The Application of Radio Frequency Identification Devices Onboard Naval Ships
by Arthur J. Clark
BS Meteorology and Oceanography
State University of New York Maritime College, 1984
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN ENGINEERING IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN OCEAN SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT XIII-B AT THE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER 2000
© 2000 Arthur J. Clark, All Rights Reserved The Author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce
And to distribute publicly paper and electronic Copies of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of Author
Departm4 t of Ocean Engineering
Certified by
Professor Henry S. Marcus NAVSEA Professor of Ship Acquisition Thesis Supervisor, Iepartment of Ocean Engineering
Certified by
Professor Nicholas Patrikalakis Kawasaki Professor of Engineering Chairman, Departmental Committee on Graduate Studies
BARKER MASSACHUSETTS I STITUTE
The Application of Radio Frequency Identification Devices
Onboard Naval Ships
by Arthur J. Clark
Submitted to the Department of Ocean Engineering
on July 11, 2000 in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Ocean Systems Management XIII-B
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology aboard U.S. Naval ships. A case study focused on
commercial laundry facilities and its potential application in laundry operations onboard aircraft carriers. This research is also intended to present the different manufacturers of RFID technology available to the commercial launderer and enlighten on probable strengths and weaknesses.
The research integrated a commercial manufacturer and supplier of RFID technology for laundry applications and the Laundry Room onboard the USS Enterprise.
A month long trial was conducted onboard the USS Enterprise with the Laundry Room
outfitted with all necessary RFID equipment and operated by the crew. This report includes the results of the trial.
Additionally, the feasibility of introducing RFID in the inventory control process at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut was investigated. A commercial manufacturer provided all necessary equipment and a demonstration was conducted in a SUPSHIP
Groton warehouse at Electric Boat. This report also includes the results of this trial.
Henry S. Marcus: Professor of Marine Systems, Thesis Advisor NAVSEA Professor of Ship Acquisition
Chapter One: Reducing Life Cycle Costs And Manning Demands With Commercial RFID Practice.
Chapter Two: What is RFID
Chapter Three: Existing Applications of RFID In Commercial Laundry Operations
Chapter Four: Manufactures of RFID Laundry Tags
Chapter Five:
Chapter Six:
Laundry System Onboard U.S. Navy Carriers And Demonstration of the Datamars RFID Solution In Laundry Operations
How Does RFID Increase Productivity In Laundry Operations Onboard
U.S. Naval Vessels
Chapter Seven: Costs and Benefits of the RFID System For Laundry
Chapter Eight: Demonstration OF Smart Cards RFID Solution In Materials Management at Electric Boat Warehouse.
Chapter Nine: Conclusions
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to thank the following for their support and contribution that has made this report possible.
Doctor Henry Marcus whose unfathomable understanding and guidance has been invaluable throughout the development of this paper.
Captain Jon Calder, United States Merchant Marine for his encouragement and support.
Chel Stromgren for his help with the ProModel software and development of the Laundry Model onboard an aircraft carrier.
Many in industry and government have provided useful information. While these sources are too numerous to identify, the author appreciates their assistance.
Chapter One
Reducing Lifecycle Costs
And
Manning Demands
Reducing Lifecycle Costs And Manning Demands
Introduction
This thesis analyzes the application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in its ability to expedite the collection of information at the data acquisition point. RFID speeds the collection of data and eliminates the need for human operations in the process, contributing to the optimization of manning both ashore and afloat. The research identified the potential for increased productivity in the area of documenting material flows through the application of RFID. This new age solution was field tested in two different processes. First, the application of laundry operations onboard Navy aircraft carriers is presented. Second, material management requirements of stored equipment for the initial load-out of submarines at a SUPSHIP warehouse in Groton, Connecticut are considered.
This research also addresses a specific shortfall in the Navy logistics system as observed by LCDR Dunlap in his thesis titled "Applied Information Technology (IT) For Ship Design, Production and Lifecycle Support: A Total Systems Approach." LCDR Dunlap noted, "The one glaring area which was demanding a great deal of time for shipboard supply personnel, and was not getting much attention by the Navy logistics leadership, was in the data acquisition point in the system." The demonstrations conducted for this thesis seek to address, and eventually with integration of commercial off the shelf RFID products presented, resolve an area of this deficiency.
Optimize Manning
The CVX program has mandated 25% reduction in crew and the Virginia Class
SSN has similar pressure. A primary thrust to meet these challenging goals is automation
of routine and mundane tasks. Within the Navy the current practice of material management has not kept pace with that observed in the real-world commercial sector. In some instances the technology used by the Navy for logistical documentation is 10
years old and ripe for improvement. Other operations, such as the written logbook for receipt/return of laundry have never been improved upon. These current practices for required record keeping onboard Navy vessels consume large amounts of the sailor's time.
RFID is a viable solution that enables the reduction of time expended documenting material. With the proper RFID system in place for the particular process, crew sizes may be decreased. The automation that makes this crewing reduction possible will improve warfighting capabilities and allows increased personnel satisfaction improving the Sailor's quality of life.
Reducing Life Cycle Costs
Historically, forty to sixty percent of the total life cycle cost of a surface warship has been spent on training and maintaining a crew. Reducing the number of hours sailors spend in labor-intensive, mundane chores, where no professional in-rate knowledge is needed, provides potential for reducing life cycle costs.
Automating many labor-intensive chores with RFID systems not only relieves the sailor from the routine task, but the task with RFID is accomplished in quicker time. This new age technology when applied to routine data collection requirements relieves personnel from mundane record keeping tasks, leaving the warfighter to focus on skills essential to combat readiness.
Integrating Commercial Practices
Within the private sector optimization of labor-intensive tasks has been addressed with the use of RFID. Commercial industry, in an endeavor to reduce costs, and in some instances manpower, has contracted with RFID solution providers to achieve these objectives. In many cases the RFID solution provided is simply purchasing the already packaged product from the RFID producer and may be thought of as a turnkey operation.
The U.S. Navy is currently adapting a similar approach. This new method to acquisition in the U. S. Navy is called Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS). In many instances the RFID solution required to provide asset velocity of material is a simple matter of purchasing equipment already designed, field-tested, packaged, and ready for sale by the RFID producer. There is a wide range of RFID Commercial Off The Shelf solutions that can be implemented by the Navy and are in current best practices in commercial industry.
