In Sync: Data capture and mobile computing

With ongoing pressures to drive costs out of manufacturing and distribution processes, facilities increasingly rely on a blend of data capture and mobile computing technologies to gain better control of assets and inventory. The application of a single solution— such as RF bar code scanning, imagers, voice-directed picking or radio frequency identification (RFID)—developed into a blending of technologies embedded into a single device for maximum labor flexibility and operational efficiency.

Users need data capture and mobile computing solutions that generate enhanced supply chain visibility and overall business efficiency improvements, says Mike Liard RFID practice director at ABI Research. “To do that, suppliers have become more ‘technology agnostic,’ offering a broader range of automatic identification data collection (AIDC) solutions for use in combination as complementary technologies.”

“The technologies are used not just to find assets, but also to track the mission-critical things that get tied to your process,” Liard adds. “People are looking beyond labor cost reduction to overall cost reduction—a more holistic approach.”