Page 61 - DCAP311_DCAP607_WIRELESS_NETWORKS

Unit 3: Radio Frequency and Light Signal Fundamentals

identification tags to be read from virtually any angle, without a direct line of sight. “This Notes
capability alone saves significantly on inventory management time and labor and greatly
improves inventory and shipping accuracy. RFID tagging could also make it easier for
brick suppliers to sell their products to big box retailers with RFID compliance mandates,”
notes Burnett.
HackTrac System Components
The components comprising the StarkFG system include:

StarkFG proprietary software, built on a Microsoft MS.Net platform, and incorporating
802.11b wireless communication protocol to integrate with a user’s centralized wireless
local area network (WLAN)

Forklift-mounted computers made by Noax Technologies AG, a German producer of
ruggedized, industrial touch-panel computers
RFID readers from Alien Technology, also forklift-mounted

Rugged, weather-resistant, 8-inch wide, wet inlay RFID tags (Class 1 Gen 2) incorporating
Intermec antennas and Avery Dennison RFID’s AD-220 Inlays
An 8-inch RFID label printer/encoder, supplied by Avery Dennison
Since each manufacturer has its own inventory management procedures, Stark RFID
works closely with customers to map out their processes and configure the system to
their specific requirements. The company also provides users with middleware to allow
them to integrate the inventory management system with their ERP system, providing a
convenient end-to-end turnkey solution.

Burnett adds that Stark RFID performed its own extensive ‘guerilla’ testing of the RFID tags
in real-world outdoor environments to ensure their performance, durability and reliability,
even under extreme weather conditions.
Real-World Results: Cost Savings, Improved Customer Service
The true test of an RFID-enabled solution is how well it performs in the real world.
According to reports from Stark RFID’s customers, the system has proven to be so reliable
that not a single mis-shipment has occurred since StarkFG has been up and running.
Among Stark RFID’s brick manufacturing customers are Lee Brick of Sanford, North
Carolina, a manufacturer of high quality residential, commercial and architectural brick,
and Columbus Brick, a regional brick producer in Columbus, Mississippi.

StarkFG has proven to be a highly effective automation tool for companies in the refractory
manufacturing industry as well. One StarkFG user in this market sector is a leading
global provider of custom-engineered, high-temperature insulating fibers, firebrick and
monolithics used in industrial furnaces and for fire protection. For all users, the primary
benefits of the RFID-enabled track-and trace system include improved inventory accuracy,
elimination of incorrect shipments, and increased speed and productivity in order picking,
loading and shipping. In fact, the inventory manager at Lee Brick said his company was
able to completely eliminate manual cycle counts due to the dead-on accuracy of the
StarkFG system.
Once StarkFG is implemented and workflow becomes faster and more streamlined,
manufacturers may find that fewer forklifts are required in the brickyard or warehouse.
The result: more efficient asset utilization, significant cost savings, improved profitability,
and higher customer satisfaction.
Burnett asserts that the toughness and durability of the system’s RFID tags are key to its
successful performance in these harsh industrial environments. “For a track-and-trace
system like StarkFG to work effectively, you need to ensure 100 percent RFID tag read rates
Contd...

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