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RFID Employee Tracking in the Manufacturing Environment

The first employee time clock was invented in 1888 by Willard Bundy, a jewelry shop owner in Auburn, New York. While employers were tracking hours and wages before this invention, of course, Bundy’s clock was the first to provide each worker with a unique key, offering a more streamlined and secure employee time-tracking system. Employee tracking using RFID builds on this simple concept to provide the transparency and security that both employers and employees demand today.

Benefits of RFID Employee Tracking

There are myriad benefits of RFID technology across various domains, including:

    • Enhanced security: RFID can manage access to restricted areas, machines, and tools, quickly granting authorized personnel access while preventing unauthorized persons from gaining entry.
    • Attendance and time tracking: Automated attendance reduces manual errors and streamlines payroll processes, a well-established and widely accepted practice among both employers and employees.
    • Asset management: RFID tags embedded in key assets allow for more accurate record-keeping and serve as a primary technology for enabling predictive maintenance. Asset management using RFID also ensures the precise location of tools, effectively preventing loss or theft.

Inspection verification using RFID

Completing routine machine and facility inspections diligently is critical to preventing catastrophic failures. Unfortunately, in the case of routine inspections, employees may submit inspection reports without physically inspecting the equipment. This is often due to the equipment being physically located a long walk away. To ensure inspections are completed every time, RFID tags installed at inspection locations allow the employees to scan physically upon finishing inspections. This allows for:

    • 100% verification that the employee was physically present at the inspection location
    • Accurate and automated data entry for time, date, and employee completing tasks
    • Auditable record of inspections

Best practices for implementing or expanding RFID employee tracking

Integrating RFID tracking brings forth a multitude of best practices for implementation and expansion, including:

    • Clear and transparent communication: RFID tracking offers significant benefits for both employees and employers. With a critical emphasis on employee training, making all the data visible to employees increases trust and adoption.
    • Regulation, compliance, and ethics: Most RFID systems will save minimal personal information; however, if you need to collect and record personal information, be sure to check with local laws and regulations and avoid recording unnecessary personal information.
    • Limited data collection: RFID can record lots of data. Recording only what is necessary and beneficial streamlines your system and prevents employees from becoming distrustful.

RFID technology has many benefits in managing employee access, attendance, asset tracking, and even employee location verification. When increasing employee monitoring there is always a delicate balance between improving operational efficiency and respecting employee privacy rights. By adopting a transparent communication program, complying with local regulations, and prioritizing limited data collection, organizations can harness the benefits of RFID employee tracking responsibly and ethically.

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Transforming Big Data Into Practical Insights

While RFID technology has been around for almost 70 years, the last decade has seen widespread acceptance, particularly in automated manufacturing. It is now deployed for various common applications, including automatic data transfer in machining operations, quality control in production, logistics traceability, and inventory control.

RFID has contributed significantly to the evolution of data collection and handling. With this evolution has come vast amounts of data which can be crucial for process improvement, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Nevertheless, many organizations grapple with the challenge of transforming this abundance of data into actional insights.

Key industry terms such as Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) were once perceived as distant concepts crafted by marketing teams, seemingly disconnected from the practicalities of the plant floor. However, these buzzwords emerged as a response to manufacturing organizations worldwide recognizing the imperative for enhanced visibility into their operations. While automation hardware and supporting infrastructure have swiftly progressed in response to this demand, there remains a significant need for software that can effectively transform raw data into actionable data. This software must offer interactive feedback through reporting, dashboards, and real-time indicators.

Meeting the demand will bring vendors from various industries and start-ups, with a few established players in automation rising to the occasion. Competition serves as a motivator, but the crucial factor in bridging the software gap on the plant floor lies in partnering with a vendor attuned to the specific needs of that environment. The question then becomes: How do you discern the contenders from the pretenders? The following is a checklist to help.

Does the potential vendor have:

    • A solid understanding that downtime and scrap must be reduced or eliminated?
    • Core expertise in automation tailored for the plant floor?
    • Smart hardware devices such as RFID and condition monitoring sensors?
    • A comprehensive system solution capable of collecting, analyzing, and transporting data from the device to the cloud?
    • A user-friendly interface that allows interaction with mobile devices like tablets and phones?
    • The ability to generate customized reports tailored to your organization’s requirements?
    • A stellar industry reputation for quality and reliability?
    • A support chain covering pre-sales, installation, and post-sales support?
    • Demonstrated instances of successful system deployments?
    • A willingness to develop or adapt existing devices to address your specific needs?

