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Oct. 30, 2013 -- The NFC Forum, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world's airlines, have announced the joint publication of the "NFC Reference Guide for Air Travel” as a comprehensive free reference guide available to download from the NFC Forum's website. The document seeks to help the global air travel industry better understand and evaluate the potential benefits and costs, use cases, and implementation options associated with the adoption of NFC technology. IATA members contributed expertise about requirements for the technology's use in various aspects of air transport, and NFC Forum members provided details about implementation options and practical information about existing applications. Potential uses of NFC technology for air travel that save time for passengers and streamline operations for airlines and other businesses include: •    NFC use for secure provision, storage, and reading of boarding passes on mobile devices •    NFC on a mobile device to enable "tap-and-go" access to elite lounges •    Airlines and airports using NFC to provide (and cancel) access to secured areas to staff via their mobile devices •    NFC tags coded and embedded in luggage tags to quickly access baggage information and better track bags' progress •    Travellers tapping their NFC-enabled devices to enter a parking garage, pay at exit, or store parking details for later reference •    NFC's well-established payment applications for purchases in airport shops, and even on board the aircraft "It's a great example of how organizations working jointly can help guide an industry towards consensus on technology adoption. The ultimate beneficiaries will be air travellers, who will enjoy faster boarding, easier baggage management, and other benefits through the use of NFC” said Koichi Tagawa, Chairman of the NFC Forum. "NFC holds substantial promise to provide a smoother and faster airport experience for travellers. The NFC Reference Guide for Air Travel will be a valuable guide to help stakeholders identify potential opportunities from adoption of NFC technology," said Stephan Copart, IATA Head, Strategy, Industry Services Transformation. Click here to download the NFC Reference Guide for Air Travel (800KB)

• Ticketing for events or public transport
• Guiding systems for exhibition visitors
• Cashless parking
• Access control or Time & Attendance
• Charging points for electro mobility

Aceprox Read/Write Units support current NFC Transponders to NFC Forum Type 2, like e.g.. Ntag 203, 213, 216 or Mifare Ultralight. Depending on the application either only the ID code or the complete memory contents can be read out or be re-written.

Besides Read/Write Units the AceProx GmbH also offers NFC transponders in different shapes, e.g., as a self-destroying label for driver's licenses.

Background to G.L.B. ‘Black Snake’ Strops Black Snake was established in January 2002 as an Australian manufacturer of recovery strops designed specifically for vehicle recovery and towing. The use of specially engineered manufacturing equipment allows them to construct a range of specialised, as well as custom made, recovery strops for mining, industrial, military and recreational requirements. The outcome is that Black Snake has become an increasingly sought after supplier of recovery strops in Australia and overseas. Product development is continuing and custom products are being fabricated every day to meet customers’ requirements. The new production facility, with recently increased capacity, has supported their expansion to meet the needs of a growing export market.   Problem Solving using RFID The range of Black Snake strops is extensive and identification of each product either in the field, or when returned for repairs, was difficult and time consuming. Labels added during manufacturing are quickly lost, or removed, in the demanding environment of mining or industrial operations.  

By embedding a RFID HF Laundry tag supplied by Electro-Com (Australia) Pty Ltd, in the strop during the manufacturing process, identification of each strop can be with a PDA or NFC enabled device, such as a mobile phone as the tag reader.  

Electro-Comis a leading specialist supplier of RFID equipment, and worked closely with Black Snake to determine the most effective solution for their application. Since using RFID tags in their strops, Black Snake have been able to significantly improve their field support enquiries from users (sometimes from remote mining sites) with identification of the strop easily facilitated by using a mobile phone.     Information when needed means time saved The same benefits apply when strops are returned to Black Snake for repair. Although the operation has a desktop reader used for programming the new strop prior to despatch, the mobile phone provides a quick and simple way of identification down on the factory floor. The performance, quality and support Black Snake provides has led to increasing off-shore sales. The ability to manage and monitor each strop, whether from a field enquiry or if returned for repairs, helps Black Snake to not only respond to enquiries quickly and effectively, but manage and monitor performance of their on-going product development efforts to ensure continual product improvement.    

John Johnston, National Sales Manager for Black Snake is excited about the growing offshore demand for the unique characteristics built into their strops and noted that “The help from Electro-Com’s technical team in finding a suitable RFID solution to meet our product tracking needs was invaluable. It allowed us to develop and implement an identification system that helps us with on-going product development and improved field support for the sales volumes we are now experiencing”. To find out how an RFID based solution can help solve your product tracking challenges and improve quality control call Electro-Com (Australia) Pty Ltd on (03) 9535 0700 or email technical@electrocom.com.au.

