What is RFID?

RFID stands for Radio-Frequency IDentification.

The acronym refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna.

The RFID device serves the same purpose as a bar code or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card or ATM card; it provides a unique identifier for that object. And, just as a bar code or magnetic strip must be scanned to get the information, the RFID device must be scanned to retrieve the identifying information.

RFID Works Better Than Barcodes

A significant advantage of RFID devices over the others mentioned above is that the RFID device does not need to be positioned precisely relative to the scanner.

We're all familiar with the difficulty that stores staff sometimes have in making sure that a barcode can be read.

And obviously, credit cards and ATM cards must be swiped through a special reader. In contrast, RFID devices will work within a few feet (up to 20 feet for high-frequency devices) of the scanner.

For example, you can carry your spares out of the stores and the scanner is able to query all of the RFID tags - automatically capturing your withdrawals immediately.

To discover more about how RFID can deliver substantial cost benefits to your MRO programme click here to view our Android Inventory Management Technology.