Distribution Digest Editorial Staff

The News: Microwave and RF solutions provider M/A-COM Technology Solutions recently introduced a new sensor-based RFID forklift system that can be easily added to new or existing equipment for reads of RFID pallet tags in distribution and manufacturing environments.

SCDigest Says:

RFID-based tracking has the potential to significantly reduce labor for fork-lift operations in a DC, though RFID has yet to make much penetration in distribution center operations. What Do You Say? Click Here to Send Us Your Comments

Why It's Worth Noting: To date, adding RFID readers to fork trucks has been a bit of a science project, with not many truly pre-engineered solutions. This product takes that to the next level, and adds some nifty features, such as an acoustic reader that triggers a read when a pallet is put on the tines. That solves some potential challenges with using RFID for pallets.

RFID-based tracking has the potential to significantly reduce labor for forklift operations in a DC, though RFID has yet to make much penetration in distribution center operations.

The Story: The M/A-COM Technology Solutions product, called simply enough the RFID Forklift System, was introduced a few weeks ago at the ProMat materials handling show in Chicago. (M/A-COM Technology Solutions is a division of the UK’s Cobham plc.)

Use of RFID-based pallet identification could significantly increase fork truck and operator efficiency versus bar code-based systems, primarily by eliminating the time it takes to manually scan bar codes from the vehicle and often to leave the vehicle to perform a scan. Exactly how much productivity could be gained would depend on a number of factors, such as the number of scans made and, interestingly, the average travel distance. The more moves a company makes per operator (lower average travel distances), the greater percent of time an operator probably scans.

The system (see graphics) includes:

-- An Impinj Speedway EPC Gen 2 RFID reader
-- Acoustic and laser sensors
-- Two reader antennas (broad-beam and narrow-beam), which are built onto koad backrest of the forklift

The broad-beam antenna reads all tags within a wide field of view, while the narrow-beam antenna is more directional and is used to interrogate the shelf tags. The acoustic sensor tells the system that a pallet has been placed on the fork tines and turns on the reader. This enables the system to focus on that pallet tag automatically, and reduces the potential issue with “always on” readers that some have used that can become confused about which tag is to be read. Other systems require operators to push a button to avoid this problem, a requirement eliminated with the sensor-based approach.

The system also employs traditional radio frequency capabilities that can be used to send read information to a warehouse management or other system.

The company says it is working with leading fork truck manufacturers to have the system available as an option for their customers.

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