Simply RFiD

Free Pass to ISC West in Las Vegas - Come learn about RFID Asset Tracking!

Join us in March 23 - 26 at the ISC West show in Las Vegas. This premiere security industry event connects everyone from solution creators to implementers to those that need to find out more. SimplyRFiD will be there showing off our RFID Asset Tracking Solution -- Nox. Click the link below to sign up for a free pass to the exhibit hall and come visit us at booth 2061! 

 

ISC West - RFID Asset Tracking Protects Businesses

 SimplyRFiD will be exhibiting at the ISC West show in Las Vegas in March. This important show will feature loads of information and exhibitors from the international security industry. It's a great opportunity to see what the year has in store for security professionals, learn a lot, and make useful networking connections. 

Join us there March 24-26 and learn all about our Nox RFID Asset Tracking system. The system combines RFID, readers, software and high-definition cameras to monitor everything that the user wants to keep track of. It's works on everything from laptops and important hardware to file folder to people. It's not just asset tracking, it's asset surveillance. Join us in Las Vegas in March to see for yourself why Nox can work for your business.  

We'll have more information on this show in the coming weeks, so stay tuned or click above to sign up for RSS updates. 

Asset tracking with Excel: Use a program you already know to do something you never thought possible!

Asset Tracking with Excel

Learning how to use new software might be one of the things that can prevent an organization from moving forward implementing a new system. Sure, the system might have all the bells and whistles and be exactly what you need to solve your problems, but that doesn't mean anything if no one can use it.

At SimplyRFiD, one of our mission is to make all of our products simple and reliable to use. When it comes to asset tracking, the last thing anyone wants is to spend more time on it than they already do. In order to simplify asset tracking, our Nox Asset tracking and visibility system makes use of Microsoft Office's Excel spreadsheets. Anyone familiar with that widely used application can learn how to use Nox to search for items and information in no time.

Learn how to use Nox Vault and Excel to track your assets below. It's as easy as 1-2-3 and 4.

How to use Excel to track assets

1. Create a spreadsheet with a list of all items being tagged and tracked. If you already have a system in place for keeping track of items, it can easily be integrated into the Nox system. If not, simply follow along with the sample spreadsheet included with the system.
2. Tag your assets with RFID Labesl When you order our Nox system, it comes with its own set of sample RFID tags. Learn about how to choose the best RFID tag for the job on our support page.
3. Take inventory with the Nox Vault handheld Once all the items you want to keep track of are tagged, it's easy to collect information about which items are where. Nox Vault can read up to 100 tags per second. As soon as each tag is scanned, they show up on the handheld's built-in screen as "Expected Found," "Missing," "Not recognized" and "Not expected."
4. Transfer results to computer It's simple to then apply that information to the spreadsheet you've already created. The Nox Vault handheld can be synced with your computer and the results will show up in Excel in exactly the way you need them to. Once uploaded,it's easy to search through the results to find exactly what you're looking for.

For those visual and aural learners out there, definitely check out our "How-to" video below.

Wanna give Nox a try for yourself, and see just how easy it is to use? Call us at +1 800 909 5524 so we can help you figure out exactly what sort of asset tracking and visibility you need to make your business run smoother.

Interop New York 2009: Learn about cutting edge IT, asset tracking and security solutions

Cloud computing, mobile business and the newest security innovations. What do these all have in common? The connection is Interop NY. Interop is a leading business IT event that focuses on providing knowledge and insight for decision makers throughout the business world. A combination of exhibitors, workshops and keynotes make the expo worthwhile for professionals from any number of industries. Visit the Interop blog to learn up to the minute facts about the event.

SimplyRFiD will be also be at Interop. We'll be focusing on providing all of our guests with information about our RFID tracking and security system. For everything from tracking important files as they move around the office to making sure the brand new laptop with crucial documents doesn't end up in the wrong hands. As technology gets more advanced, and more expensive, it becomes even more imperative to secure it. Let SimplyRFiD help you with our innovative, and affordable, solutions. Please come visit us at booth 129!

