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Featured Solutions

Label Printing ➝

Modernized label printing tools to help your operations keep up with ever changing demands and regulations – all in one powerful software package.

Asset Tracking ➝

Asset tracking software for monitoring equipment and assets. Optimize usage, locate tools faster, and improve efficiency with our RFID applications.

MarkMagic ➝

Relied on by thousands of customers worldwide, MarkMagic solves barcoding, labeling and forms design and printing challenges. Modernize the way you manage and print your documents with MarkMagic.​ Design and print your forms, labels, barcodes, and RFID tags from one powerful software package.

Why MarkMagic?

MarkMagic is the chosen enterprise barcode label and form printing engine for major WMS products, ERP systems, 3PLs, and teams around the world.

EdgeMicro ➝

A simple RFID starter solution that solves common issues in logistical and inventory management. Ideal for lower scale needs, smaller environments, or proof of concept RFID projects. Deploy RFID into your supply chain without big investments or customizations.

RFID Starter Solution

EdgeMicro is easy to use, easy to implement, and brings immediate results to your operation without heavy investments in time, effor, and capital.

Edgefinity IoT ➝

Edgefinity IoT is an RFID software application built for organizations looking to gain visibility across large industrial environments. Whether you need to track large amounts of inventory, locate misplaced equipment, or ensure the safety of your employees, Edgefinity IoT lets you quickly deploy advanced, industrial strength tracking capabilities.

Enterprise RFID

Edgefinity IoT is an application that combines RFID with tracking technology and gives users the ability to track assets, locate inventory, and monitor employees.

Hardware ➝

For the warehouse, retail floor, in transit, and beyond - We offer the latest hardware products that work with our software applications from brands such as Alien, Brother, Zebra, Bixolon, SATO, Xerafy, and many others.

RFID Tunnel

CYBRA’s RFID tunnel is a 99.99% accurate carton validation solution for conveyor belts. Built for distributors looking to improve shipping accuracy.

[2024 RFID Integration Guide]

Have you been handed an RFID tag mandate from one of your retail partners? This ebook is a complete guide that will help manufacturers, and distributors reap great benefits from deploying RFID into your operations.

About CYBRA

CYBRA specializes in RFID technology, real time tracking systems, and enterprise barcode label software solutions.

Careers at CYBRA
Careers

We are always looking for bright and talented people to join us.

Join the CYBRA partner network
Become a Partner

Join the CYBRA Partner Network to integrate or resell our software.

How To Scale an RFID Project from Pilot to Production

Now you’ve made the commitment to turn the cost of an EPC (Electronic Product Code) retail compliance mandate into a supply chain enhancing investment that will boost your bottom line, here’s how to ensure success as you roll out an RFID project from the pilot stage to full production.

Whether you tag merchandise in your DC at a VAS (Value Add Station), or you have your products tagged at source, all successful RFID implementations turn the cost of an EPC mandate into benefits for your organization and share a number of key characteristics.

Scaling an RFID project from pilot to production can seem like a daunting challenge. But, with the right research and planning, executing properly can bare tremendous results for any business or enterprise.

Initiating an RFID pilot project starts with getting support from management.

Who Is Your RFID Champion?

The most important ingredient for RFID success is project ownership at the executive level. It is essential that this RFID champion has the complete backing of management, right up to the CEO. The RFID champion has to push the RFID project through milestones and must have the authority to create a cross functional team, with representation from various departments, e.g. Manufacturing, Operations, Packaging, Warehouse Management, Security, Finance and IT.

We have seen installation schedules stretch out and costs spiral because of a lack of ownership of the project. It is the RFID Champion who is responsible to ensure that team members are available as needed, and that there are dedicated technical resources for the duration of the implementation to ensure project success. These technical resources must have a working knowledge of the business application software, databases, corporate system architecture, infrastructure, and facilities.

What is Your RFID Plan?

The RFID Champion should follow a deployment plan with milestones and measurable performance gains. Here is a typical five stage deployment plan:

1. Research & Scope
2. Survey & Document
3. Test & Analyze
4. Pilot & Refine
5. Roll Out & Production

Scaling an RFID project requires research and proper planning.

