| Since the first supplier mandates put forth by Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense, the use of (915 MHz) radio frequency identification (RFID) has been implemented into supply chains with mixed results. When working optimally, RFID can provide valuable information regarding inventory data and shipment locations. However, tag readability issues exist due to a variety of reasons: product and package interference, RFID equipment set-up locations, and even frequency allocations, depending on the country of use.; The purpose of this research is to determine if conveyor speed, packaging materials, and product have an affect on the readability of RFID transponders. The variables for this testing were conveyor speed (300 feet per minute (fpm), 600 fpm), package type (case of chips in plastic tubs, case of chips in metalized spiral wound fiberboard containers (MSWFC)), package shape (case of metal cans, case of metal bottles, and case of metal tins), product type (case of bottled ketchup, case of bottled motor oil) and tag generation (Alien Gen 1, Alien Gen 2).; The research found that conveyor speed, package type, package shape, and product type all had a significant effect on the average amount of tag reads per trial, Tag type was found to have a significant effect when testing the product effect, and package shape effect, but did not have a significant effect when testing the package type effect. |
