Are NFC and RFID technologies good for Pallet tracking?

 

Pallet tracking


Most products and raw materials are shipped using pallets. Businesses need to track pallets for several reasons, including:

  1. Inventory Management: Pallet tracking enables businesses to monitor the movement of their inventory throughout the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end customer. This helps businesses to manage their inventory levels more effectively and ensures that they have the right products available at the right time.

  2. Quality Control: Pallet tracking can help businesses to identify any quality issues with their products early in the supply chain. By tracking the movement of pallets, businesses can quickly identify where any issues have occurred and take corrective action to prevent further problems.

  3. Compliance: Many industries have regulations that require businesses to track the movement of their products throughout the supply chain. By tracking pallets, businesses can ensure that they are complying with these regulations and avoid any potential penalties or fines.

  4. Cost Savings: Pallet tracking can help businesses to identify inefficiencies in their supply chain and take steps to address them. This can lead to cost savings through reduced waste, improved inventory management, and more efficient transportation.

  5. Customer Service: Pallet tracking can help businesses to provide better customer service by enabling them to provide accurate and up-to-date information about the location of products. This can help businesses to improve their delivery times and reduce the number of customer complaints.



Are NFC and RFID good options for tracking?

While NFC and RFID technologies offer several benefits for tracking pallets, they also have some limitations, including:

  1. Limited range: Both NFC and RFID have a limited range, which means that readers must be located in close proximity to the pallets being tracked. This can limit their usefulness in large warehouses or supply chain networks.

  2. Limited data storage: Both NFC and RFID have limited data storage capabilities, which can make it difficult to track large volumes of data or provide detailed information about pallets.

  3. Interference: Interference from other electronic devices can disrupt NFC and RFID signals, making it difficult to read tags accurately.

  4. Vulnerability to tampering: NFC and RFID tags can be removed or tampered with, making it difficult to ensure the integrity of the data being collected.

  5. Cost: The cost of implementing NFC or RFID technology can be high, especially for large-scale supply chain networks.



Tracking with GPS and GSM

Tracking pallets with GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and GPS (Global Positioning System) has several advantages over NFC or RFID:

  1. Real-time tracking: GSM and GPS technology provide real-time tracking of pallets, enabling businesses to monitor their location and movement throughout the supply chain. This allows for better visibility into the supply chain and can help businesses to identify any issues that arise quickly.

  2. Global coverage: GSM and GPS technology have global coverage, which means that businesses can track pallets anywhere in the world. This is particularly useful for businesses with international supply chains.

  3. Accuracy: GPS technology provides highly accurate location data, which can help businesses to pinpoint the exact location of pallets. This can be particularly useful for businesses that need to track high-value or sensitive products.

  4. Security: GSM and GPS technology can help businesses to improve the security of their supply chain by providing real-time tracking of pallets. This can help to prevent theft or loss of products, and can also help businesses to respond quickly in the event of any security issues.

  5. Cost-effective: While GSM and GPS technology can be more expensive than other tracking technologies, they can also be more cost-effective in the long run. By providing real-time tracking and improved visibility into the supply chain, businesses can reduce the risk of lost or damaged products and improve their overall efficiency.

GPS + GSM is a combo better suited for real-time use cases.

Sensefinity has a complete IoT platform with Sensors and Trackers that works in real-time with GSM or NB-IoT communication. If you want to exchange ideas on how we can help your business track physical assets such as pallets, organic products or even vehicles let’s do a quick 1/2-hour virtual meeting.