Barcode / RFID / Vision

With the ever-increasing pace of manufacturing processes and the logistics needed for on-time and accurate delivery, asset management with real-time inventory levels and product tracking has become a vital component of industrial automation. Identification systems are used to identify and track a product or part as it moves through the manufacturing and/or delivery process. This added visibility provides many benefits, including:

• Real-time data on the complete production process, from start to finish, providing insight into process improvements
• Efficient management and control of important assets
• Accurate tracking to ensure the right part/product gets to the right place
• Quickly locating products with quality issues in order to remedy the situation effectively

The three main types of technology used in industrial identification are RFID, vision systems, and optical identification, with barcode scanners and RFID devices being the most prevalent.

• Barcode scanners are optical code-reading systems that will recognize coded labels placed on products/parts. They provide a reliable means of product tracking where a clear, direct line of site exists between the scanner and label.
• For applications where there is no direct line of sight, where a greater amount of identification data is required, or where the stored ID data needs to be changed frequently, RFID systems should be employed.
• To check the quality of a finished product or verify an object's alignment, vision sensors can compare a real-time captured image of a product to the taught data and determine if the product passes or fails inspection.