In large warehouses and distribution centres, item-level visibility is prioritized. The reason behind this is that what you don’t see in your warehouse can quickly become a pain point.
Not knowing where a particular item is stored in your warehouse, or when it is moved from one zone to another, causes several hurdles, from financial losses to delayed order completion and order fulfilment. So, what’s the solution? How can warehouse managers trace and track their stock with accuracy and real-time alerts when items leave a certain zone?
The answer is Zebra ATR7000 RTLS reader. With an RFID-based Real-Time Location System (RTLS), RFID Tags and an advanced reader like Zebra's ATR7000, you can have deep visibility and accurate tracking of items as they move throughout the warehouse, production floor, or logistics network.
The ATR7000 RTLS reader by Zebra offers vast coverage with a multipolar antenna design, enabling accurate detection of RFID-tagged items up to two feet, unlike a traditional RFID reader.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how the ATR7000 RTLS RFID reader can benefit warehouses and distribution centres, retail stores, etc., in locating RFID-tagged goods in real-time.
The Zebra ATR7000 RTLS reader is a new class of advanced RFID reader by Zebra Technologies. Designed as an RTLS reader, it supports a digital beam-forming and wide-angle array antenna, which combine to deliver unsurpassed location accuracy and coverage. It can locate RFID-tagged assets remotely, accurately, and in real-time.
How RFID-RTLS Technology Works?
1.RFID Tag Placement and Configuration
a. Each asset is affixed with a UHF RFID tag containing a unique ID.
b. Tags wirelessly send and receive their signals (even if the tagged article is in motion and with no line-of-sight to the reader).
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2. ATR7000 Reader Installation
a. The ATR7000 reader is mounted overhead (12-20) feet above the floor to cover the area.
b. The ATR7000 contains 14 internal antennas and utilises beam steering to be able to electronically steer and create and process hundreds of narrow "beams" across the area.
c. The ATR7000 reader connects through Ethernet (Power over Ethernet optional) to a local area network and to a host system or application.
Data Capture and Real-Time Analytics
a. The moment a tagged item enters the coverage area, the ATR7000 will first identify the tag signal instantaneously.
b. By measuring the timing of signals received, the angle from which the signals were broadcast, and the strength of the signal received, the system will know the exact location of the tag.
c. Next, the integrated RTLS Software will automatically aggregate the tag data, compute a real-time location, and provide the data available to business applications and dashboards.
The ATR7000 RTLS Reader is Better than Legacy RFID Readers
The ATR7000 system electronically steers and processes hundreds of wireless beams simultaneously, enabling it to deliver up to double the range and coverage compared to fixed RFID readers like the Zebra FX9600 or Impinj R700. The ATR7000 can always ensure that all tags in the coverage area, even if complicated with objects or the dimensions of the operational space, are still tracked and read, with pinpoint accuracy within 2ft.
With fixed RFID readers, you essentially have one beam in a wide area to capture everything in it; the ATR7000 delivers both circular and linear coverage, allowing for everything that can be tagged to be seen and located, even if partially visible or when clustered. Coverage is continuous despite the complexity or spatial dimensions of the operational area.
API Integration with All Warehouse Management Systems or ERP Systems
The ATR7000 is supported by Zebra's licensable RTLS software to aid in the RTLS tag data collection automation, as well as allow for any real-time location calculations for assets. This location data can be streamed directly into a business's WMS or ERP with Zebra’s RFID API integration, enabling real-time, actionable insights and a view of site operations.
Industry Examples of RTLS Applications
Zebra's RTLS technology can add value in several areas:
1.Inventory Management: Provide automatic tracking of inventory in and out of storage
2. Asset Management: Maintain equipment location and reduce misplacement
3. Work-in-process Tracking: Maintain material flow through the respective production process
4. Traceability & Quality assurance: Provide accurate records of assets and processes for auditing
5. Worker safety & Emergency response: Track who is in the building during an emergency
6. Loss & Theft Prevention: Identify unauthorised movement and set alerts.
To summarize, RTLS results in efficiency by removing manual tracking or manual scans, but also pushes inventory management towards automation. This can result in considerable increases in operational efficiency, significant cost advantage, and the ability to shift labour from normal tracking and data entry to a higher-value productive activity.
Zebra's ATR7000 RTLS reader uses advanced beam-steering antenna technology combined with robust analytics, a large field of view, and accuracy within two feet, to continuously and accurately track the locations of moving inventory, assets, equipment, and personnel in real-time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Zebra ATR7000 RTLS reader?
The ATR7000 is a fixed-mounted advanced RFID reader that can track the real-time location of tagged assets, people, and inventory in some of the most complex indoor environments, such as warehouses and manufacturing production floors. The ATR7000 provides a high level of accuracy in real-time visibility of assets via its multi-beam steering technology.
How accurate is the ATR7000 for locating tagged assets?
The ATR7000 is accurate to within two feet (0.6 meters) or less, which provides detailed and reliable visibility and tracking of items being tracked, even when items are in motion or rendered in multi-layer stacks.
How is the ATR7000 better than regular RFID readers?
Regular RFID readers only indicate that tags are present. The ATR7000 not only indicates that tags are present, but simultaneously triangulates and accurately reports the precise location and direction of movement for each tag. The ATR7000 covers up to double the area of traditional RFID, while providing significantly higher reads per second and read reliability.
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