Key Benefits

• Unique UHF (Gen 2) mobile RFID tracking solution - high level of flexibility & visibility, but at low capital costs compared to fixed reader solutions.
• Over-comes many of the technical, infrastructural and operational issues associated with fixed reader implementations.
• Leverage the benfits of vehicle tracking and an integrated transport management solution - total track & trace visibility of assets, inventory & vehicles throughout distribution chain.
• Improve accuracy with improved customer service due to pre-delivery notification.
• Slicker deliveries, reduced admin and paperwork.
• No impact on cycle time.

Overview

Microlise have developed the worlds first RFID Trailer Portal product using UHF (Generation 2) technology.

The product combines vehicle/trailer tracking and RFID technology to facilitate the ultimate solution for resource, asset and inventory traceability throughout your distribution chain.

The Microlise RFID Trailer Portal is a unique solution and offers significant benefits over “fixed” dock door implementations - which continue to have mixed operational results and struggle to establish compelling business cases, particularly within a highly competitive retail logistics market place, where the application of niche RFID solutions cannot be cost justified.

The RFID Trailer Portal is extremely cost effective - particularly in complex distribution networks - where the numbers of entry and exit points are much greater than the number of vehicles involved in the distribution process. Operational / implementation impacts and infrastructure overheads are similarly reduced.

Microlise have won two industry awards for the RFID Trailer Portal :

FROST & SULLIVAN - 2006 Automative Telematics & Infotainment Industry Innovation & Advancement of the year award.

RFID NETWORKING FORUM - 2005 RFID Breakthrough Award for Top Product of the Year.

With variable results being experienced using costly and inflexible fixed RFID implementations, Microlise view the RFID Trailer Portal solution as a means of realising significant competitive advantage as part of the integrated transport system.

Solution Components

The Microlise Trailer Portal solution comprises:

• Vehicle Tracking Unit - GPS tracking with real-time GPRS communications.
• Battery Back-Up - Trailer Portal can operate when not connected to tractor. Also location of trailer can be monitored when decoupled
• UHF RFID Tag Reader - Reads the RFID tags as they pass through Microlise custom antennaes.
• Custom Microlise Designed Antenna - Ensures the Trailer Portal has directional visibility of all tagged items moving onto or off the vehicle.
• Driver Display Module in Trailer - Confirms tagged items on and off the vehicle, alarms as to any loading / unloading mistakes in real-time.

The Microlise host system comprises:

• Tracking Database & Map Client - displays all vehicle locations & status, DCs, stores, facilitates automatic store / depot pre-arrival notification.
• Asset Database - Tracks all delivery assets throughout distribution network.
• Interface to 3rd Party Systems - Route & manifest imports, time stamped actuals (asset and associated inventory) exported.
• Operational Reports - Vehicle activity reports, store delivery reports, asset utilisation reports.
• Transport Management Centre (optional) - planning, resource management, execution - schedule adherence, POD drill down etc.

How the Solution Works...

Key Features & Benefits

• Low capital costs compared to fixed reader solutions
• Total track and trace visibility of assets, inventory & vehicles results in a reduction in shrinkage of assets / inventory & increase in vehicle / asset utilisation
• Automatic validation results in improved loading / delivery accuracy
• Improved stores service due to pre-delivery notification, slicker deliveries
• Non-line of sight properties of RFID means high levels of accuracy / real-time validation with no impact on loading / delivery cycle time
• Comprehensive KPI reporting results in improved fleet capacity utilisation, route / schedule adherence & driver performance
• Reduced delivery paperwork and administration.