Can you replace barcodes with RFID?

Short answer: no.? But to really deeply understand why, you have to read this article.

RFID has several advantages over barcodes, including the ability to read multiple tags simultaneously, the ability to read tags through non-metallic materials, and the ability to read tags that are not in line-of-sight of the reader.? And in some cases RFID can replace barcodes as a means of tracking and identifying items, but not in all warehouse tasks and throughout the whole supply chain.

The article covers aspects like:

• Bulk reading
• “Range” of read
• Trying to pick by RFID
• Real applications
• Conclusions

Bulk reading

One of the key advantages of UHF RFID is its ability to perform bulk reading of tags. This means that the reader can quickly read multiple tags at the same time, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution for large-scale inventory management, supply chain tracking, and other applications that require the simultaneous tracking of many items.

But that same feature of bulk reads prevents RFID from precise picking and differentiating of items with the same SKU.

It's really hard or even impossible for UHF RFID to read only some of the items out of the bulk in front of you. When you try to read RFID tags from a specific item, you may also pick up signals from other nearby tags, even those that are hidden behind objects or around corners.?

How RFID operates

RFID operates more like a walkie-talkie rather than a wireless beam. In a walkie-talkie system, two devices can communicate with each other by transmitting and receiving signals on a shared frequency. Similarly, in an RFID system, an RFID reader and an RFID tag can communicate with each other by transmitting and receiving signals on a shared frequency.

The only difference is that in UHF RFID the reader first has to wirelessly charge the tag chip (most tags used are ‘passive’ tags in that sense). This wireless charging limits the distance at which the tags can be charged in open air, but not the distance at which the tags can be charged in presence of reflecting surfaces, or at which the tags can be read after charging.

Moreover, reflections from metal and concrete surfaces can cause the RFID signal to be redirected in unexpected ways, making it difficult to accurately determine the location of the RFID tag.?

Read “range”

Because “range” is determined by both charging and communicating, affected by presence of reflective material, the real range can be surprising.

In RFID, the term "range" typically refers to the maximum distance at which an RFID reader can successfully read an RFID tag. However, it's important to note that the range is not a guaranteed or enclosed area, and RFID tags outside of the range can still be read, albeit less frequently and with less accuracy.

But in some cases, reflections from metal and concrete surfaces can cause the RFID signal to be redirected in unexpected and far off ways. This can result in tags being read that are far away or around the corner, which can lead to confusion and inaccurate readings, making it difficult to accurately determine the location of the RFID tag.

This is all fine for bulk inventory but not good for items picking.

Trying to pick by RFID

There are several challenges associated with trying to read only the desired RFID tags and not picking up signals from other nearby tags.

The reader picks up signals from all RFID tags that are currently sending signals, not just the one you want to read. This can result in a large amount of data being transmitted, and it can be difficult to determine which tag belongs to which item. This can be particularly challenging in environments where there are multiple RFID tags in close proximity, such as in a warehouse or retail store.

Again, reflections from metal and concrete surfaces can cause the RFID signal to be redirected in surprising ways, making it really difficult to accurately determine the location of the RFID tag.

The ability to read multiple tags simultaneously, the ability to read tags through non-metallic materials, and the ability to read tags that are not in line-of-sight of the reader are all good for bulk reads but not for accurate picking of items.

Real applications

In some cases, RFID and barcodes can be used together to provide a comprehensive solution for tracking and identifying items.?

For example, RFID tags can be attached to pallets or shipping containers to provide real-time tracking information, while barcodes can be used to identify and pick individual items within the pallets or containers.

Another example is taking shop inventory by RFID but picking the same items by barcodes.? Cycle inventory is crucial for omnichannel trade and doing it with barcodes is really tough, so people use RFID for that.? But picking the same omnichannel orders with RFID is not achievable, you should pick them by barcode, and then maybe scan with RFID the whole picked order to check whether it was picked correctly or not.

RFID tags can be made small and unobtrusive and can be attached to a wide range of items, from consumer goods, retail products, pallets and shipping containers to full metallic objects that will be used in harsh environments.

One very interesting application of RFID instead of barcodes is asset tracking of items that cannot sustain a barcode on their surface: rails, bars, pipes, drill equipment, scaffolding, formware, etc.? The reason for using RFID is its ability to be robustly attached to an item to survive scratches and to be read at distance through dirt, sand and even some snow.

Conclusions

Although both RFID and barcodes are both technologies of item identification, they are not a replacement for each other.

Barcodes are still widely used in many applications due to their low cost, ease of use, and widespread availability. Barcode scanning is a fast and reliable way to retrieve information about an item, and barcode readers are widely available and inexpensive.

Overall, while RFID is a powerful and versatile technology for tracking and identifying items, it can be challenging to read only specific tags in certain environments, and additional technologies or techniques may be required to achieve the desired level of accuracy and precision.