Current RFID mandates have focused on the use of RFID technology to automatically read pallet tags as they are driven off of a truck and into a facility. Using RFID technology to capture the EPC code on an inbound pallet provides some of these benefits:

• Eliminate the need for a hand held or truck mount terminal and/or bar code scanner for material handlers
• Eliminate the need to point and shoot at a bar code on each pallet received
• Provide visual indicators to a fork truck operator regarding valid receipts
• Automatically confirm receipt of product without human intervention
• Streamline the amount of time it takes to receive a pallet into the facility:
  • Eliminate the need to stage, scan the bar code, then pickup and put away the pallet.
  • Receiving is accomplished simply by driving the pallet into the facility
• Provide increased visibility to received product
  • There is no delay between the time product enters the facility and when it is recorded/confirmed.
  • Pallets are read as they arrive not after they are staged and subsequently scanned.

Current RFID mandates have also focused on the use of RFID technology to automatically read carton tags as they pass along on a conveyor system as they are brought into a facility. In many distribution centers and freight depots the contents of pallets are sometimes emptied onto conveyors to be re-sorted and either stored or shipped to different stores/destinations. Using RFID technology to capture the EPC code on an inbound pallet provides some of these benefits:

• Eliminate the need for a fixed mount scanner on the conveyor:
  • Scanners have optical lenses and oscillating components that require regular cleaning and/or maintenance.
  • RFID interrogators are solid state and have no moving parts.
• Provide PLC connections to control routing of invalid cartons to special handling lanes
• Automatically confirm receipt of product without human intervention
• Streamline the amount of time it takes to receive cartons into the facility:
  • Eliminate the need to handle cartons one at a time. Multiple cartons may be read at once.
  • Receiving is accomplished simply by conveying the carton past an RFID reader
• Provide increased visibility to received product
  • You do not need to rely on a material handler to scan each individual carton.