If you can tick all of these, it’s a safe bet you are in good hands. Otherwise, you’re taking a chance.

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Key Considerations for Choosing the Right RFID Tag for Your Traceability Application

Choosing an RFID tag for your traceability application can be difficult given the huge variation of tags available today. Here are four main factors to keep in mind when selecting a tag, which will greatly contribute to the success of your RFID project.  

 

Choose tag type: I like to start with tags and work backward. Tags come in many shapes and sizes – from paper labels to hang tags, pucks, and even glass capsules and reusable data bolts. First, think about where you want to mount your tag. It is important that it does not interfere with your current product or production process. If you plan to tag a metal product, using a metal-mount style tag will give you the best results.

Assess the required read range: Think about how much range you need between your RFID readers and your tags. Remember that the shorter your range, the more options you will have when selecting a suitable frequency. While all frequencies work for short ranges, long ranges require HF (High Frequency) or even UHF (Ultra High Frequency) products. As a rule of thumb, it is best to keep your reading range as short as possible for the most reliable results.

 

Consider the environment: RFID tags are designed to withstand high temperatures, chemicals, water, and moisture. If your environment involves any of these conditions, you will want a tag that is up to the challenge and will remain functional.

 

Choose the data storage option: RFID tags can be read only or read/write, so think about what kind of data you want to store on your tags. Do you want your tag to be a simple license plate tied back to a centralized database, or do you want to store process/status data directly on the tag? RFID gives you a choice and now is the time to think about what and how much data you want to maximize the benefit of RFID for your process.

 

So now that you have thought about tag type, read range, environment, and data, you already have a promising idea of which tags will work in your application. The final step is to get price quotes and get started with your project. This is a wonderful time to ask the RFID experts for more recommendations and ask about on-site testing to make sure your tags are a great fit for your application. It is also an excellent time to collect recommendations for which reader will pair best with your tag and application.

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Considerations When Picking UHF RFID

If you’ve attempted to implement an ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID system into your facility, you might have run into some headaches in the process of getting things to work properly. If you are looking to implement UHF RFID, but haven’t had the chance to set things up yet, then this blog might be beneficial to keep in mind during the process.

UHF RFID and what it can do

UHF RFID is a long-range system with a focus on gaining visibility in the supply chain or manufacturing process. It can track multiple ID tags in a set area/distance (depending on the read/write head you select). The RFID field is emitted by an antenna that propagates an electromagnetic field, which will “ping and power up” a tag with data saved on it. Commonly, warehouses use it for logistics, supply chain tracking, warehouse pallet tracking, equipment tracking, or even for luggage tracking. As amazing as this technology sounds, there are environmental factors that can cause the system to not work to its full potential.

Factors affecting RFID system performance

Different materials or environments can affect the performance of your RFID system. Each tag antenna is set to a specific frequency, and some materials or environments can influence the radiation pattern. This can be something as simple as the material on which the tag is mounted to something more complex, such as how the signal is going to bounce off the walls or the ground. Below are some common issues people run into when implementing RFID.

    • Absorption: Absorption occurs when an object in the field absorbs part of the radio frequency energy emitted from the reader antenna. Cardboard, conductive liquids, and tissue (human bodies or animals) are examples of materials that can absorb some of the RF energy. One way to think of this is to imagine a sound booth in a recording studio. The booth is covered in foam to absorb sound. This is a similar philosophy for UHF RFID. You need to consider materials that absorb that energy.
    • Reflection: When there are distortions of the RF field, reflection can occur. As you may imagine, certain materials, such as metals, can cause the waves emitted from the antenna to distort or “reflect” in ways that cause performance losses. This could be metal machinery or fixings between the reader and the tags, a group of metal pipes, and mounting on metal containers. If you choose to do a deeper dive, there are other performance factors that can be impacted by the path of the signal, such as zones in which the tag can’t be reached (even if the tag is in the reader’s field), or the tag and the reader are not aligned properly.
    • Detuning: Detuning occurs when the radio frequency between the tag and reader is changed in the process. Since you pair specific readers to specific tags at a specific frequency, you don’t want your environment to cause a change in the specific frequencies. Certain materials, such as cardboard, metals, tissue, and plastics, can cause an impedance that can “un-match” your reader and tags based on the RF not matching up.