The concept of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), that is today's solution to asset tracking within present commercial logistical and material management needs, is not new. It was originally used to identify friend or foe for airplanes flying over Germany during World War Two. During this time the equipment used was large and cumbersome. Recent technological developments have enabled this same technology to become diminutive in size enabling adaptation to industrial applications. The following chapter gives a brief description of what RFID is and an introduction of its application in laundry operations.
Chapter Two
Introduction
Automatic identification procedures are currently prevalent within many service industries, purchasing and distribution logistics, manufacturing companies, and material flow systems. Automatic identification procedures exist to provide information about people, animals, goods and products in transit.
The barcode label that initiated the change from manual transcription to automatic identification is being found to be inadequate in an escalating number of cases. Barcodes may be extremely cheap, but their stumbling block is their low storage capacity and the fact that they cannot be reprogrammed. In addition, the reader must be extremely close to the barcode and a direct line of sight is necessary.
The most technically optimal solution to date is the storage of data in a silicon chip, where contactless transfer of data between the data-carrying device and its reader provides greater flexibility. In the ideal case, the power required to operate the electronic data-carrying device would also be transferred from the reader using contactless technology. Magnetic or electromagnetic fields are the medium for this transfer. The underlying technical procedure is drawn from the fields of radio and radar engineering. Because of the procedures used for the transfer of power and data, contactless identification systems are called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
worldwide sales of RFID systems for the year 2000 are estimated at above $2 billion. The RFID market therefore belongs to the fastest growing sector of the radio technology industry, including mobile phones and cordless telephones.
Components of an RFID System
An RFID system is always made up of two components.
" The transponder, which is located on the object to be identified. The transponder can be either read-only or read-write.
" The interrogator or reader, which, depending upon design and the technology used, may be a read-only device or read-write device.
Data Energy Contactless Data Carrier = Transponder Coupling element
(Coil, microwave antenna)
A reader typically contains a radio frequency module (transmitter and receiver), a
control unit and a coupling element to the transponder. The RFID reader directs the radio frequency transceiver to transmit radio frequency signals, receives the encoded signal from the transponder through the radio frequency transceiver, decodes the transponders
RFID Reader
Computer with Application
identification, and transmits the identification with any other data from the transponder to the host computer through an RS232 interface.
The transponder, which represents the actual data-carrying device of an RFID system, normally consists of a coupling element and an electronic microchip. When the transponder, which does not usually possess its own voltage supply i.e. battery, is not within the interrogation zone of a reader, it is totally passive. The transponder is only activated when it is within the interrogation zone of a reader. The power required to activate the transponder, initiating the transfer of data, is supplied to the transponder through the coupling unit via electromagnetic fields and is contactless.
Coupling Element (coil Antenna)
Housing
Read Only Transponders
The majority of RFID transponders, more commonly referred to as tags, for laundry applications are read-only having an immutable preprogrammed identification number inscribed at the factory. These types of tags are known in the industry as write once read many (WORM). The reader when interrogating read-only tags via the coupling element or antenna interprets the factory installed number on the respondent tag. Read-only tags require the need for a relational database contained in the computer, whereby designated tag numbers are correlated with ownership.
Read-only tags offer an inexpensive means for the basic identification requirements of access control and industrial tracking and management.
A portable hand-held reader when interrogating a read-only tag will only display
the preprogrammed number initially installed at the factory. To determine ownership the portable reader must download the information from its readings to the computer
containing the relational database.
Another option available is using a portable reader connected to a handheld computer. In this manner the tag is interrogated and ownership identified with the relational database contained in the hand-held computer. In reviewing the various equipment available to date, hand held computers are not displayed. Rather the handheld reader is connected to a laptop computer.
The majority of button-sized tags for laundry applications, available on the market today, are designed for compressed extraction of water from the articles being laundered. In practice many commercial launderers extricate the majority of moisture after the garments have been washed via a large hydraulic press. This results in a cake of clothing prior to the final drying cycle. Many of the tags for laundry applications are designed to withstand pressures in excess of 10 Bar.
Read-Write Tags
Read-write tags have the ability to be inscribed with data many times over after leaving the factory. For example, the desired tag may be rewritten each time with the identifying letters or numbers desired. In this way, current tag data travels along with the item. Read-write tags do not require a relational database. When a read-write tag is read with a portable reader, the written characters on the tag are displayed on the readout.
Another characteristic of the read-write tag is the ability to lock in certain information. For example, in the application of laundry the individual's name and social security number may be permanently affixed within the tag. Other information such as division, department, and name of vessel can be rewritten upon change of duty station. There also is the ability to automatically write to the tag the number of times the article of clothing has been washed onboard the ship.
Frequency of Tags
Basically there are three defining radio frequencies, low, medium and high. Low frequency is defined from above 0 kilohertz to 300 kilohertz. Medium frequency occupies the electromagnetic wave frequency that lie in the range extending from 300 kilohertz to 3000 kilohertz. High frequency extends from 3 megahertz to 300 gigahertz.
High-frequency RFID systems are suitable for applications requiring a longer read range such as toll-collection systems and railroad car and intermodal container tracking.
Low-frequency RFID systems are used for applications requiring shorter read ranges. These include access control, work in process tracking and asset management.
The frequencies occupied by RFID tags for laundry applications are either low or high frequency. Of the 7 known manufacturers of RFID for laundry applications, 4
manufacturers use low frequency. One of these manufacturers produces tags that operate on the 110kHz frequency. The remaining three manufacturers produce tags operating on a low frequency of 125kHz.
There are 3 manufacturers of RFID tags for laundry applications that produce tags operating in the high frequency range. Two produce tags operating at 13.56MHz. One manufactures a tag operating at 2.45GHz.
As you move up in frequency, tag and reader costs move up as well. Tags at 125kHz operating frequency have initial costs, costing cents as compared to 2.4GHz tag with initial costs, costing several dollars.
