USAF SCOUT Program Adapts RFID to Small Suppliers.

By Charlotte Adams

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is a well-accepted means of improving the efficiency of manufacturing operations. Data embedded in RFID "tags" attached to items that are shipped to a customer can be "read" automatically by devices at the receiving end, without even opening the crate. The computer systems that recognize the individual parts can generate electronic acceptance notifications and payments, and even indicate where, in the customer's factory, each item should go next. Tags and tag readers can be placed at critical points within a factory to provide a manufacturer and its customer the most up-to-date picture of work in process. When integrated with methodologies such as lean manufacturing and continuous process improvement, RFID can help wring out the costs in new production and maintenance supply chains.

Major defense contractors already employ RFID in their shipping operations, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). But, these firms's smaller suppliers by and large do not employ the technology. That's because it's expensive: to get the best results, RFID data should be integrated into a company's accounting and enterprise resource management systems. But enterprise software is costly, and the integration and analytic expertise to put it all in place and keep it running have limited RFID to larger companies.

If the smaller enterprises could apply RFID to their operations, however, they, and the whole defense supply chain, could benefit. A new Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) program is …