Further Developments

Another level of utilising RFID in healthcare has also been around for some time, though the application is still more widely used in the US and Europe than in Australia.

This is where RFID is integrated into equipment to provide a further improvement in automation bringing better compliance, greater cost savings and improved patient care. Two examples are:

• Automated Inventory Management. These internet enabled RFID enclosures provide authorised users with controlled access and real-time inventory management capabilities for pharmaceuticals, implants, tissue and biologics, reagents, cardiovascular products, orthopaedic products and hazardous materials.

• Medication Tray Management. For hospital facilities that manage a large

number of medication kits and trays, the ability to ensure that the correct number of the ‘right’ products, within expiry date, are present. This is a leap forward in inventory management and the reduction of human error.   The next level

Now RFID brings, through the use of sensor tags, a new level of patient care combined with improved staff utilisation. Three examples are:

Tracking Patient rolling. Using an Internet of Things (IoT) system that detects the well-being of patients by capturing sensor-based data from patient mattresses. This system is able to alert management, and healthcare providers, when a patient leaves their bed as well how often, and when, they turnover – important for the prevention of bed sores. The regular rolling of patients for this reason is not only time consuming and labourious, but disturbing for patients who may be sleeping - and may not need to be rolled over!

Incontinence. This application of RFID has an additional benefit to the usual saving of time, reduction of costs and elimination of errors. The primary benefit here is to support patient dignity. Where incontinence is a likely consideration, such as aged care facilities, checking for wetness several times a day is not only invasive and uncomfortable for the patient but another time consuming task for the staff. A strategically placed peel-and-stick passive UHF RFID sensor tag allows a close proximity check without physical intervention or the patient even being aware the check has been done.

Vital signs monitoring. How useful would it be to be able to detect a patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs without touching the patient? The approach involves a tag being placed in close proximity to the source being monitored (such as a patient’s heart). It can be attached to clothing, or a chip could be sewn directly into an outfit. Although still in the early stages of development (the first prototype testing was completed in April 2017) when fully commercialised the potential is obvious.

If you would like further information on any of the above RFID applications in healthcare, or you would like to explore other ways RFID technology could help improve your operation, I would be happy to discuss. Please call me on (03) 9535 0700. Peter Scott

“By acquiring PANMOBIL, FEIG ELECTRONIC expands its product line of LF, HF and UHF RFID hardware with mobile AutoID devices optimized for use in logistics and manufacturing operations,” reports Eldor Walk, Managing Director, FEIG ELECTRONIC. “At the same time, FEIG expands into the field of barcode technology which is a great compliment to our RFID portfolio.”

As a new business field for mobile AutoID products, the name PANMOBIL will remain and integrated into the IDENTIFICATION business unit of FEIG ELECTRONIC. As a result, all PANMOBIL products are subject to the same high quality standards as FEIG products.

FEIG ELECTRONIC takes over the business operations of advanced PANMOBIL systems GmbH & Co. KG, and will trade under FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH from March 1, 2018 and will continue to operate from its location in Cologne.

With the acquisition of PANMOBIL FEIG ELECTRONIC continues to invest for sustainable growth. Following the establishment of a branch office for the expansion of the PAYMENT division in Bad Hersfeld in October 2016, the expansion of the RFID hardware portfolio with the smart mobile products from PANMOBIL is a further step into the future.

 

Good cooperation: A handshake between Eldor Walk, managing director of FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH (2nd from the right) and Peter Schmidt, founder of PANMOBIL, confirms the acquisition of the AutoID specialist by FEIG. Andreas Binder from PANMOBIL (left) and Markus Desch from FEIG (right) are responsible for the successful integration into the FEIG Group.

The competencies of FEIG ELECTRONIC and PANMOBIL complement each other perfectly.

As an early pioneer in AutoID, PANMOBIL has been developing innovative products producing hybrid barcode and RFID acquisition devices for more than 30 years. Focused on mobile platform for use in almost all areas, the product range includes wearable products supported by intelligent software apps making deployments easy to deploy and simple to use.

FEIG ELECTRONIC is a privately held German manufacturer in business for more than 50 years. In addition to its Controller Division for industrial doors, Sensors Division for parking and traffic technology and Payment Division for contactless NFC payment, the Identification Division offers a comprehensive portfolio of RFID hardware for inventory control, asset tracking, secure access and perimeter protection for use in logistics and automation supporting all passive HF and UHF transponders using a defined ISO standard.

