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SINGAPORE - April 21, 2004
Bar Code SATO Electronics (BSS) has unveiled several top-range Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Solutions at RFID World Asia 2004, in Singapore at booth RF01, AIM Pavilion, Hall 401. RFID is a state-of-the-art technology that is fast becoming a focal point for applications such as logistics, material management particularly supply-chain-management (SCM), industrial automation and services. SATO, a leader in barcode printing since introducing the first thermal transfer barcode printer in 1979, has been supplying high frequency (HF) RFID solutions for some years. SATO fully supports the Uniform Code Council’s (UCC) Electronic Product Code (ePC) initiatives and the recent Wal-Mart and Metro mandates, requiring their Top 100 suppliers to embed RFID tags at the case and pallet level by 2005. Many of Wal-Mart’s and Metro’s Top 100 suppliers are longstanding SATO customers who look to SATO to help satisfy their RFID requirements.
In order to meet these US mandates, SATO has introduced the SATO CL408e and CL412e ePC Class 1-compliant printing solutions, which is currently running in the Wal-Mart testing and development lab located in Bentonville, Arkansas. Furthermore, SATO has continued to be innovative and a leader by more recently releasing the first ePC-compliant solution for the European market to meet Metro’s demands.
SATO has also developed a series of RFID Solutions for Access Control, Healthcare, Document Tracking and Management and Garment Labelling.
Access Control
In access control systems, RFID does more than just maintain head-count. RFID also provides authorisation and notes arrival and departure times, making time registration easy. It enables fast access to the working area, eliminating queues at doors. This feature can be fully automated or done via a wall terminal.
The system can also manage canteen payments. Within the company, RFID technology allows for better planning processes and machine and employee management. To maximise reading performance, this RFID solution is based on a 13.56 MHz system.
Healthcare
Improving the standards in the healthcare industry is a growing concern. Some of the key policies are to eliminate errors and infections caused by wrongly administered blood transfusions. Storing and handling blood and blood products expeditiously, like plasma, is critical.
In this application, the patient’s name and details, such as blood type, are stored in a database.
An RFID tag number is created to correspond to that database. The 13.56 MHz tag technology is selected because it this frequency performs better than near fluids. Each 13.56 MHz RFID tag contains the entire database of information about the bag and its content. A hand-held RFID portable reader terminal simply reads each bag and immediately displays its details, avoiding mix-up.
Document Tracking and Management
Documents and files tend to get misplaced in large establishments, like government offices, and hospitals. In hospitals, it is all the more crucial as patient records must be available at all times for fast and efficient medication. Medical staff record and retrieve all patient information from these files. Because several people access the files, patient records are often lost or misplaced. Furthermore, these files must be protected from unauthorised personnel.
RFID technology solves these document tracking and management problems. With an RFID label, staff can track the file’s movements and pinpoint its location anywhere in the hospital. Losing or misplacing files is no longer a problem. Archiving records is also now easier and more efficient.
When patients are admitted to the hospital, their details are entered into a database. A Smart Label is printed and applied to the patient’s file. The label essentially contains all the patient’s details. SATO’s CL400e series printers read and write on the thin RFID transponder embedded in the label.
Information can be added, erased, and re-read without changing the physical label.
Garment Labelling
This tag is used to label high quality textiles. It improves the reading capability and facilitates handling. It also ensures traceability. The print image is independent from the information programmed into the RFID tag.
Other Displays
Aside from RFID Solutions, BSS also has on display several kiosk
printers, like the CT400, for ticket printing, the CT410 which prints
Healthcare Wristbands and the CX400 for printing ingredient labels.
About SATO
SATO is a pioneer in the AIDC industry and is the inventor of the world's first electronic thermal transfer barcode printer. It also revolutionised the barcoding industry by introducing the DCS and Labelling concept - a total barcode and labelling solutions approach providing high quality barcode printers, scanners/hand held terminals, label design software and consumables.
SATO is a public listed company in Japan and has worldwide offices in the United States, Belgium, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and China. SATO is also dedicated to the development of high quality, easy-to-use products and places high emphasis on customer service.