Also as you move up in frequency, you not only receive an increase in passive read range but also an increase in the speed at which the device can operate. Longer-range tags in the hundreds of MHz and GHz are measured in yards and miles. Low-frequency tags in the 125kHz range have read ranges measured in inches and feet.
Application requirements for minimum read range, cost ceilings, speed of operation and communications complexity drive the decision as to which frequencies to deploy.
Through discussions with various experienced engineers in the laundry industry, it was learned that the lower frequency is optimum for RFID in laundry applications. If perchance the laundry is still damp the lower frequency will have a higher success at reading the articles of clothing. A second advantage is that the higher frequencies are
Benefits of RFID
RFID surpasses barcode technology because RFID tags can withstand harsher environments and have an inherent read-write capability. Data can also be read or written quickly and accurately through any non-metallic material without any
line-of-sight requirement.
* RFID is ideal for dirty, oily, wet or harsh environments.
0 RFID tags and readers have no moving parts so the system rarely needs maintenance and can operate for extended periods of time.
* RFID is an inexpensive form of automatic identification when measured over time.
* Unlike bar codes, RFID is very difficult to copy and is ideal for confidential identification of people or assets.
* RFID is fast, the tag and reader communicate in virtually milliseconds. Actual throughput depends on communication with the host computer, but total speed is 20 to 100 milliseconds
Benefits of RFID in Laundry Applications
The RFID system offers a number of unique advantages for a wide range of users specializing in garments, flat work or dust-control mats.
* Precision inventory control and ability to locate individual laundry items at all times.
* Analyses according to customer, garment or wearer for use as the basis of individual costing and pricing calculations.
* Fully automatic sorting at soil count and in the finishing line boosts productivity. * Computer-aided production, logistics and invoicing, together with after-sales service
and administration. * Inventory control.
" Clear-cut, reliable service.
" All items are delivered sorted to suit the customer's requirements.
The technology of RFID has been applied to the laundry industry to reduce the labor-intensive chore of manually recording the receipt and return of laundry. In addition, increased profitability has been experienced as RFID provides greater inventory control, considerably reducing costs associated with lost and/or misplaced garments.
Radio Frequency Identification made its d6but in the laundry industry about ten years ago first appearing in Europe. This technology used in the application of laundry operations has expanded to the United States starting about 5 years ago. Today RFID used to track garments by professional launderers is an expanding market and can be viewed as best industry practice. The following chapter outlines two applications of RFID in commercial laundry operations. At both facilities reduced man-hours and greater inventory control was experienced after applying RFID technology.
Chapter Three
Existing Applications
Of RFID
Larae Hotel in Las Vegas
On Friday, September 17, 1999, Doctor Marcus, Chairman of the Ocean Systems Management Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, met with the Uniform Control Manager of a large hotel in Las Vegas. The Uniform Control Manager has done a great job of implementing what is now a 6-year old RFID technology into their laundry system. Described below is the laundry system found at the large hotel; the limitations of which are the same that would be encountered onboard an aircraft carrier.
The large hotel tags all their uniforms, consisting of more than 100,000 pieces, each piece requiring an RFID tag. The tags are manufactured by Motorola and are sewn in the pocket of pants, the tail of shirts/jackets, and the narrow end of ties. Almost all the tags are "medium" in size comparable in size to that of a nickel. The "larger" quarter size tag has a hole in it and is used with tuxedo shirts that they sell. The quarter size tags are attached with a plastic punch like strip. "Small" dime size tags are used with ties and women's silk blouses, but there is concern that small tags will slip out of sewed clothing. Tags cost about $1.60 each for an order quantity greater than 3,000. Tags can endure
industrial laundry service heat of 5000 F, hot water.
The antenna unit is 8" x 8" square, laying flat on the table; the tag must pass within 16" of the antenna. Items are passed over one at a time.
Clothing is stored on conveyors. Each employee has a unique space on the conveyor. Each piece of clothing also has a strip about 1/2" x 2" with the unique conveyor space defined on it in readable type. The strip is permanently heat-sealed onto the garment with equipment made by Smart Card.
Lessons Learned In Application of RFID At the Large Hotel
The large hotel did not place RFID tags in collars and cuffs because these parts receive extra heat. The Motorola tags have a 3 to 5 year guarantee. The hotel has lost about 75 tags in 5 years. The tag contains a number inscribed at the factory. This number once read is correlated with an identical number found in the relational database. Once matched with this number in the relational database, additional information can be obtained. Information maintained at the large hotel for their garments is stock number, name and number of employee, department and job title.
There are 8 conveyors, and 5 employees share one foot of space on each conveyor. Each conveyor can accommodate 780 employees. Each employee has a unique space on conveyor. The large hotel employs approximately 6,200 employees in uniform. Each employee typically has 3 sets of uniforms. Some have up to 5. Engineer employees have 13 pieces. A company called "Penn" makes the name strips.
Problems have been encountered with the hand-held reader with cable antenna used in the checking in/out of garments. The cable attached to the hand-held antenna, with use,
detaches from the hand-held antenna. In addition, at times cable is pulled out of the reader or "station" by the actions of an enthusiastic employee. If portable readers, are used a problem of theft or misplacement is encountered.
The computer system used to document inventory of garments is not integrated to anything else. A company called "Brady" does the maintenance on conveyors.
Technological Challenges
1. Can RFID manufactures make a flat tag that goes on the back of the name strip?
2. Present system at the large hotel cannot read stacked tags, or multiple tags simultaneously. Can RFID manufacturers devise a system were a bag full of garments could be inventoried with RFID technology in the future?
The Benefit of RFID At the Large Hotel
Personnel scan laundry when employees bring in dirty laundry to be sent out to be cleaned. The garments are passed over the antenna thereby checking out the laundry from the large hotel. Upon return of the cleaned garments the laundry is again passed over the antenna thereby checking in the garments. The articles of clothing are then returned to the conveyor manually. The personal working in the garment room issue individual garments to each employee manually when needed.
After the application of RFID the staff in the garment issue room was reduced from 24 personnel to 20. However, the goal was not to save labor but to keep uniforms from being lost. The large hotel saves about $700,000 per year in uniforms, with the added benefit of higher inventory accuracy.
lIplementation
Total cost of implementation with 4 computers, and readers, 100,000 tags was less than $1 million. Training included posters, signs, memos and three 1-hour training sessions per employee.
