Counting with RFID: How is it different from barcodes?

RFID is an automatic identification technology that reads the chip on a tag with radio waves, without needing the tag to be seen or held one by one. A barcode reads an item one at a time and by sight, whereas RFID can read the whole group of tagged items in the reading field at once. Below we compare how the two methods differ, when each makes sense, and how counting is set up on the RFID & IoT Systems side.

Starting with the question “will RFID replace the barcode?” is often misleading. The right question is at which stage of counting time and error pile up. In many businesses the two methods live side by side: barcodes continue at the point of sale, while RFID comes in at warehouse receiving, dispatch and periodic counts. So the comparison should be made not on “which is better” but on “which suits which process.”

The difference in four points

• How it reads: A barcode needs an optical reader to be pointed at the label; you go item by item. An RFID tag is read by radio signal, and the tag does not need to be visible.
• How many it reads: With a barcode, one scan means one item. With RFID, many tags in the reader’s field can be captured at the same time; a carton, a hanger or a pallet can pass through together.
• Cartons and packaging: Counting a barcoded item may mean opening the carton or turning the item so the label can be reached. Under suitable conditions an RFID reader can read the contents without the carton being opened.
• Identity level: A barcode usually identifies the type of item. An RFID tag can give each item its own identity, so batch, serial and location context can be matched.

Where does the difference show in counting?

In a warehouse or store count, the real cost often lies not in scanning an item but in reaching it: opening cartons, taking hangers down, emptying shelves, and keeping the count accurate while doing all that. Most of this is physical labor, and RFID is used precisely to reduce that labor. When counting garments on hangers, for example, once the tags enter the reader’s field many records can be collected in the same pass without taking the items down one by one. YazSis RFID solutions cover the following scenarios, depending on the physical layout:

• RFID Tunnel: Tagged cartons, hangers or pallets are counted in bulk as they pass through the tunnel, using the reader and antennas inside; the result is followed live on the connected laptop.
• RFID handheld terminal: Mobile counting is done without opening cartons, while items are on hangers or on shelves; the terminal screen shows progress and the running total.
• Production line reading: Work order, station and product information are matched with RFID movements; you can see which stage production is at.

Where barcodes are still strong

Barcodes are widespread, their labels are cheap, and almost every reader, till and piece of software supports them. For scanning a single item quickly at the point of sale, checking a shelf label or counting a low-volume stock, a barcode is often enough. RFID’s advantage becomes clear as the number of reads grows and physical access to items gets harder; adding RFID to a small workflow can create more setup effort than the time it saves.

RFID does not work the same everywhere

Seeing RFID as a “more advanced” counterpart of the barcode leads to mistakes. Read quality depends on the item’s material, the position of the tag, the effect of metal and liquids, how the items move through, and the factors that determine interference in the environment. A tag stuck on a metal surface does not behave like a tag attached to fabric. Also, the cost per tag is often higher than a barcode; for low-value, high-volume items this difference has to be taken into account.

Five questions for the decision

1. How often do you count, and how much time does each count take?
2. Are the items inside cartons, on hangers or on pallets, or can they be reached one by one?
3. Do the items contain metal, liquid or dense packaging? Where will the tag be attached, and will it come with the item?
4. Which software will the count result go to: an ERP, a warehouse management system or a custom program?
5. Do the tagging labor and tag cost make sense when compared with the time you will save on counting?

How is the transition made?

In RFID projects, success depends on measuring the site before choosing devices. In the YazSis approach, item type, tag position, how items pass through and environmental interference are analyzed on site; the reader, antennas and power are calibrated so that only the tags in the target area are read reliably. Making sure that tags on the neighboring belt or in the next aisle do not get into the count is part of this. The raw signal is turned into a meaningful count through filtering out repeated reads and matching to products; the result appears on screen as quantity, missing and surplus, and the approved count is passed to the ERP, WMS or your existing program. The form of that transfer is determined within the project scope according to the system you use.

The healthiest start is to pilot a single process rather than the entire warehouse. To design your scenario together on your real product flow, you can look at the RFID & IoT Systems page.