This year's expo is now less than a week away, but there's still time to plan your own trip to New York! Need more incentive? Follow this registration link and use the code: cndnnY07 to buy one pass and get the second pass free. And if you're planning on stopping by our booth, drop me an email at ashley.lange(at)simplyrfid.com for even more savings.

November Newsletter Posted: RFID Case Study and Shipping to the DoD with UID

This month's newsletter is chock full of great information for people looking for straightforward solutions to real problems.

• RFID Asset Tracking: Learn about Excel Manufacturing, a uniform provider for the Air Force, and how our Nox RFID asset tracking system saved them time and headaches by letting them know where every part of a shipment was at all times.
• UID Tags: Learn about UID and current requirements about shipping expensive or mission critical items to the Department of Defense.
• Connect with Experts: Find links to our monthly "webinar" series. Sign up to attend virtually! All you need is a computer, a microphone or a phone. Learn about the WAWF, DoD shipping requirements and get all your DoD-related questions answered!
• Rugged and affordable RFID: Find out about our RFID options. Need something that can withstand boiling, baking AND freezing (maybe not at the same time?) We've got you covered. Need something that costs less than what you might think? Got that covered as well. Find out more in our newsletter.

Headaches and Inefficiency, Asset Tracking With RFID Heals Both

By: Ashley Lange, October 30, 2009

We all know the frustration of losing articles of clothing. From the lost sock in the dryer to a misplaced shirt in the back of the closet, even the smallest of wardrobes lose items. It's a frustration everyone dreads. 

Now imagine dreading that frustration a thousand times a day, and you're beginning to understand the feeling Excel Manufacturing wants to avoid at all costs. Excel Manufacturing is headquartered in El Paso, Texas, and is a leading supplier of Air Force Airmen Battle Uniforms, or ABUs. They ship thousands of uniforms to the Air Force daily. While most uniforms arrive in perfect order, the company works hard avoiding even occasional mistakes.

Wireless Painkiller

Excel Manufacturing teamed with SimplyRFiD, an RFID Asset Tracking supplier to place a hi-tech tag on every item they produce. These are not just labels, like you pull off the back of your shirt.  SimplyRFiD makes Radio Frequency Identification labels – RFID Tags, for short.  When these RFID tags are affixed to one single item they create a radio signal that allows each item to be tracked and found.  With the tags in place, Excel is now able to pinpoint exactly how many items they have produced that hour, where they are and, when they can ship. Their system automatically checks the Air Force order to see if they are ahead of schedule and keeps them on-track to produce the right product on-time.
 

SimplyRFiD's solution involves their proprietary system called Nox. This system combines high-powered RFID tag readers, high-definition video cameras, an automated software system and millions of item-level RFID tags. Automatically scanning for the RFID tags, Nox identifies and tracks the garments as they move around the manufacturing floor and on to their final destination.

 
“Before using this technology, we were dependent on tracking by hand, literally using pen and paper,” says Jose Luis Ortega Jr, Vice President of Excel Manufacturing. “With the Nox system, asset tracking becomes valuable information and gives us a competitive edge.”


How does it all work together?

The day-to-day operations of the system are straightforward. The software automatically receives an order from the Department of Defense's VIM-ASAP system. The VIM stands for "Virtual Item Management," and is the Internet-based data storage site where manufacturers like Excel can get access to and download the information about their orders. Once the orders are downloaded, Nox creates an order queue for Excel to produce and tag each garment assigned to that order.  Each garment is tracked from the moment it is requested by the Department of Defense until it gets loaded onto pallets and shipped away. 

With the SimplyRFID Nox system on the job, RFID readers and high-definition video cameras monitor RFID tags attached to each article of clothing at key points along its journey. These key points are the workstation where items are tagged, the packing station, and the dock doors. At each point in the system handheld readers are used by the employees to ensure that all the tags that need to be in place are there. The handhelds can locate 100 garments per second and anything misplaced or left out is  immediately brought to the right person's attention. Stationary antennas are also attached in key areas. The stationary antennas automatically read each order’s data as it leaves the warehouse and send it along to the Department of Defense. The Nox system does it automatically. No person has to intervene!