AmeriPride Linen and Apparel Services
On May 3, 2000 Arthur Clark met with Bill Dougherty, President of Datamars, North America, and Tim Schmidt, Customer Service Manager of AmeriPride. The meeting took place at the AmeriPride commercial laundry facility in Hartford, Connecticut. This AmeriPride facility uses the Datamars technology in the tracking of laundry garments for inventory control upon check-in and checkout of the facility.
The process used at AmeriPride is very similar to the planned process of laundry handling onboard a Navy Aircraft Carrier after the application of RFID for the use of inventory control within the laundry room. At the Hartford plant laundry is brought to the check-in desk via a forklift carrying a cart full of garments to be laundered. The cart contains about 300 articles of clothing. On the check-in desk are an A-ST7530 Datamars
Antenna and R-IN-7500 Reader. This is the same antenna and reader used onboard the
USS Enterprise for the month-long trial. Additionally, there is a computer and monitor,
containing and displaying the database of tagged items. On the other side of the table are several large baskets on wheels used to separate the various clothing, such as shirts, pants, and whites. The person checking in the garments stands between the cart and the baskets, each within about an arm's length. The laundry is placed into these baskets after being passed over the antenna that reads the RFID tag, logging the garment into the facility. With this method one reader and operator can check in approximately 2,200 to
2,600 garments per hour.
Antenna Table C A R T Computer Monitor Baskets
The database containing the RFID tag number assigned to a particular article of clothing is used for additional purposes. For example the time in service for each garment is monitored. When a new garment enters into service an RFID tag is attached below the back collar just below the manufacturer's tag found on all shirts, or under the manufactures label in the waist of pants. At this time an entry is made into the database documenting the RFID tag number to that individual piece of clothing. An entry is also made of the date the garment entered into service, the garment style, color, size, and condition (ie: new, good, used, etc.). This facilitates determining the longevity and cost effectiveness for this particular garment.
Also contained within the computer database for each individual garment is the number of washings that garment has been cycled through. This helps determine durability in addition to the number of times that a RFID tag has been cycled through the laundry sequence.
The check out process is accomplished with the Datamars A-P07500 Hand Held Antenna With Cable. At the check out station the garments have been washed and pressed and are on hangers traveling on an overhead trolley. A person using the Hand Held Antenna With Cable inventories the garment by passing the Hand Held over the RFID tags location on each garment, thereby logging out the garment. For each type of garment the RFID tag is placed in a particular location; therefore, time needed to locate the tag is none existent. With this method on the order of 3600 to 4000 garments are inventoried per hour.
There is a second checkout station after the clothing is bundled by person, where each person may have in the neighborhood of five to ten items. When inventoried at this location, if an article of clothing is detected that does not belong in that individual's bundle, an audible alarm is given. This assists in inventory control subsequently
reducing costs.
Conclusions
The AmeriPride facility in Hartford Connecticut has successfully implemented the RFID packaged system solution manufactured by Datamars. The plant has experienced a considerable reduction of man-hours in the process of documenting material received and returned. Previous to the application of Datamars RFID laundry system, this was a labor-intensive process prone to error. In addition, AmeriPride has experienced cost savings associated with the increased accountability and inventory visibility that the RFID system provides. The result is that the amount of garments lost and/or misplaced has been considerably reduced increasing the profitability of AmeriPrides laundry operation.
The RFID system for laundry applications observed at AmeriPride is one manufacturer's solution in a growing field of RFID system providers for laundry operations. Within the past year the competitive base has expanded with a new entrant in this area. Gemplus has expanded its already comprehensive product range with an RFID
system solution for laundry, bringing the total number of RFID providers with applications for laundry to a total of seven.
Each of the RFID manufacturers for laundry applications has developed characteristic attributes in their RFID system in an endeavor to be unique. These attributes are presented in the next chapter providing a detailed overview of what is available within this market.
Chapter Four
Manufacturers
Of
Vendor Product Name Website
Brady 63064 Wave Point Tag www.bradyrfid.com
DATAMARS T-BT7700 LAUNDRY CHIP www.datamars.com
GEMPLUS Ario 10-SL (RO) / Ario 40-SL (RW) www.gemplus.com
MOTOROLA IT-253E www.mot.com
OMRON V700-D13P21 www.onron.com
RFID INC. Sim Tag www.rfid.com
Read Read
Anti--Vendor Function Frequency Operating / Guarantee Size Distance Distance Collision
Temperature Hand Held Fixed
Brady RO 125kHz -4'F to 185*F 18m/1 lOw 16mm Dia/3mm Thick 1.2 inches 3.1 inches NO
DATAMARS RO 110kHz 60m/120w 15.5mm Dia/2.9mm Thick 6 inches 8.5 inches NO
GEMPLUS RO 13.56MHz -4*F to 185'F 36m/100w 17X17mm Sq/1.6mm Tk 6 inches 9 inches NO
GEMPLUS RW 13.56MHz -4*F to 1850F 36m/100w 17XI7mm Sq/1.6mm Tk 4 inches 8 inches NO
MOTOROLA RO 125kHz -40'F to 2570F 36m/150w 17mm Dia/3.76mm Thick 1.5 inches 9 inches NO
OMRON RW 125kHz -4*F to 1580F 200hrs@180*C 20mm Dia/2.7mm Thick 2 inches 11 inches YES
RFID INC. RO 13.56MHZ -67*F to 193'F 120m/400,OOORW's 12Xl2mm/1.8mmThick 2 inches 10 inches YES
lOin Read
RFID INC. RW 13.56MHZ -670F to 193*F 120m/400,00ORW's 12Xl2mm/1.8mmThick 2 inches 7in Write YES
Brady
Brady offers an extensive Radio Frequency Identification product line defined by their unique WavePoint read/write products that include both portable and fixed station readers and writers. The company has recently developed an innovative system whereby the sensor is protectively encapsulated. To the left is a picture of a newly developed 125 kHz tag incorporating this coating technology. The new WavePoint read-only RFID tag is priced below $1.00 US dollar and the all-purpose tag is used in applications where a unique ID number 40-bit (5ASCII character or 20 HEX character) must be assigned to an asset. The ID number can be read from the tag at any time to identify the item the tag is attached to. The tag can be repacked to provide increased durability.
