RFID in complex production and logistics processes in the automotive industry

Abstract

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is used in production and logistics in the automotive industry to automate and optimise processes, as RFID has some advantages over barcodes, e.g., no line of sight is needed and RFID transponders can be read in a bulk. When introducing a new RFID application into a company, a pilot is usually carried out first, to test the feasibility. If the pilot is successful, the application is then transferred to series operation in a production area. If the series operation of the RFID application works reliably, the RFID application is rolled out in other production areas, halls, and plants, so that they can also benefit from the advantages of RFID, such as time savings in newly automated processes. However, the rollout and operation of RFID applications pose major challenges. During rollout, for example, the antennas of an RFID gate must be aligned in the best possible way because the positioning and orientation between RFID transponders and antennas influence the detection rate. Due to the many possible mounting heights and angles of the antennas of an RFID gate, their optimal alignment is a major challenge. Currently, the most common methods for doing so are exemplary guidelines based on expert knowledge and the trial-and-error principle, but so far no algorithm has been published that systematically determines the optimal antenna orientation to increase the detection rate, to the best of the author’s knowledge. Therefore, in this work, a new algorithm for optimal antenna alignment was developed and tested with the objective of improving the detection rate compared to the approach based on expert knowledge and the trial-and-error principle. During a rollout, the RFID installation is set up and put into operation in a new environment. The different environmental influences lead to different sources of interference, which have a negative effect on the detection rate. Due to the lack of application experience, it is a challenge to systematically identify and reduce these sources of interference, because there are no test procedures or guidelines for this activity. Therefore, in this work, a new test procedure was developed for the identification and reduction of sources of interference. The verification shows that the application of this test procedure eliminated all simulated sources of interference and thus significantly improved the performance, such as the detection rate. During operation, the data generated by RFID installations are not used for further analyses and insights to optimise material flow, which could help to solve a common and often reiterated problem, the low-cost efficiency of RFID. Therefore, a model for a digital twin of the RFID-enabled material flow in real time was developed in this work, and then implemented in a practical case study to prove its feasibility. A simulative profitability analysis shows the potential cost savings through this digital twin. An additional user survey confirms that the digital twin of the RFID-enabled material flow in real time could be very helpful and needed to optimise the material flow.