“One of the reasons we are excited about this system is because it is automated,” Ortega Jr. says. “This frees up the employees to handle other tasks without having to worry about entering data or sending information to the DoD.”  Excel's previous system required them to guess how many items they would ship that day and pre-print labels to attach to items. The new Nox system produces tags on-demand as they are needed. In other words: The system adapts to the work in process and makes it more efficient for Excel to manufacture clothing rather than manage their label system.

With Nox, cameras also automatically record each event. A video record of each item's whereabouts is placed into a searchable database which allows the manager of the system to quickly look up each item movement.

"The beauty of the system is its ease of use," says Alice Richmond, vice president of SimplyRFiD. "It's possible to track every single item at every major point in its journey. For example, if there were a concern about an order shipped on August 28th, that date could be typed in to the search box. Immediately all records for that day, including all videos recorded, would appear. It's possible to get even more specific than that. Typing in the ID numbers, or even just the sizes and date, prompts all relevant information and videos to appear”, says Richmond. 

Nox and RFID
The technological heart of the system is SimplyRFiD's unique asset tracking and security system, Nox. Powerful handheld readers track the tags within its "sight," or  radio frequency range.  The reader automatically syncs with the software, and places all identifying tag items into the Nox database. Each handheld Nox reader is capable of reading up to 100 RFID  tags a second within a 20 foot radius. And, each Nox fixed reader can locate 190 tags per second in a 60 foot area.

"We developed Nox to increase productivity and reliability, so the speed and range of the reader is key."  says Richmond.

Other organizations that currently employ Nox-based systems include the FBI, the USDA, the Department of Defense, Computer Sciences Corp and the State of Florida Attorneys office.
  
In addition to item-level tags on each piece of clothing, there are smart RFID tags on each pallet and case. These tags meet standing Department of Defense requirements for shipping. They are passive UHF 900 Mhz Gen2 RFID tags, meaning they work without batteries. Passive tags are powered by activating signals sent from the RFID reader. They are significantly cheaper (about 20 cents vs. 20 dollars) than active RFID tags, which have a wider signal range, but must contain their own internal battery.  The item-level  tags used in this system are Avery Dennison AD223 tags. Avery Dennison tags all undergo rigorous ALT testing, or Accelerated Life Testing, which simulates effects of certain longer term conditions in a shorter testing time period, says James Creel, Business Development Manager for Avery Dennison Corporation. Tests include a bend test and ESD or electro static discharge test. The environmental testing includes thermal cycling and shock, and temperature-humidity testing.
 
During additional in-situation tests performed on-site by SimplyRFiD, the tags produced 100% accurate readings in one second over 10 tries. Each roll contains 1500 tags, and come pre-hole punched and ready to apply.  

 
In-house tag printing 

While it's possible to order pre-made tags from SimplyRFiD, Excel Manufacturing opted for the ability to print their own tags as they needed them. The printers used in this system are three Zebra R110Xi 300DPI printers. SimplyRFiD recommends this high-performance printer because of its reliability and capability to print over one million tags a month.
 
“The Zebra R110Xi offers an unprecedented level of on-demand printing flexibility in tag placement printing,” said Carolyn Ricci, senior product manager, RFID, Zebra Technologies. “And with it’s advanced reader module, it also offers the flexibility needed to guarantee a simple, cost-free upgrade path to emerging RFID protocols.”

The End Result

Before implementing SimplyRFiD's Nox solution, human attention to detail was the last line of defense against errors in shipping for Excel Manufacturing. With thousands of items being packed, human fallibility presented a weakness in the system.   By installing an automated system capable of accounting for each item, Excel can now focus on the important job of shipping quality uniforms to their clients.  The nitty gritty routine job of data entry, tracking, and printing, is handled automatically, without potential for human error. Even more importantly, Excel can use this system to improve upon an already efficient system, creating a better experience for everyone from employees to clients to the soldiers receiving their uniforms.

Nox for DoD was deployed at Excel Manufacturing on October 16, 2009. In the first day, they successfully shipped over 3,000 RFID tagged items with a capacity for 10,000 items per hour.