The monolithically constructed tag is formed from an epoxy resin encapsulating the memory chip, which is read-only. This is known as write once/read many (WORM) within the REID industry. Most WORMS are preprogrammed at the factory; however, in reading the literature provided by Brady, versions of read-only tags are also available that can be programmed by the user with a user-defined number. Once programmed, the number is unchangeable and permanently stored in the tag. Currently Brady's product line does not offer a read/write transponder. However, in my discussions with John Pearson I was informed that Brady has plans of increasing both the depth and breadth of their product line by introducing read-write tags with anti-collision capabilities that can be applied to laundry applications.
The WavePoint reader/writers are designed to operate in hostile environments where less durable equipment could fail. Their standard features allow them to fend off heat, cold, noise, and volatile fumes without sacrificing performance.
Datamars
Datamars offering a wide range of Radio Frequency Identification device products and has 150 customers on three continents using the Datamars RFID technology in laundry applications. The system consists of read-only tags, readers, antennas and auxiliary equipment. Each tag has an individual preprogrammed code inscribed on the transponder that is encased within an epoxy- like material with a memory capability of 64 bits total (40 bit data). The special casing protects the electronics inside the tag against all the different chemicals and the high temperatures, which are typical for this application.
The details of the temperature range guarantee for the Datamars T-BT7700 laundry chip are:
Patching -(heat seal) 428 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 seconds
Washing - sustained 194 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes 120 cycles; will handle 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
The reader communicates with the passive, no battery, tag via the antenna to the encapsulated transponder that serves as the informational repository. The transponder transmitting its preprogrammed inalterable code upon interrogation identifies the item when correlated with the relational database. The relational database can be in either
DOS or Windows.
The portable reader has a memory capacity for 2,000 garment numbers and can operate up to 800 readings before requiring recharging. The portable reader can be linked to virtually any hand-held PC or laptop containing the relational database.
Offering an outstanding price/performance ratio, the Datamars laundry tag is the modern alternative to optical identification systems such as barcode/dotcode. Since the garment bearing a tag, without particular regard to its position and without manipulation, has only to pass close enough to an antenna to be identified - the time saving is considerable. Datamars reports the application of RFID in laundry operations influencing profitability through excellent price/performance ratios typically results in payback periods of less than a year for an installation comprising of tags, readers and antennas.
The tag's price, as with all RFID manufactures, is driven by volume, with attractive discounts for large quantities. For example, Datamars tag price can range from a high of $1.25 in very small quantities to as low as $.65 for very large quantities.
Specially developed transponders will cost more, which will be predicated on the technology needed and the capability of the unit.
Gemplus
The Gemwave Stamp is a rugged tag specifically designed to support extreme temperature and humidity and pressure environment. The tag is small and thin, easy to fix or mold anywhere. The small dimension of these industrial smart tags, about the size of a postage stamp, and their flexible supporting structure make them an attractive tool for smart tracking applications in challenging environments. It is made of stiff foils protecting the GemWave Small Module.
Operating at 13.56 Mhz high frequency standard, the stamp is available in two versions: read-only and read-write. The read-only version contains a unique tamper-proof code (64 bits) that is directly programmed during manufacturing. The read-only
industrial smart label is an attractive tool for identification.
The read-write version has 2 kb EEPROM memory and offers different access possibilities with contactless field programming. The read-write transponder can serve as a repository for a host of information including owner's name and social security number. The read-write industrial smart label acts as a portable and secure logbook, storing large
a read-write tag priced at about $1.35 each if ordered in large quantities. They are a new entrant into the laundry RFID segment and have just completed negotiating a contract with Rental Uniforms in Culpepper, Virginia.
Motorola
Motorola Indala's model IT-253E tag is a small, low cost, passive read-only tag. The Indala IT-253 tag can take punishment. It can be attached to electrical transformers, engine blocks, drill pipe, bus transmissions, or vulcanized inside of a truck tire. It can be painted, degreased, immersed in PCP's or cutting oil. The Indala IT-253 tag was designed to withstand exposure to various liquids and chemicals used in commercial laundry processing.
The tag, boasting superior performance, exceeds all other read-only passive tags in durability designed to withstand exposure to various liquids and chemicals used in commercial laundry processing The tag can withstand compression up to 60 bars in hydraulic drying presses. The 40-bit output code, in the passive tag, is configured to provide 110 billion unique codes. Code numbers are factory assigned, etched into the silicon for the highest level of data integrity possible, making them impervious to electrical or magnetic erasure. Housing of the tag is made of thermoset epoxy resin, designed to be chemically resistant, withstand pressure and shock, and be over-molded to
fit specific application needs. Passive tags use energy supplied by the reader and do not require battery power to maintain memory.
Motorola offers two other tags capable of commercial laundry applications within the same operating parameters. They are the IT-254E HiStress Disc Tag and the IT-52E Mini Disc Tag. The IT-254E has a diameter of 21.5 mm by 3.2 mm thick. This tough little tag will read at distances up to 12". Like the Indala IT-253E, the IT-254E can take punishment. The tag can be attached to a wristband and it can be used to time swimmers, identify patients or allow employees to identify themselves without taking off gloves or special uniforms. Imbedded in a shoe, it can open or lock a door as an employee approaches. This tag has a small diameter hole in the center of the tag for attachment with plastic tie strips.
The IT-52E Mine Disc Tag has a diameter of 11.9 mm by 3.7 mm thick. The small size of the Indala IT-52E makes it attractive for imbedding in high value products, such as expensive tennis rackets, golf clubs, skis, and high value tools for tracking product from kitting, through work in progress, finished goods inventory, shipment, point of sale, warranty repair and counterfeit detection. The Motorola product line includes the complete array of equipment needed to support any operation. They also offer a Dual Technology Portable Reader that reads both RFID and bar codes.
