Barcodes vs. RFID and Its Continued Success in Manufacturing and Services

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to study barcodes and their implementation. Barcodes have been around since 1949 and have made strides in supply chains across the world. Barcodes are cost effective and one of the most efficient means of tracking to date. Specifically, 2 companies were chosen to be reviewed, Wal-Mart and Stone, Rudolph & Henry, PLC, by their use of barcodes in their perspective industries, for use by governments, manufacturing, and service industries for identification and error reduction.

Implementation of Barcode Technology to Logistics Processes of a Company

“…Barcodes are used in supply chain management (SCM) applications in healthcare. The use of barcodes in healthcare facilities allows hospitals to save space and reduce overstocking by ordering necessary supplies on a daily basis [10]. In retail, barcodes are becoming part of smartphones with applications.…”

“…The use of barcodes in production plants helps to speed up and streamline the production process. However, as Table 2 shows, important advantages and disadvantages need to be considered for barcodes, as with all IT-intensive technologies [10]. Discussing the benefits of RFID technology only makes sense if compared to barcodes [11].…”

“…Durability-as RFID tags can work in extremely demanding working conditions and can be packaged in plastic packaging or even embedded directly into finished products [10,15,16].…”