Manufacturing Today Issue - 220 January 2024 | Page 15

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Innovation
◀ RFID technology uses radio waves to transmit information from RFID tags to an RFID reader . The tags contain a sensor that enables the data transmission . Each sensor typically contains unique identifiers , and a reader can simultaneously scan more than 100 tags instantly without requiring line-ofsight visibility . That makes it easy to automate some processes that might otherwise require additional time and resources and are prone to human error .
▶ With RFID technology , the user can collect a bag of 500 pieces along with 100 other various pieces in a tub . When placed on the scanning table , one RFID swipe calculates the entire inventory of all the pieces in the tub in seconds and with extremely accurate data .
▶ Swiping RFID tags is made simple with a small scanning table that records inventory consumption data in seconds .
Be patient . Remember that the small wins lead to big innovation . Don ’ t be afraid to implement an idea that fails .
Don ’ t wait ! Your competition has already started . Even the smallest innovation can give you an edge over the competition . A successful small innovation can disrupt an entire marketplace .
True innovators are driven by the desire to revolutionize industries , kept up at night dreaming of altering the landscape of their marketplace . Incremental innovation is the new big business and can give even small businesses an edge over big industry . ■
Andrew Johnson is an entrepreneur , inventor , and business owner . Formerly the sales manager at the family distribution company , he is now the CEO of ShelfAware , which is redefining industrial supply chains by leveraging RFID technology , the internet , and the power of data . ShelfAware is an automated supply chain platform designed specifically for suppliers and consumers of physical inventory goods . The sophisticated technology is easy to use and equips business-to-business suppliers with a next generation supply chain solution - saving time and labor for both the supplier and the consumer .
Andrew Johnson shelfawarevmi . com
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