RFID and Auto-ID in Planning and Logistics : A Practical Guide for Military UID Applications

Now that RFID technology has come of age and there are numerous choices, the challenge has become how to select the right one for the job. A practical reference on the workings of RFID and Auto-ID technologies such as satellite tags and barcodes and their integration into logistics initiatives, this book covers background, history, and current applications. It delineates a decision model for choosing RFID and other Auto-ID technologies. It covers integrating and developing RFID and Auto-ID applications, traditional planning and logistics, military UID requirements, and future research.

As RFID technology is becoming increasingly popular, the need has arisen to address the challenges and approaches to successful implementation. RFID and Auto-ID in Planning and Logistics: A Practical Guide for Military UID Applications presents the concepts for students, military personnel and contractors, and corporate managers to learn about RFID and other automatic information capture technologies, and their integration into planning and logistics functions. The text includes comparisons of RFID with technologies such as bar codes, satellite tags, and global positioning systems and provides a decision model for choosing the appropriate technology for a given application.

By providing the histories, current use, and future applications of RFID and automatic identification technologies (AIT), the book discusses supply chain planning and logistics uses for these technologies. It addresses the fundamental relationships in RFID, including how antennae, integrated circuitry, and substrate work together. The text provides detailed information for troubleshooting design issues and an understanding of passive, semi-passive, and active tags, so an informed choice of technology type can be made. It describes the unique identification (UID) standards necessary for military contractors and how to use RFID and AIT to meet those requirements.

This book is unique in the depth of material presented, making it appropriate for engineers, students, and operational personnel as a resource for foundational concepts for integrating logistics and RFID. A comprehensive reference, this volume can is an academic text, a practitioner’s handbook, and a military contractor’s UID guide for using RFID and AIT technologies.