Omron
The V700-D13P31 coin shaped tag has read-write qualifications. The advantage is that a person's name, social security number, division; etc can be programmed onto the tag. When this tag is interrogated with a portable or fixed reader, the display will show the person's name and other information written to the tag if required. Additionally, there is no need for a relational database, which is required for read-only tags that are programmed at the factory with an immutable number. The relational database is required to correlate the name of the individual with the number on the tag. Also this tag is low frequency, allowing greater penetration and read accuracy.
The tag has several characteristics regarding the manner in which information is stored. First, the tag is equipped with read only information composed of a serial number. Second, information can be written to the tag in two ways, write protect and with a lock function. With the write protect feature information is stored on the tag but can be reset at any time when desired. When information is written with the lock function, it is permanently inscribed for the life of the tag and is irreversible.
The tag is equipped with anticollision features enabling an indefinite number of tags to be read simultaneously. As the tags are interrogated with the signal beam from the antenna, they individually cease responding after having sent the data written on the tag. This allows the tags to be read sequentially, having no limit to the number of tags in
the antenna field at the same time. Omron has developed and implemented technology that allows an infite number of tags to be read simultaneously. Some other manufacturers claim a maximum of 50. When I inquired as to the length of time necessary to read and document 100 tags, the respondent replied "about a second." Considering the average time to read a tag is about 20ms, this estimate is plausible.
The V700-D-13P31 tag is currently being used in some very harsh environments. An example is that this tag is tracking items that are being dipped in acid. The tag is rated IP68, which means it can be immersed in water indefinitely. It is extremely resilient to ambient environments with a PPS protective sheathing, allowing it to be dipped in a variety of chemicals.
Omron manufactures a detailed product line to support various applications for their RFID tags. Of notable interest is their V600-CH1D Handheld Reader Writer. This reader connects directly to a personal computer via RS-232C port. It is made of protective construction suitable for outdoor applications. It has the capability to read and write data to the tag.
RFID Inc.
RFID Inc. core product line has been in existence for 15 years focused on industrial applications providing the company with expertise in the field. SimpleTag is the firm's least expensive tag and offers technology with anticollision capabilities. Prices
entire SimpleTag line is CE certified and FCC approved. Based on 13.56 Mhz the tag is available in both read/only with a 12 hex memory capacity and read/write with 2K bits of contactless programmable memory. The read-write transponder comes with the anticollision feature. The antenna to the left measuring 12" by 12" is the one recommended by John Martinez of RFID Inc. for use with the laundry read-write tag, designed to fit over the opening of a washer inventorying the articles of clothing as placed into the machine.
Single Chip Systems (SCS)
SCS founded in 1992 with corporate offices in San
Diego, California, markets RFID products through a worldwide network of system integrators and distributors. Its exclusive product features include read-write tags with anticollision allowing 50 tags to be read simultaneously. The tags have a long read range when compared with
other manufacturers of RFID technology for laundry applications. Diminutive and robust, the tag is available at a competitive price. A very unique feature of the Dura-label is its flexibility with the ability to retain its shape after being subjected to a bending environment. The tag has the ability of forming itself to the article attached. Additionally, when compared to other laundry tags, it is indeed diminutive with a
thickness of only .8mm, surpassing other manufactured products. The read-write transponder has a memory capacity of, Reserved - 1 Word (1 6bits), Unique Serial Code
-5 Words (16 bits each), and User Defined - 1 Word (16 bits).
There is a cautionary note on the bottom of each specification sheet. "Obstructing metals, other conducting material and label orientation may significantly affect read distance." Obstructing metals and other conducting material affect all transponders when placed in close enough proximity to the tag regardless of manufacturer resulting in the tag to become detuned and unreadable.
Transponder Manufacturers
There are several companies that manufacture nothing but the transponders, also known as chips, that are used for the sensors encased within the protective housing for application in the laundry industry. Two companies are Microchip and Phillips.
Microchips transponder designated as MCRF250 can be used for laundry in addition to other applications premiered on 12/3/97. It was on this date that Microchip announced an upgrade for two already existing chips, the MCRF200 and MCRF300. The newly introduced MCRF250 and MCRF350 expanded the Microchip's microlD family of RFID tag chips. The MCRF250 is a contactless programmable passive RFID device with anti-collision operating on the 125 kHz frequency band with anticollision capability for
wafer-on-frame, 8-lead PDIP and 8-lead SOIC packages. The MCRF250 pricing in 10,000-unit quantities on 12/3/97 is $0.35; this is the price from distributors.
On 9/14/98 Microchip expanded the MCRF250 anticollision capacity to 10 tags or more in the same reader field with a read range comparable to single-read tags. Pricing for the MCRF250 in 10,000-unit quantities is $0.35 each in die form and $0.70 each in COB module form.
On 11/18/99 Eric Sells from the Microchip distributor in Marlborough MA reported that the MCRF250 is still selling for $0.35. He mentioned that his company only manufactures the transponders for various industrial RFID applications necessitating the need for Value Added Resellers (VARS) or as this respondent referred to in the terms of the RFID industry, "Design Technology Centers" to complete the desired packaging. He recommended a local company Poly-Flex Circuits as using Microchip products. He also recommended RFID Inc. The Microchip MCRF250 allows multiple transponders in an RF field to be read and is reported to take about 10 seconds to read 100 chips.
It is this author's opinion that there is not any difference in the encapsulation costs between a read-only and read-write chip. It is my belief that the Design Technology Centers are trying to capture a higher price for first on the shelf that may not be totally justified. Considering that the Navy, in addition to the Total Force, is adapting a
Conclusions
As we have observed in the previous chapter, RFID in laundry applications is currently being used by today's commercial industrial launderer. This chapter presented the various RFID providers in this field. The United States Navy is currently using a system for documenting the receipt and return for laundry that is not using industry's best commercial practices. Presented in the following chapter is the current practice of laundry operations onboard the USS George Washington. Also a demonstration of the Datamars RFID system for garment inventory control in the laundry cycle was conducted onboard the USS Enterprise. The process of setting up an RFID system onboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is outlined as well.
