RFID, Barcode or QR Code: Which asset tagging tech should your business use?
When designing an asset tracking system one of your initial considerations will be how you'll tag your assets. The three main contenders will undoubtedly be RFID, barcodes and QR codes. All three can identify your assets but work in drastically different ways. Here's the breakdown in plain English:
Barcode- Low cost, low tech, and simple Barcodes have been used for years and continue to be popular as they are inexpensive and easy to print and use with virtually any barcode scanner. The catch is that they need line-of-sight scanning, so scanning assets one at a time. If you have a small, static inventory that has slow movement or no turnover it might be the ideal choice. However, for businesses where you have large volumes of fast moving items the barcode becomes quite the time killer.
QR Code- barcode, but on steroids QR codes allow for significantly more data to be stored than a traditional barcode and can be read at any angle with just a smartphone. This could mean if your employees already have a smart phone with them they won't need to invest in any new technology to upgrade from their barcode system to a QR code based system. Like a barcode, a QR code is read manually and therefore does not provide any automation benefits.
RFID- Hands-free, quick and powerful An RFID tag utilizes radio waves to read the tag, negating any need for line-of-sight scanning or manually pointing a scanner. In the simplest explanation one scan of an RFID reader can capture up to dozens of assets in seconds (even through boxes or shelving). An RFID system is the quickest and most accurate solution as it fully automates your asset scanning process. An RFID system does come with a more substantial upfront cost compared to a barcode or QR code based system but for warehouses, manufacturing plants, hospitals etc. That deal with large numbers of assets the initial cost more than pays for itself with increased efficiency.
So how do you decide? It truly depends on your organization's size, budget, and desire for automation. If you have a small inventory and a tight budget barcodes or QR codes would do. If you want the highest degree of speed and automation you should be investing in RFID. In some larger organizations you will see RFID for high value items, and QR codes used for the rest of the inventory.
Don't fret, you are not limited to picking one system and using that exclusively forever. At AssetTrackPro, we offer RFID, barcode and QR code technology all on the same platform so you can begin using what is most feasible for you now, and scale to new technology later.
