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New Partnership Delivers Affordable RFID Asset Tracking

Businesses that have historically been unable to afford large-scale asset tracking now have access to customizable solutions as a result of a partnership between Brady Worldwide and CDO Technologies. The combination of Brady’s CenSys and CDO’s Critical Asset Tracking Solution (CATS) empowers businesses to efficiently locate items and dramatically reduce infrastructure costs.

“The benefits of RFID asset tracking are well known, but it hasn’t always been accessible for smaller companies,” said Al Wofford, founder and president of CDO Technologies. “The options we’re providing now are customizable and scalable, allowing businesses to compete more effectively with the big players in manufacturing, healthcare, and service industries.”

While each application is based on the unique needs of the end-user, Brady’s CenSys offers a lower cost yet highly reliable option for businesses looking for a tracking solution.

“Typical fixed RFID readers can be quite expensive, often costing several thousand dollars per reader. Combine that with infrastructure and software needs, and the overall cost investment becomes simply too much for most small to medium businesses,” said Wesley Columbia, Brady’s global strategy and marketing manager. “Requiring only power and a Wi-Fi connection, CenSys has been specifically designed to offer great performance and value at the sub-$1,000 price point while also being simple to install and configure.”

The Brady CenSys reader detects the presence and unique identity of passive UHF RFID tags within its field of view and feeds this information into CATS. The CenSys and CATS combination can connect to a cloud-based or on-premise server. CATS collects and records data to track asset movement, conduct inventories, or monitor work-in-process. Stored data can be integrated with other enterprise systems to construct financial analytics, measure production efficiencies, or validate logistical operations.

Because this asset tracking solution can be based in a cloud computing environment, businesses see a dramatic reduction in infrastructure costs by eliminating the need for on-site servers and custom software. Lower equipment costs can also be attributed to the strategic placement of readers.

“Many customers don’t need complete coverage of their facility,” said Columbia. “Instead, the last known location provides sufficient relevant data to update their customers or manage high-value items.”

For example, multiple lines, finishing processes, or manual processes complicate monitoring work-in-progress components but placing readers at specific production points make the tracking process smoother. The operator can log into the system to access information to update the customer. Tool tracking is also a common application where expensive or frequently used tools are tagged, and a series of readers are placed in the tool crib or on a workbench. This can reduce downtime spent searching for missing tools or the expense of replacing tools.

“Measurable ROI is definitely important to organizations,” said Robert Zielinski, CDO Technologies’ director of commercial solutions. “By combining an RFID reader with modern Internet of Things processing technology and a dedicated RFID asset tracking software, we can open up new opportunities for more companies to become efficient and profitable at the same time.”