Luckily for you, many companies who specialize in RFID can help ensure you pick the right system for your application. Some will even go visit your site to evaluate the environment and materials that will be involved in the process and recommend the right readers, antennas, tags, and accessories for you.

Although not all UHF RFID applications seem complex, there are many small things that can affect the entire operation. When you are picking your system, make sure you keep in mind some of these effects, and if you are unsure, call in a professional for some assistance.

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Automation Insights: Top Blogs From 2022

It’s an understatement to say 2022 had its challenges. But looking back at the supply chain disruptions, inflation, and other trials threatening success in many industries, including manufacturing, there were practical insights we can benefit from as we dive into 2023. Below are the most popular blogs from last year’s Automation Insights site.

    1. Evolution of Pneumatic Cylinder Sensors

Top 2022 Automation Insights BlogsToday’s pneumatic cylinders are compact, reliable, and cost-effective prime movers for automated equipment. They’re used in many industrial applications, such as machinery, material handling, assembly, robotics, and medical. One challenge facing OEMs, integrators, and end users is how to detect reliably whether the cylinder is fully extended, retracted, or positioned somewhere in between before allowing machine movement.

Read more.

    1. Series: Condition Monitoring & Predictive Maintenance 

Top 2022 Automation Insights BlogsBy analyzing which symptoms of failure are likely to appear in the predictive domain for a given piece of equipment, you can determine which failure indicators to prioritize in your own condition monitoring and predictive maintenance discussions.

Read the series, including the following blogs:

    1. Know Your RFID Frequency Basics

Top 2022 Automation Insights BlogsIn 2008 I purchased my first toll road RFID transponder, letting me drive through and pay my toll without stopping at a booth. This was my first real-life exposure to RFID, and it was magical. Back then, all I knew was that RFID stood for “radio frequency identification” and that it exchanged data between a transmitter and receiver using radio waves. That’s enough for a highway driver, but you’ll need more information to use RFID in an industrial automation setting. So here are some basics on what makes up an RFID system and the uses of different radio frequencies.

Read more.

    1. IO-Link Event Data: How Sensors Tell You How They’re Doing

Top 2022 Automation Insights BlogsI have been working with IO-Link for more than 10 years, so I’ve heard lots of questions about how it works. One line of questions I hear from customers is about the operating condition of sensors. “I wish I knew when the IO-Link device loses output power,” or, “I wish my IO-Link photoelectric sensor would let me know when the lens is dirty.” The good news is that it does give you this information by sending Event Data. That’s a type of data that is usually not a focus of users, although it is available in JSON format from the REST API.

Read more.

    1. Converting Analog Signals to Digital for Improved Performance

Top 2022 Automation Insights BlogsWe live in an analog world, where we experience temperatures, pressures, sounds, colors, etc., in seemingly infinite values. There are infinite temperature values between 70-71 degrees, for example, and an infinite number of pressure values between 50-51 psi.

Read more.

We appreciate your dedication to Automation Insights in 2022 and look forward to growth and innovation in 2023.

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IO-Link Changeover: ID Without RFID – Hub ID

When looking at flexible manufacturing, what first comes to mind are the challenges of handling product changeovers. It is more and more common for manufacturers to produce multiple products on the same production line, as well as to perform multiple operations in the same space.

Accomplishing this and making these machines more flexible requires changing machine parts to allow for different stages in the production cycle. These interchangeable parts are all throughout a plant: die changes, tooling changes, fixture changes, end-of-arm tooling, and more.

When swapping out these interchangeable parts it is crucial you can identify what tooling is in place and ensure that it is correct.

ID without RFID

When it comes to identifying assets in manufacturing today, typically the first option companies consider is Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID). Understandably so, as this is a great solution, especially when tooling does not need an electrical connection. It also allows additional information beyond just identification to be read and written on the tag on the asset.

It is more and more common in changeover applications for tooling, fixtures, dies, or end-of-arm tooling to require some sort of electrical connection for power, communication, I/O, etc. If this is the case, using RFID may be redundant, depending on the overall application. Let’s consider identifying these changeable parts without incurring additional costs such as RFID or barcode readers.

