Uwinloc label is attached to the consumable. Beacons in the warehouse area can receive tag transmissions, identify the location of tags in the warehouse, and provide this information to company personnel. Using this technology, companies can view not only the real-time location of items, but also overuse. They can also use data to optimize picking plans to improve warehouse operational efficiency. This solution can reduce the invalid movement of materials.
For tool management, this technology saves users the cost of replacing tools and the cost of finding tools that are misplaced. This technology can also improve the calibration tracking system to ensure that tools are calibrated in time. In terms of warehouse parts and product management, the technology also reduces labor costs for workers who spend too much time in the picking process.
The thickness of the flexible label is 4 mm (0.16 inches), and the length and width are 6 cm (2.4 inches). The beacon is about half the size of a MacBook, but slightly thicker. The software provides an application programming interface (API) to provide users or installers with RFID location technology and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system integration.
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