Excel Manufacturing
Excel Manufacturing is a technologically advanced clothing manufacturer for Department of Defense battle uniforms.

SimplyRFiD
Software developer of RFID logistics and asset tracking systems. SimplyRFiD deploys over 30 RFID  logistics and asset tracking systems every month with over 2,000 customers since 2002.

Download NoxVault Handheld RFID Asset Tracking brochure

Download Nox Item Level RFID system for DoD brochure

Our RFID tags can take the heat: Metal mount RFID tags withstand temperatures of up to 400 degrees Farenheit

Sometimes all you need to track is a few file folders full of vital information. These folders probably won't leave the safe confines of your office or building, and probably don't need to stand up to much more than some overzealous handlers or a spilled cup of coffee. For that task, RFID tags optimized for use on cardboard or paper paired with high definition cameras and readers will probably suffice. 

But sometimes you need something tougher. You need a tag that can withstand the heat and the rain and lots of handling and difficult situations. As you might imagine, not all tags are up to the task. However, it can be even more imperative to track the locations of the toughest objects in your organization, including servers, laptops, tools and other metallic objects. 

Durable and Tested

For these types of objects, SimplyRFiD has our NOX-TM4 series of tested and guaranteed tags that will stand up to even the most severe use. 

Our tags have been boiled... 

Our tags have been frozen...

And our tags have been baked...

For more information about the more serious and long term testing done on these tags, check out our previous blog post on RFID stress tests. 

How to Use Your Tough-As-Nails Tags

Our tags are metal mount tags, and are actually optimized to perform the best on metallic surfaces, achieving at least 10' of reliable read range and sometimes even farther. The tags can be attached to surfaces with their own 3M9472LE adhesive strip on the top of the tag. Of course, if you need the tag to be more securely attached, the tag includes two holes that allow you to mount it with screws. Epoxy is also a legitimate solution. 

Once you've got your tags attached, the next step is tracking them. NOX-TM4 work with all EPC Gen 2 RFID readers. If you're looking for just such a reader (or if you have no idea what the last sentence meant at all) check out our NoxVault handheld RFID reader. The reader can be paired with an Excel spreadsheet that can be searched to find where any item it at all times. It can also be paired with other spreadsheets you've already created to keep track of your inventory. The reader can scan as many as 100 tags per second, allowing you to manage your assets in significantly less time than counting by hand, with much more accuracy.

Unfortunately, these tags aren't meant to work as well on non-metal surfaces, but we have a variety of other tags that can meet your other needs. Drop us an email or call at 1-800-909-5524. 

One week till ISC East: Learn about asset tracking with RFID!

We'd like to invite you to be SimplyRFiD's guest at ISC East in New York on October 27-29. ISC East is the premiere trade show for security professionals looking to learn about cutting edge security solutions and the state of the industry. It's a large show with 300 exhibitors scheduled to be strutting their stuff. 

If you're interested in going and still haven't signed up yet, we'd like to extend an invitation to you to join us next week to learn about RFID asset tracking with our Nox Vault system. The system can help you keep track of everything from laptops and servers to files and folders. 

Curious to learn more? Get free admission and 20% discount off any conference package by following that link, and drop us a line letting us know you're coming! 

RFID Reader

The SimplyRFiD Nox UHF RFID Reader:

• 190 Tag Reads per second - twice as fast as most RFID readers.
• Integrated antenna - easy to mount and deploy.
• Slave (secondary) antenna port - extra value / capability from a single reader install. Cover larger areas or small areas with more accuracy.
• Ready-to-deploy: Plug it in and RFID reads show up on your web browser, or via your cell phone -- all powered by Nox.
• PoE (power over ethernet) or WiFi
• EPC Generation 2 (900Mhz) UHF US Frequency - Korea, EU, and India frequency editions available for the same price.

Learn more about the Nox RFID reader. Questions? Contact an RFID Expert. We'll walk you through everything you need to know about RFID.