Chapter Five
Laundry System Onboard
U. S. Navy Carriers
And
Demonstration of the Datamars
RFID Solution
Contacting an RFID Provider
The RFID suppliers for laundry applications were found by using a web search engine. This was accomplished by searching under the title of laundry. One of the website hits was the National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM). On review of this website there was a link to send questions or comments. Having enquired at this website about RFID manufactures for laundry applications a response was received from ragman c aol.com through NAILM. He, in turn, forwarded my request for information to a large list of his associates.
One of the responses from his forwarding my request for information was from Mr. William Dougherty, President, North American Division of Datamars, a Swiss-based manufacturer of RFID technology for the laundry industry. The Datamars product line, which they manufacture, market, and sell, includes RFID transponders, antennas, and readers for laundry application. In addition, they produce RFID technology for animal control and technology for industrial container application. Datamars currently has several other exciting proprietary applications in the final stages of development.
Datamars has been in business since 1988 as a RFID technology company. In the laundry identification sector, their 8 years of continual growth has resulted in over 150 pleased industrial linen and hospital laundry customers in 15 countries on 3 continents. As the developer of RFID technology for the laundry business, they are also the world's
share leaders in their respective countries. They have millions of the Datamars product in use.
The newest version of the Datamars chip is smaller in diameter than a U.S. Dime. It is nearly undetectable in garments, mops, mats and other laundrable textile products. Datamars guarantees their chips for 120 washings or two years, whichever occurs first. This is backed by their no questions policy of replacement. The Executive Vice President of one of the largest uniform and linen companies in the United States, who has introduced the Datamars product in 25 of their U.S. operations, 4 Canadian and 4 European locations, was recently quoted by one of the industry trade associations journals, as reporting that his company has passed 400 washings with the Datamars chip without experiencing any problems. This information is published in the Industrial Launderer, June 1999. Jerry Johnson, AmeriPride's Minneapolis-based executive VP has "pointed out that some Datamars RFID chips are now past their 4 0 0h wash cycle: none
have worn out yet. When a garment's life has ended, its chip has been reused in a new item".
The Datamars laundry chip is ideal for inventory control, in plant manpower reduction, and is the backbone of automatic sortation system technology. Their United States headquarters in located in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama.
Meeting With Datamars At MIT
Having contacted Mr. Dougherty, a meeting was arranged for September 28,
1999. Attendees included: Mr. William Dougherty, Doctor Hank Marcus, Chairman
Ocean Systems Management Program, Arthur Clark and several other students from the Ocean Systems Management Program. The meeting was held at the conference room in the Department of Ocean Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Dougherty's presentation of the Datamars solution to the new age technological solution to laundry operations using Radio Frequency Identification devices was very informative.
Mr. Dougherty explained that launderers are confronted with two major issues. First, that loss can account for up to 10% of garments. Second, laundering is a labor-intensive process. To address those issues technologies that have been used up to now, fabric labels and bar codes, have limitations:
* Line of sight technologies, such as optical character recognition and bar code, require that the entire label has to be seen, to be read.
* Reading failure rate is high at approximately 5 % failure rate. The failure rate
becomes worse after several washing cycles as labels deteriorate and may require the replacement of the label for some garments.
* RFID technology far exceeds the number of articles that can be read in a given time when compared to bar code technology. The primary reason is that in order to read a bar code the label must first be found and then swiped with the reader. When RFID technology is used the garment is simply passed over a tabletop antenna.
The decision to use the Datamars technology for the forthcoming study was made after this meeting. This decision was not based on the desire to choose the best of the RFID solution providers, but on the cooperative spirit of the Datamars representative, Mr. William Dougherty, and a general confidence that his product would perform well aboard an aircraft carrier.
Meeting At COMNAVAIRLANT, And Tour Of Laundry Facility
Onboard USS George Washington CVN-73
On January 24, 2000 a meeting was held in Building T26 that serves as the headquarters for Commander Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet, located at NOB Norfolk Virginia. The reason for the meeting was to become familiar with existing practices in the laundry operation onboard U. S. Navy aircraft carriers and to determine the potential in this area for the application of RFID. The meeting was attended by CDR Parke L. Guthner, USN of COMNAVAIRLANT, Robert W. Belcher and Gary Good from Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), Dennis D. Perzyk a federal government employee who is Assistant for Services for COMNAVAIRLANT, William D. Dougherty, President, Datamars, North America Division, ENS C. D. Tillman, USNR S3 Division Officer and Leading Petty Officer SHI Herlong USN, from the USS George
Washington CVN-73, Doctor Hank Marcus, Chairman, Ocean Systems Management Program and his student Arthur Clark from MIT.
The meeting commenced shortly after 0945. Doctor Marcus opened the meeting with an introduction on the research conducted by LCDR Gary Dunlap highlighting the potential for Radio Frequency Identification devices to reduce costs for the Navy and increase the Quality of Life onboard navy combatants. The cost considerations are achieved by the insertion of information technology thereby eliminating or reducing manual input of required data. In some instances the saving in man-hours can be substantial, to the point that may allow the reduction of crews onboard US Naval vessels. In any event time reduction of mundane labor -intensive tasks; requiring minimal or no professional in rate knowledge can be eliminated thereby allowing personnel to concentrate on their specialty providing greater personal satisfaction. In this manner the quality of life is increased for sailors and officers serving onboard today's naval vessels.
For the application currently considered this is reduced man hours spent logging in the quantity of clothing from all Chief Petty Officers (CPO) and Officers into the laundry facility onboard the USS Washington. Doctor Marcus gave a brief overview of what RFID is and the application in industry. Doctor Marcus further explained that the return on investment can be achieved in a relatively short period of time and in some cases can be attained in a year.
After this introduction Mr. William Dougherty of Datamars took the floor and explained his product and its success within the textile laundry. He cited numerous instances of the Datamars laundry chip in the application of laundry operations in the private industry sector. During his presentation a Master Chief from the Nimtz commented on his use of bar code labels manufactured by Brady, a company with an extensive RFID product line. The Master Chief further explained the success they have had with bar code labels in reducing tedious man-hours in the check-in of laundry. He demonstrated a tag that he brought with him that had gone through about 30 washings but when exposed to an undiluted cleaning agent the tag became smeared although still readable with a bar code scanner.
Mr. William Dougherty went on the explain that RFID tags have a much longer service life with the added benefit of reduced time needed for documenting the presence of articles of clothing equipped with RFID.
