Real-time Production Visibility Protocol using Radiofrequency Identification Technology at a Blinds Manufacturing Company

Visibility Systems are utilized in the manufacturing processes to detect the status of the production activity, analyze its performance (such as total production number, cycle time & bottlenecks) and help make intelligent decisions to improve them. These systems are an essential element of the business strategy and can contribute to obtaining competitive advantage through a real-time visibility characteristic. Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) is an Automated Data Identification and Acquisition Technology that enables the collection and transferring of production and business information for the purpose of managing and presenting manufacturing data in a way that can generate added value to the industry of application. This technology uses radio waves in order to transfer the previously recorded data from an electronic tag (RFID tag) that is adhered to an object or product, through a transceiver (RFID reader) for the purpose of identifying and tracing the object of interest through the manufacturing process utilizing a backend system for the filtering and administrating of such coded information. This paper introduces to the basics of the RFID technology and applies this knowledge to a Manufacturing Process in a company located in Mexico through the development of an RFID Application Protocol. The RFID Application Protocol consists of the following parts: RFID Architecture Selection guided by key questions; RFID Traceability Network Design including the Dynamic of the Product; RFID Application Parameters through experimentation in an RFID Laboratory; and finally Manufacturing Data Visibility through Simulation.