Hub ID with IO-Link

In changeover applications that use IO-Link, the most common devices used on the physical tooling are IO-Link hubs. IO-Link system architectures are very customizable, allowing great flexibility to different varieties of tooling when changeover is needed. Using a single IO-Link port on an IO-Link master block, a standard prox cable, and hub(s), there is the capability of up to: 

    • 30 Digital Inputs/Outputs or
    • 14 Digital Inputs/Outputs and Valve Manifold Control or
    • 8 Digital Inputs/Outputs and 4 Analog Voltage/Current Signals or
    • 8 Analog Input Signals (Voltage/Current, Pt Sensor, and Thermocouple)

When using a setup like this, an IO-Link 1.1 hub (or any IO-Link 1.1 device) can store unique identification data. This is done via the Serial Number Parameter and/or Application Specific Tag Parameter. They act as a 16- or 32-byte memory location for customizable alphanumeric information. This allows for tooling to have any name stored within that memory location. For example, Fixture 44, Die 12, Tool 78, EOAT 123, etc. Once there is a connection, the controller can request the identification data from the tool to ensure it is using the correct tool for the upcoming process.

By using IO-Link, there are a plethora of options for changeover tooling design, regardless of various I/O requirements. Also, you can identify your tooling without adding RFID or any other redundant hardware. Even so, in the growing world of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things, is this enough information to be getting from your tooling?

In addition to the diagnostics and parameter setting benefits of IO-Link, there are now hub options with condition monitoring capabilities. These allow for even more information from your tooling and fixtures like:

    • Vibration detection
    • Internal temperature monitoring
    • Voltage and current monitoring
    • Operating hours counter

Flexible manufacturing is no doubt a challenge and there are many more things to consider for die, tooling and fixture changes, and end-of-arm tooling outside of just ID. Thankfully, there are many solutions within the IO-Link toolbox.

For your next changeover, I recommend checking out Non-Contact Inductive Couplers Provide Wiring Advantages, Added Flexibility and Cost Savings Over Industrial Multi-Pin Connectors for a great solution for non-contact connectivity that can work directly with Hub ID.

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Inductive Sensors and Their Unlimited Uses in Automation

Inductive sensors (also known as proximity sensors or proxes) are the most commonly used sensors in mechanical engineering and industrial automation. When they were invented in the 1960s, they marked a milestone in the development of control systems. In a nutshell, they generate an electromagnetic field that reacts to metal targets that approach the sensor head. They even work in harsh environments and can solve versatile applications.

There are hardly any industrial machines that work without inductive sensors. So, what can be solved with one, two, three, or more of them?

What can you do with one inductive sensor?

Inductive sensors are often used to detect an end position. This could be in a machine for end-of-travel detection, but also in a hydraulic cylinder or a linear direct drive as an end-of-stroke sensor. In machine control, they detect many positions and trigger other events. Another application is speed monitoring with a tooth wheel.

What can you do with two inductive sensors?

By just adding one more sensor you can get the direction of rotational motion and take the place of a more expensive encoder. In a case where you have a start and end position, this can also be solved with a second inductive sensor.

What can you do with three inductive sensors?

In case of the tooth wheel application, the third sensor can provide a reference signal and the solution turns into a multiturn rotary encoder.

What can I do with four inductive sensors and more?

For multi-point positioning, it may make sense to switch to a measurement solution, which can also be inductive. Beyond that, an array of inductive sensors can solve identification applications: In an array of 2 by 2 sensors, there are already 16 different unique combinations of holes in a hole plate. In an array of 3 by 3, it would be 512 combinations.

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Know Your RFID Frequency Basics

In 2008, I purchased my first toll road RFID transponder, letting me drive through and pay my toll without stopping at a booth. This was my first real-life exposure to RFID, and it was magical. Back then, all I knew was that RFID stood for “radio frequency identification” and that it exchanged data between a transmitter and receiver using radio waves. That’s enough for a highway driver, but you’ll need more information to use RFID in an industrial automation setting. So here are some basics on what makes up an RFID system and the uses of different radio frequencies.

At a minimum, an RFID system comprises a tag, an antenna, and a processor. Tags, also known as data carriers, can be active or passive. Active tags have a built-in power source, and passive tags are powered by the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna and are dormant otherwise. Active tags have a much longer range than passive tags. But passive tags are most commonly used in industrial RFID applications due to lower component costs and no maintenance requirements.

