GS1 Australia manages National EPC network demonstrator project extension
RMIT University and GS1 Australia co-managed the project and provided technical advice.
Telstra provided the EPC communications through their Adaptive Asset Manager RFID solution and networking infrastructure for project team members such as ACCO, Capilano Honey, CHEP, Franklins, Linfox, MasterFoods Snackfood, NEC, Procter & Gamble and Westgate Logistics.
Retriever Communications “RFID-enabled” their application at CHEP and provided a scanning application for handheld RFID readers integrated to the Telstra system.
Objectives:
- Achieve electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) and paperless delivery
- Investigate data management and integration requirements when introducing EPC/RFID to existing business systems and processes
- Develop commercial pathways for EPC/RFID service provision
- Test the interoperability of EPC/RFID solutions through the use of global standards
The process:
- The project tracked EPC/RFID-tagged pallets as they moved through the supply chain to the customer and explored the benefits of real-time asset management with built-in alerts that control reconciliation at the point of breakdown
- EPC/RFID tags on pallets were read. A managed software service was used to communicate the information between supply chain partners, and confirmation then sent to the truck driver’s Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
- Software installed on the PDA showed how many pallets were read at the delivery site and identified any discrepancies when compared with the original purchase order
- With more than 10 million pallets in circulation throughout Australia, managing these assets can be time-consuming
- As assets move between trading partners, irregularities are sometimes difficult to spot in transit and later, difficult to reconcile. Sometimes discrepancies may not be found until monthly stock take and reconciliation
Technology:
- Requirements for embedding EPC/RFID-enabled processes into existing business systems were investigated, including data management and integration requirements
- Electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) and paperless delivery were examined using EPCglobal standards and the recently ratified standards for Gen2 RFID technology and the EPC Information Service (EPCIS)
Key performance indictors: the accuracy of EPC/RFID read results for inventory and delivery; quality; productivity; and process efficiency:
- The consortium considered options which would assist businesses (especially SMEs) in adopting EPC/RFID technology at a lower start up cost, achieving ROI more quickly
- RFID readers and tags from several suppliers were used to examine interoperability facilitated by EPC global standards to test the business option for ‘shopping around’ when selecting RFID hardware
- The consortium explored the benefits of real-time asset management with built-in alerts that control reconciliation at the point of breakdown
- The ability for EPC/RFID to allow real-time sharing of information across the supply chain and streamline business processes (to improve accuracy and save time) was tested
- The accuracy, reliability and speed of using EPC/RFID technology were also tested
13-Jun-2007