Price:

$995     SimplyRFiD UHF RFID Reader - PoE -- add to cart

$1,195  SimplyRFiD UHF RFID Reader - WiFi -- add to cart

$495     SimplyRFID UHF RFID Reader (< 1' range) - USB - add to cart

$2,495  SimplyRFID Handheld RFID Reader - No Software - WiFi - add to cart

$2,995  SimplyRFID Handheld RFID Reader - Excel Integration - WiFi - add to cart

$99       Nox-2 High Performance RFID Tags, 100 pack --   add to cart

$399     Nox-TM4 On-Metal RFID Tags, 100 pack --   add to cart

$195     Secondary Antenna with a 6' cable -- add to cart

UHF RFID Reader

Long Range, Fast, Powerful, and Connected!

Our UHF RFID reader not only outperforms every other RFID reader on the market -- it's completely plug-and-play and connects to our Nox server. This means you can start monitoring your equipment immediately.

How it Works

1. Tag your equipment with ready-to-apply RFID tags for your need.  For example, try our RFID Laptop tags. RFID tags have a unique # so each item you tag can be identified.

2. Plug in our Nox UHF RFID Reader and aim the antenna over an area you want to watch for tags.

3. Login to your Nox account and see your screen update when items enter your watch zone. You can also setup triggers to email you when an important asset shows up. For instance, tag the 'Sandwich Guy' and 
when he walks into the building you'll get an instant alert that sandwiches have arrived.

The SimplyRFiD Nox UHF RFID Reader technology specs:

• 190 Tag Reads per second - twice as fast as most RFID readers.
• Integrated antenna - easy to mount and deploy.
• Slave (secondary) antenna port - extra value / capability from a single reader install. Cover larger areas or small areas with more accuracy.
• Ready-to-deploy: Plug it in and RFID reads show up on your web browser, or via your cell phone -- all powered by Nox.
• PoE (power over ethernet) or WiFi
• EPC Generation 2 UHF US Frequency - Korea, EU, and India frequency editions available for the same price.

Price:

$995     SimplyRFiD UHF RFID Reader - PoE -- add to cart

or, $89.99/month lease (includes monitoring)

$1,195  SimplyRFiD UHF RFID Reader - WiFi -- add to cart

or, $99.99/month lease (includes monitoring)

$99       Nox-2 High Performance RFID Tags, 100 pack --   add to cart

$399     Nox-TM4 On-Metal RFID Tags, 100 pack --   add to cart

$195     Secondary Antenna with a 6' cable -- add to cart

Price includes the first 30-days of Nox service at no-charge. Each additional month is $39.95 for monitoring and data feeds. Or, a yearly subscription for $299. Bulk monitoring packs available for a substantial discount.

"What if it were possible to detect the exact moment a theft was committed and surreptitiously be able to pinpoint the identity and location of the thief? An impossible scenario? Not anymore... "

        Homeland Security Today

 

Benefits of UHF RFID tracking

• RFID has X-Ray vision -- it sees through walls (and bags!) - if someone has the wrong laptop in their briefcase or backpack, RFID will locate it and warn you.
• Fast - RFID can scan about 200 tags per second. That means no one needs to stop to have their badge scanned -- just keep on walking.
• Durable - Barcodes tend to wear out. Passive RFID has an indefinite lifetime use.
• Long Range - UHF RFID can work from 1 foot to 100 feet. By changing the size of the RFID tag or the RFID reader power, you can limit the area under surveillance.
• Simple - Modern RFID tags have a unique ID that can simply be attached to an item to track. This works just like an barcode asset tag -- use the RFID # to track your items fast, and simply.
• Accurate counting - RFID makes sure every item is counted and tracked instantly. Barcodes require each item to be located, scanned, and repeated. Barcodes are fantastically inexpensive but don't have the ability to count all the items in a box, ever time.
• Sneaky and covert - RFID tags can be hidden inside boxes, underneath the cover, or on the battery compartment. Would-be thieves won't know that this laptop has a locator.
• Always working - RFID keeps working after you've gone for the day. One of the most common ways to steal a laptop: Drop it in the trash can. By placing an RFID reader over your trash area, you will see if an important 'tagged' item shows up in your trash. This makes RFID great for tracking critical documents as well.