Developing a precast production management system using RFID technology

Radio Frequency identification (RFID) is characterized with superior predispositions, including the recognition of multiple markers, communication ranges from five to six meters, and a storage database for thousands of data files. These unique features resolve data storage and record-reviewing difficulties, prevent repetitive data entries, and facilitate instant feedbacks. The precast industry is a management-intensive sector, for which pivotal issues include methods relevant to the instant provision of acquired management information to executive managers, materials of precast concrete products, quality control inspection and inventory and transportation management information, and convenient data entry for frontline personnel. It is anticipated to integrate usage of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and the application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Using RFID tag and reader to collect the information, and then transmit the multifaceted, mobilized information such as the production quantity, the materials quantity, quality control inspection and inventory and transportation management information to the manager office or the site worker via the PDA and wireless Internet. This precast production management system which has been developed by the author and utilized in precast production management encompasses inspection of incoming materials, production process inspection, molds inspection, specimen strength feedback, and logistic and receiving management. The mobilized information frame elaborated in this proposal can, to certain degree, be regarded as a reference for the construction of a mobilized precast industry management system. (C) 2009 Elsevier H.V. All rights reserved.