Raising RFID Value And Performance With Forklift-Mounted Readers

As radio frequency identification (RFID) use grows, so does knowledge about the best ways to implement the technology. Installing RFID readers on forklifts is emerging as a best practice that can significantly reduce RFID implementation costs while improving accuracy and efficiency for shipping, receiving and other operations. Forkliftmounted readers can be used as an alternative or complement to dock door and other fixed-position RFID equipment, and provide important flexibility advantages that allow organizations to cost effectively add new applications or reconfigure their facilities.

This white paper describes forklift-mounted RFID reading systems and their uses, explains their benefits and limitations for shipping, receiving, picking, putaway and other common operations, and presents considerations and criteria for selecting equipment.

Forklift-mounted RFID systems have the same basic components as other RFID systems: an antenna for sending and receiving RFID signals that is connected to a processor for decoding and communication with the host computer or software application. Unlike fixed readers which in general operate asynchronously, forklift-mounted RFID readers function as a component of a mobile directed RFID solution collecting discrete data as part of a system directed and synchronized operation. A mobile computer on the forklift typically provides the operator instructions associated with a given operation. The mobile computer can also run RFID applications and communicate RFID data to host systems over a wireless LAN – RFID and wireless LAN technologies can be used simultaneously in the same area without interference.