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Two great German RFID equipment suppliers are now under the one company. As the primary Australian and New Zealand distributor of both FEIG ELECTRONIC and PANMOBIL, Electro-Com is pleased to see the acquisition of PANMOBIL by FEIG. The competencies of both complement each other perfectly.

FEIG ELECTRONIC takes over the business operations of advanced PANMOBIL systems GmbH & Co. KG, and will trade under FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH from March 1, 2018 and will continue to operate from its location in Cologne.

FEIG ELECTRONIC is one of the leading manufacturers of RFID technology (LF, HF and UHF), especially for stationary applications, while PANMOBIL has 35 years of experience in the field of mobile ID devices.

For further information on Feig or Panmobil, please contact Electro-Com

RFID technology provides efficiencies – that’s not new!

In principle RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) can solve any number of logistical problems associated with tracking items, equipment or materials. Whether tracking pharmaceutical products, from distribution centre to retail outlets, or tools and equipment used in mining operations, RFID is a proven solution to automate this tracking process and improve operational efficiencies.

This is facilitated with the use of readers, and tags (passive or active), which are readily attached to the items that need to be tracked.

However, sometimes things aren’t always that straightforward! What if the material we need to track is iron ore? And what if the ore has to pass through a crusher!

And what if significant operational improvements could flow from knowing the history of the ore before it entered the crusher? For example, where in the mine the material originated?

If this problem could be solved, it could have a big impact on improving the overall goal of a mining operation - which is to maximise profitability by fully exploiting the interaction between the mine and the mill. The source and properties of the ore fed into the crushing circuit and concentrator need to be well understood and must be tracked through the processes in order to quantify their effect through the production chain.

 

In order to gain better visibility on the situation, Metso’s PRO team developed rugged RFID tags, called SmartTag™, designed to be inserted into the rock before it is blasted. RFID readers are placed on conveyor belts in a mineral processing plant, allowing the ore to be tracked from the mine face and throughout the entire processing plant. This means that spatially-based ore characteristics such as ore hardness and mineral content, can be linked with time-based performance in the plant.

 

The data collected from Metso’s SmartTag™ system allows operating parameters and control strategies in the mine and processing plant to be continually adjusted and optimised for different ore types entering the plant. This can result in reduced costs and increased profitability.

 

What does the solution deliver?

• • Validation of improvements in the mining process i.e. how do changes made to the way the mine operates, for example blasting patterns, effect the performance of the plant i.e. increase throughput.

• • Reconciling what is estimated to be in the mine to what is actually produced by the plant

• • Ore loss (ore sent to waste) and dilution (waste sent to the plant) monitoring

• Identification of problem ores and proactively finding a solution

Collaboration – bringing technology and ingenuity together.

Electro-Com Australia Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s leading specialist distributors of RFID equipment, supplies Metso with readers and tags for the SmartTag™ Ore Tracking System.  As a direct distributor of an extensive range of RFID equipment and tags, Electro-Com, supported by one of the most experienced technical teams in the business, has been involved in supporting the development of this successful system. 

Electro-Com’s 15+ years’ experience as a supplier of RFID equipment has led to early involvement in a number of high profile RFID applications including Metso’s SmartTag™ Ore Tracking System, Qantas ‘Next Generation Check-in’, National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), Vehicle Tracking (in collaboration with a major supplier of automotive Dealer Management Systems), Supply Chain applications (for tracking high value pharmaceutical products), and patient tracking in a number of hospitals (incl. Royal Melbourne Hospital).

Links:

Metso.com:https://www.metso.com/solutions/process-integration-and-optimization/

Electro-Com:http://electrocom.clients.zibmedia.net.au/ orwww.rfid.com.au

 

Whether vehicle, or pedestrian, if you require a reader to trigger an event through a Wiegand driven Control Panel we have 2 highly functional and cost effective solutions. Depending on whether you require 1, or up to 4 credentials driven access lanes (2 lanes with both In & Out access required).

Single Lane Access point – Wiegand to controller output

If your requirement is for a single lane access (with automatic exit), then the IP65 rated Invengo XC-RF850 Integrated Reader is a compact, fully integrated, very cost-effective option for you. Download datasheet here

Multi-Lane Access Points – Wiegand to controller output

A perfect solution when your requirement is for multi-lane access. For example, access to a multi-level car park where 2 lane access is required, with automatic exit, or where credentialed exit is required on both lanes in and out (i.e. 4 points where credentialed access is required). This situation is easily handled by using FEIG’s UHF Long Range Reader ID ISC.LRU1002 in combination with a FEIG Wiegand switch. Download datasheet here. Download Accessories datasheet here.