Siemens SIMATIC RFID

September 20, 2022

Intelligent systems for maximum transparency and efficient planning

Industrial Identification with RFID systems is one of the key technologies for the Digital Enterprise. In the area of RF identification systems, Siemens offers a comprehensive portfolio that provides the perfect solution – in every sector, and for every area of application. The connection to MindSphere, the cloud-based, open IoT operating system from Siemens, opens the door to Industrie 4.0 and the Digital Factory – and thus to even more transparency, efficiency, and flexibility.

SIMATIC RFID RF systems: More performance, range, and frequencies.

With RFID systems from Siemens you benefit from end-to-end transparency along the entire supply chain. Reliable and future-proof – even in tough industrial environments.

Looking for contactless, reliable identification for your products? The latest RFID systems make your entire production and supply chain visible – with no need for a line-of-sight between read/write device and transponder. You maintain an overview of your material flows at all times, you can plan efficiently, and adjust your processes with precision.

Just select the right solution for your sector and your area of application: Compact readers with the option of an integrated or external antenna, maintenance-free labels, and passive tags. Powerful and cost-efficient, for trouble-free data communication.

RFID Applications

Production & Logistics

RFID tags can be attached to material and products for identification but also to monitor the processes throughout the entire supply chain from the raw material (incoming goods), through the production process, until the end customer (outgoing goods). An RFID portal contains a reader (PC or PLC integrated) and four antennas. The goods get automatically detected while crossing the portal and the MES and ERP systems are automatically updated. A real world application is a Tier 1 supplier that has to ship the right material at the right time to the manufacturer otherwise high fees get charged.

Food & Beverage

RFID tags affixed to the carrier/vessel or manufactured component itself can contain structured memory regions holding any manner of complex data. An RFID system thus can serve as a powerful mechanism for gathering decision-making data. This data upon receipt in the organization’s host application becomes valuable grist for a venerable mill of work-in-process (WIP) improvement decisions.

In a real-world example involving a beverage WIP tracking: Containers containing a WIP beverage enter in from the warehouse and are directed to a specific process line. These full containers are automatically identified via RFID, weighed and emptied according to the amount specified on the RFID tag. Material loss is also accounted for. If the container is damaged, the RFID data is updated and consequently triggers a Reject. At the filling station, the RFID data automatically informs the JIT recipe management system of the required beverage, then after filling, consequently updates the weight data on the RFID tag and informs the forklift driver where to store it in the warehouse.