Research & Scope Your RFID Project

What can you accomplish? What ways do you envision RFID will help your business?

RFID can improve your bottom line by reducing inventory audits, increasing stock visibility, reducing operating costs, increasing asset utilization, reducing shrinkage, and other areas. Define where you will get the greatest impact for your investment. Speak with your customers, and friendly competitors, to see how they are using RFID to improve their operations.

RFID is an IT project that impacts operations. Define a Statement of Work (SOW) for the software integration points that will need to be addressed. Meet with RFID vendors who have experience in your industry, and learn how they can help you achieve your objectives, starting with a site survey.

An RFID site survey is a physical survey of the premises where the RFID processes will occur.

Survey & Document

An RFID site survey is a physical survey of the premises where the RFID processes will occur. A survey identifies the optimal locations for readers so the RFID processes work all of the time.

The goal of an RFID site survey is to gather enough information and data to determine the number and placement of readers that will provide the coverage required. The site survey will also detect the presence of radio interference coming from other sources that could degrade the performance of the RFID system, as well as analyze the electrical and data network requirements at the proposed read points.

Once you have the final site survey report in hand, you can put actual numbers in a spreadsheet and develop a realistic budget.

Testing and analyzing your data is an important element of your RFID project.

Test & Analyze Your RFID Data

Before you commit to pilot RFID, you need be sure your product will perform when tagged. For example, if you sell footwear, and you want to be sure that your proposed RFID system can read fast moving cartons on a conveyor, then you will need to ship a dozen or more cartons of your merchandise to an RFID testing lab that contains a race track with RFID readers. This high speed simulation will determine the probability of success of your proposed solution.

Once you are assured that RFID will perform in your environment and with your products, you are ready to pilot a solution.

RFID technology can improve supply chain performance.

Pilot & Refine Your RFID Integration Plan

Pick one application area to pilot RFID. Your RFID solution provider can help you identify where to pilot RFID so it will not disrupt your existing workflow.

Typically, the RFID hardware is temporarily installed so it can be moved easily as you refine the system based on the results of the pilot. Software needs to be configurable to allow the ease of adapting and changing as the pilot revels process improvements. Often a custom mounting solution may be crafted for the pilot, but keep in mind that temporary mounts will not stand up to the rigors of a full production system, and custom hardware will be difficult to roll out.

How long should you pilot RFID? The easy answer is as long as you need to gather enough data. Each application area you target (receiving, shipping, packing, etc.) will need to be piloted, and will need to stand on its own merits.

At the conclusion of the RFID pilot, you will have the data you need to make a decision whether to schedule a roll out.

Rolling out an RFID project requires the right RFID software and hardware.

Roll Out & Production

The speed of the roll out will be determined by your choice of hardware and software, available internal resources, and geographic factors.

The choice of RFID hardware is critical for the following reasons: Instead of replicating a custom, temporary mounting solution that was OK for a pilot, an off the shelf portal solution that is in stock and ready to ship can be quickly and easily rolled out to meet any schedule. In addition, RFID technology is constantly evolving and in five years, you may want to swap out readers or antennas for higher performance newer models.

For example, the Return On Investment (ROI) on RFID portals shouldn’t stop- ever. Once the portal and initial electronics have been installed, the electronic parts can then be changed out many times over the life span of the portal hardware — RFID Readers, Antennas and other accessories such as Motion Sensors, Photo-eyes, Light Stacks, can be swapped out as needed. This way you will not be locked in to one reader vendor or technology. A quality RFID portal should last in the field for more than 30 years.

Conclusion

Your choice of RFID software, too, is a critical factor in the roll out. Ideally, you should be able to quickly and easily create read zones and reader or antenna configurations without custom programming. While one team is installing the hardware, the RFID Champion can launch a browser session on any device and watch the system roll out as each reader comes on line and the RFID tag activity begins to populate the charts and graphs of the RFID software dashboard.

Interested in Adding RFID to Your Supply Chain?

Built on CYBRA’s expert system technology, Edgefinity IoT baseline alerts were developed utilizing the latest in RFID and RTLS (Real Time Tracking Systems) capabilities. Contact an RFID expert today to see how our technology can improve your organizational operations.