Low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), ultra-high frequency (UHF)

The next big topic is the different frequency ranges used by RFID: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and ultra-high frequency (UHF). What do they mean? LF systems operate at a frequency range of 125…135 kHz, HF systems operate at 13.56 MHz, and UHF systems operate at a frequency range of 840…960 MHz. This tells you that the systems are not compatible with each other and that you must choose the tag, antenna, and processor unit from a single system for it to work properly. This also means that the LF, HF, and UHF systems will not interfere with each other, so you can install different types of RFID systems in a plant without running a risk of interference or crosstalk issues between them or any other radio communications technology.

 

Choosing the correct system frequency?

How do you choose the correct system frequency? The main difference between LF/HF systems and UHF systems is the coupling between the tags and the antenna/processor. LF and HF RFID systems use inductive coupling, where an inductive coil on the antenna head is energized to generate an inductive field. When a tag is present in that inductive field, it will be energized and begin communications back and forth. Using the specifications of the tag and the antenna/processor, it is easy to determine the read/write range or the air gap between the tag and the antenna head.

The downside of using LF/HF RFID technology based on inductive coupling is that the read/write range is relatively short, and it’s dependent on the physical size of the coils in the antenna head and the tag. The bigger the antenna and tag combination, the greater the read/write distance or the air gap between the antenna and the tag. The best LF and HF RFID uses are in close-range part tracking and production control where you need to read/write data to a single tag at a time.

UHF RFID systems use electromagnetic wave coupling to transmit power and data over radio waves between the antenna and the tag. The Federal Communications Commission strictly regulates the power level and frequency range of the radio waves, and there are different frequency range specifications depending on the country or region where the UHF RFID system is being used. In the United States, the frequency is limited to a range between 902 and 928MHz. Europe, China, and Japan have different operating range specifications based on their regulations, so you must select the correct frequency range based on the system’s location.

Using radio waves enables UHF RFID systems to achieve a much greater read/write range than inductive coupling-based RFID systems. UHF RFID read/write distance range varies based on transmission power, environmental interference, and the size of the UHF RFID tag, but can be as large as 6 meters or 20 feet. Environmental interferences such as metal structures or liquids, including human bodies, can deflect or absorb radio waves and significantly impact the performance and reliability of a UHF RFID system. UHF RFID systems are great at detecting multiple tags at greater distances, making them well suited for traceability and intralogistics applications. They are not well suited for single tag detection applications, especially if surrounded by metal structures.

Because of the impact an environment has on UHF signals, it is advisable to conduct a full feasibility study by the vendor of the UHF RFID system before the system solution is purchased to ensure that the system will meet the application requirements. This includes bringing in the equipment needed, such as tags, antennas, processors, and mounting brackets to the point of use to ensure reliable transmission of data between the tag and the antenna and testing the system performance in normal working conditions. Performing a feasibility study reduces the risk of the system not meeting the customer’s expectations or application requirements.

Selecting an industrial RFID system

There are other factors to consider when selecting an industrial RFID system, but this summary is a good place to start:

    • Most industrial RFID applications use passive RFID tags due to their lower component costs and no battery replacement needs.
    • For applications requiring short distance and single tag detection, LF or HF RFID systems are recommended.
    • For applications where long-distance and multi-tag detection is needed, UHF RFID systems are recommended.
    • If you are considering UHF, a feasibility study is highly recommended to ensure that the UHF RFID system will perform as intended and meet your requirements.

Click here to browse our library of Automation Insights blogs related to RFID.

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Manufacturing Insights: Top Blogs From 2021

While last year was filled with challenges and unexpected changes for many industries, including manufacturing, it was not without positive achievements and insights. As we look forward to 2022, let’s not forget some topics that shaped 2021, including our five most-read blogs.

1. 5 Manufacturing Trends to Consider as You Plan for 2022

 

 

 

 

It’s that time of year again where we all start to forget the current year (maybe that’s OK) and start thinking of plans for the next – strategy and budget season! 2022 is only a few weeks away! I thought I’d share 5 insights I’ve had about 2022 that you might benefit from as you start planning for next year.

READ MORE>>

2. The Pros and Cons of Flush, Non-Flush and Semi-Flush Mounting


Inductive proximity sensors have been around for decades and have proven to be a groundbreaking invention for the world of automation. This type of technology detects the presence or absence of ferrous objects using electromagnetic fields. Manufacturers typically select which inductive sensor to use in their application based on their form factor and switching distance. Although, another important factor to consider is how the sensor will be mounted.

