TECHNOLOGY Solution: EPC Gen2 compliant apparel tracking solution Tag Type: Acqua™ UHF Passive Reader/Antenna: Xtenna Proximity™ HandyScanna™ Method: Single Tracking via hand-held Reader/Antenna device Integration Platform: RFID Middleware: Xtenna™ WebToolkit Xtenna™ Studio Application: Essen RFID’s Laundry Management System Database: SQL Server 2005 Exp. ed. Tag Manufacturer/Supplier: Essen RFID, with US based chip inlay Reader/Antenna Manufacturer: Essen RFID, with US based module Systems Integrator: Essen RFID For further details contact: Essen RFID 24-B, Jolly Maker II Nariman Point Mumbai 400021 India www.essenrfid.com Automated wash cycle management Individual tracking of workers’ uniforms sent to laundry and returned from laundry Easy sorting of uniform sets of individual workers Automated billing, reports and record maintenance Large employer adopts for its worker uniforms, a RFID-based LAUNDRY TRACKING SYSTEM INSIDE: Key Requirements Solution Implementation Working Benefits Links
Transcript
TECHNOLOGY
Solution:
EPC Gen2 compliant apparel tracking solution
Tag Type:
Acqua™ UHF Passive
Reader/Antenna:
Xtenna Proximity™
HandyScanna™
Method:
Single Tracking via hand-held Reader/Antenna device
Integration Platform:
RFID Middleware:
Xtenna™ WebToolkit
Xtenna™ Studio
Application: Essen RFID’s
Laundry Management System
Database: SQL Server 2005 Exp. ed.
Tag Manufacturer/Supplier:
Essen RFID, with US based chip inlay
Reader/Antenna Manufacturer:
Essen RFID, with US based module
Systems Integrator:
Essen RFID
For further details contact:
Essen RFID
24-B, Jolly Maker II
Nariman Point
Mumbai 400021 India
www.essenrfid.com
Automated wash cycle management
Individual tracking of workers’ uniforms sent to laundry and returned from laundry
Easy sorting of uniform sets of individual workers
Automated billing, reports and record maintenance
Large employer adopts for itsworker uniforms, a RFID-basedLAUNDRY TRACKING SYSTEM
The company is a large employer in Dubai, UAE that makes use of external laundry services for its workers’ uniforms. These uniforms are sent to the laundry in large quantities for washing. The company required to ascertain that quantities sent to the laundry tallied with what was returned by them after washing. It also needed to ensure that its uniforms were not mixed up by the laundry with those of some other client and that it received the same clothes that it had sent. The company was previously using a manual system that involved physical counting of all uniforms, which was inefficient, labour intensive and time-consuming. It therefore required a solution that would automate this process.
Main challenges:�Tracking the uniform of each worker individually.�Keeping track of the total number of uniforms for each wash cycle (from
company to laundry and from laundry back to company).�Returning individual uniforms of each worker in a set.
SOLUTION:
Essen RFID provided a RFID-enabled solution for tracking laundry items, through its Laundry Management System. This system utilizes RFID tags that are attached to each laundry item. These tags are tracked using a hand-held HandyScanna™ reader device, thereby tracking every item of each uniform when it leaves the company premises and when it returns after washing. The system automatically maintains information regarding the current status of each uniform that has been tagged for the laundry process.
IMPLEMENTATION:
An ACQUA™ RFID tag is attached to the collar or sleeve or each worker’s uniform. These are specialized laundry tags that are breakage-resistant as well as resistant to common laundry chemicals and hot water. Each of these tags has a unique tag ID that is associated with its attached item of uniform as well as that uniform’s employee details in the database.
A hand-held HandyScanna™ device is used to track these uniforms when they are sent to the laundry and also when they are returned after washing. The device runs a mobile-based application that maintains the laundry tracking system and it communicates with the central server through Wi-Fi. SQL Server is used as the back-end database.
The company sends all uniforms of its workers to a laundry in huge quantities. It therefore requires to keep a record of each wash cycle using RFID. The process flow of the RFID-enabled Laundry Management System is as follows:
Application Process Flow:
1. Tagging apparel: ACQUA™ RFID tags are stitched to the collar or sleeve of each uniform.
2. Tagged uniform apparel assigned to workers: When workers deposit their uniforms for washing, previously untagged uniforms are tagged and each uniform set is assigned in the database to that worker along with the apparel type and employee particulars.
3. Uniforms collected from workers: After uniforms are collected from workers, each uniform is read into the system using the hand-held HandyScanna™ device to count the number of uniforms and number of sets deposited for laundry. The apparel are then accordingly placed inside laundry baskets.
4. Tags read before uniform washing: Before uniforms are sent to the laundry, their tags are read using HandyScanna™. The device application captures data of the tagged uniforms and keeps a record of sent items.
5. Washing at laundry: The uniforms then undergo the washing process at the laundry. The ACQUA™ tags on the apparel are designed to withstand repeated machine washing without read performance degradation.
6. Uniforms returned by laundry: After uniforms are returned by the laundry, their tags are again read by the HandyScanna™ and the total count of items returned and apparel type is obtained. The device displays a list of apparel indicating items found and items that are missing.
7. Redistribution of washed uniforms: The person in charge of laundry then reassembles the uniform set of each worker based on reading the tag data of each apparel item.
8. Record confirmation and reports: The Laundry Management System keeps a record of each wash cycle along with the total cost incurred. This enables easy history and report generation.
�Automated and accurate count of uniforms sent and received.�RFID tags can be read at high speed even in difficult conditions.�Does not require physical viewing of each individual item of apparel.�Individual tracking of workers’ uniforms sent and received.�Automated wash cycle management.�Easy sorting of apparel items into individual worker’s uniform set.�Efficiency handling of laundry management due to automated logging.�Minimization of manual work and reduction in paper work.�Automated billing, report generation and history record maintenance.
