RFID: Moving From Manual To Automated

As companies become increasingly aware of the liabilities and frustrations inheren in manually affixing RFID labels, commonly called “slap and ship,” they are investigating a transition to automated RFID tagging. RFID “slap and ship” scenarios are generally recognized as an added cost process while automated tagging opens the door to reducing
cost and adding value. However, since they are two very different processes, transitioning to automated RFID tagging requires specific considerations.

Label Considerations
The first step is to review the current, non-RFID labeling operation. If an automated, print-apply labeling solution is already in place, the key decision is whether to modify the existing label to include the RFID inlay or leave the existing application and label as is and, instead, add a dedicated RFID-based print-apply system to encode, print and apply a small RFID label where and when needed.