Following Mr. Dougherty's presentation there was some general questions on RFD and its application in the laundry industry. Additionally, there was a brief explanation of laundry operations onboard US Navy Aircraft Carriers. After this brief explanation of laundry ops the meeting was suspend to resume onboard the USS Washington.
After arriving onboard the USS George Washington we assembled in the laundry room and were given a tour and further clarification of the laundry process. It became
readily apparent that the application of RFID would be beneficial in reducing the time to log in the number of khaki shirts and pants, and nylon mesh bag of the chiefs and officers. We continued to tour the laundry room and shortly after departed.
After touring the USS Washington we again assembled in the conference room in building T26. This meeting lasted in total about 1 hour. We further discussed the laundry operation and discussed the possibilities of a test using the Datamars laundry chip. A Commander on the COMNAVAIRLANT staff emphasized that the Navy does not have funds to pay for a demo. Dennis Perzyk commented that the test should be of at least 2-weeks duration to fully evaluate the application of the Datamars chip. We all agreed. Mr. Dougherty graciously offered to provide chips, hermetic cloth seals, and to obtain the software for the relational database at no cost to the Navy for a demo. It was decided that the demo would include all officers and chiefs of the ship's complement while the air wing is disembarked onboard the USS Washington. We left the meeting with the feeling that the demo would take place in about a month.
Laundry Operations Onboard the USS George Washington
Background
The USS George Washington is an aircraft carrier whose homeport is Norfolk, Virginia. The ship's company consists of 3,000 officers and enlisted personal. When the air wing is embarked there are approximately 6,000 personnel onboard the vessel. The
officers and are considered VIP in the handling of laundry. The handling of laundry for senior officers differs than that for junior officers and chiefs. The air wing consists of
130 chiefs and 192 officers, of the officers 18 are senior officers.
The laundry room onboard the USS George Washington operates twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. The laundry crew works port and starboard shifts, each shift comprising of 10 men/women. In all 20 people per day take care of the laundry needs for a crew of 6,000.
In an effort to reduce labor- intensive inventory of laundry upon check in and check out to the laundry room, the insertion of Radio Frequency Identification devices is being investigated. RFID for laundry applications are small tags composed of an internal wire winding with attached microchip encapsulated within a monolithic epoxy shell. The microchip serves as a repository for the identification information whereby an article of clothing can be correlated with the owner. The tag is attached by a hermetic seal to an unobtrusive location on the article of clothing. The tag when interrogated by an electromagnetic field generated by an antenna transmits its information through the antenna to a reader. In turn the reader sends this information to a computer providing a running inventory of articles received upon check in and discharged upon check out.
The Laundry Process
Laundry for chiefs is collected three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Laundry for officers is collected three times a week for officers as well on
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Chiefs and officers can place laundry for pickup on any one of these days. A nylon mesh bag is used to contain the individual's whites such as t-shirts, underwear, and socks. The nylon mesh bag is presently identified with an affixed cotton tag upon which is written the individual's name, social security number, and division. The khaki uniform is placed on hangers alongside the nylon bag. When leaving laundry for pickup, the individual fills out a preprinted laundry chit documenting the contents of the nylon bag and items placed on the hangers. This chit is attached to one of the hangers.
Location: Officers/Chiefs Berthing
The Officers/Chiefs Berthing is the start of the laundry cycle. A sailor making the prescribed route for that day, depending whether it's for chiefs or officers, picks up the laundry. The sailor verifies the number of khakis on the hangers against the checked items on the laundry chit. The sailor does not inventory the contents of the nylon mesh bag. At this node the sailor from the laundry room assumes responsibility for the articles of clothing to be laundered. He/she then transports the laundry to the check-in desk in the laundry room.
Location: Laundry Room -Check in/out Desk
The sailor delivers the garments to the Laundry Room. On first entering the Laundry Room the sailor reports to the Check-in desk. Presently, upon check-in, each chief's and officer's clothing is inventoried, validated against the laundry chit, and
manually logged in a hand written logbook. This inventory entails the quantity of khaki shirts, the quantity of khaki pants, and one-nylon mesh bag containing the whites.
Both the sailor delivering the laundry to the laundry room and the person logging in the garments are involved in the check-in process. At this point the sailor passes the responsibility for the garments to the laundry room. The check in time for one chief or junior officer is 3 minutes. The check in time for one senior officer is 3 minutes.
The nylon mesh bag is not inventoried for chiefs and junior officers. However, the laundry chit attached to the hanger contains the contents of the nylon mesh bag as documented by the officer/chief. The nylon mesh bag is inventoried and logged for senior officers.
At the check-in desk the laundry is separated into lots. A lot is a certain chiefs berthing compartment or segment of officer staterooms. Once batched into a lot, the
garments go through the laundry process as a unit. For example, all the khakis and nylon mesh bags from a chiefs berthing compartment are grouped into a lot and go through the laundry process together. The khakis are taken off the hangers and placed into a single pile. The hangers are arranged in alphabetical order and placed next to the pile of khakis. The nylon mesh bags are also placed into a single pile. These two piles are considered a single lot, and are stored in the area for dirty laundry.
Location: Storage Area - Dirty Laundry
The storage area for dirty laundry is a queuing area for that day's laundry. Here
dirty laundry is staged waiting their turn to be processed through the laundry room.
Location Washers
At a time when a designated lot is ready to resume the transit through the laundry room, it is retrieved from the staging area for dirty laundry. The khakis and nylon mesh bags containing the whites are washed separately. The nylon mesh bags in the lot are washed as a single bundle - the whites are not taken out of the bag. The respective lot
containing both khakis and whites go through the laundry process together. The washing for the lot of khakis and whites takes about 30 minutes.
Location: Dryers
After being washed the nylon mesh bags are moved to a dryer. The khaki uniforms do not go through a dryer cycle. Instead after being washed they are
transported to another area in the laundry room to be pressed. After being dried the nylon mesh bags containing the whites are set-aside in the Storage Area - Clean Laundry
awaiting the pressing of khaki uniforms. The time needed for the drying of the nylon mesh bags is about 45 minutes.
Location: Table