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3. IO-Link Wireless – IO-Link with Even Greater Flexibility



In a previous blog entry, I discussed IO-Link SPE (Single-Pair Ethernet). SPE, in my opinion, has two great strengths compared to standard IO-Link: cable length and speed. With cable lengths of up to 100 meters and speed of 10 Mbps, compared to 20 meters and max baud rate of 230.4 Kbps, what could be out of reach?

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4. How Condition Monitoring has Evolved and Its Role in IIoT

In recent years, as IIoT and Industry 4.0 have become part of our everyday vocabulary, we’ve also started hearing more about condition monitoring, predictive maintenance (PdM) and predictive analytics. Sometimes, we use these terms interchangeably as well. Strictly speaking, condition monitoring is a root that enables both predictive maintenance and predictive analytics. In today’s blog we will brush up a little on condition monitoring and explore its lineage.

READ MORE>>

5. Lithium Ion Battery Manufacturing – RFID is on a Roll



With more and more consumers setting their sights on ‘Drive Electric,’ manufacturers must prepare themselves for alternative solutions to combustion engines. This change will no doubt require an alternative automation strategy for our electric futures.

READ MORE>>

Honorable Mention: Top 5 Insights From 2020

And, finally, for the sake of comparison, we can’t help but honorably mention last year’s look-back blog. The top five insights from 2020 include buying a machine vision system; data provided by IO-Link; changes in electrostatic sensing field by capacitive sensors; reducing the number of ethernet nodes on your network using IO-Link; and adding a higher level of visibility to older automation machines.

Read more>>

We appreciate your dedication to Automation Insights in 2021 and look forward to growth and innovation in 2022!

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UHF RFID Versus UHF RTLS

Many companies new to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) confuse it with UHF RTLS (Real Time Location Systems). While both indeed do use UHF RFID, they differ substantially in what they can actually do for you in your business.

Many companies new to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) confuse it with UHF RTLS (Real Time Location Systems). While both indeed do use UHF RFID, they differ substantially in what they can actually do for you in your business.
UHF RFID

Standard UHF RFID systems can see multiple tags on equipment and products up to several meters away, if set up properly. With emphasis on “set up properly.” While UHF RFID works quite well, its unique characteristics require testing in the environment where it will be used to ensure success.

UHF RFID has several purposes:

    • To see if an item has passed a certain point, commonly known as a choke point. Examples of this are items being loaded on or off a trailer at a shipping door or items passing from one area to another in a plant.
    • To verify if something is within a certain area when using a scanning device, such as a handheld reader. If one is scanning shelves of parts or equipment, it will help locate those items.
    • To track usage of equipment in MIS systems.
    • The tags can also have data written to them if needed.

The big thing that UHF RFID cannot do is effectively track the exact location of something at any given time in a cost-effective manner. Generally, UHF RFID uses what are called passive tags for the antennas to read. These tags have no battery and get energized from the antenna signal. If you placed enough antennas all over a facility and enough of these tags, then you could possibly locate something within a certain proximity, but not exactly, and this is hardly cost effective.

UHF Real Time Location Systems (RTLSs)

RTLS, on the other hand, are specifically designed to pinpoint the location of anything with a tag or transponder on it. In fact, RTLS refers to any system that can accurately determine an item or person’s location. An important aspect of RTLS is how frequently assets must be tracked. This data can be used in different ways depending on the application. For example, some RTLS applications only need timestamps when an asset passes through an area, while others require much higher visibility, requiring constant updating of time data.

An ideal RTLS can accurately locate, track, and manage assets, inventory, or people, and help companies make knowledgeable decisions based on collected location data.

Like regular UHF RFID, RTLS can use passive or active tags (tags with batteries), but they use triangulation of multiple antennas to determine the location of an object or person. The strength of the signal at each antenna, combined with the software attached to the antennas, allows the identification of the location of an object or person within less than 1 meter.

The system you choose depends on the needs at your location. They both work quite well when implemented properly by trained professionals.

Also, due to the inherent properties of ultra-high frequencies used in UHF RFID technology and RTLS, you should perform a feasibility study that actually tests the system in the real world environment of the plant prior to implementing these systems in any application.