Not Barcodes Or RFID, But Both: Leveraging Printer Infrastructure To Reap The Benefits Of Converging Technologies

Industry analyst VDC Research Group puts it succinctly: “Although these two technologies could be perceived as direct competitors for the same applications, end users continue to require both solutions—and this is not a short-term condition.”2 While RFID may not have emerged as rapidly as it might have in the wake of the Wal-Mart initiative, its time is now.

“We are heading into this RFID world because of a multitude of issues, ranging from regulatory pressures to security to inventory control,” says Cindy Guiles, product manager at Datamax-O’Neil. “Those things relate to everyone, from their own consumer perspectives, but also when they put on their business hats; those that have invested in printer technology like that provided by Datamax-O’Neil should know that
they have the ability, with the infrastructure they have in place today, to embrace RFID while continuing to meet their barcode needs.”

This paper considers the ramifications of the barcode/RFID convergence, and specifically details how printer technology can be leveraged to provide value by working for both barcode and RFID solutions. The two technologies are reviewed independently—their objectives and utilization—as well as what their convergence means: how it can be used, where it can be used, and when the combination is most effectively employed. It concludes with a look at what this means in terms of printing, and how printer technology has prepared the way for growth by being able to accommodate both barcode and RFID requirements.

Download the full white paper below.