Siemens

Siemens AG (based in Berlin and Munich) is a global leader in electronics and electrical engineering. The group is active in the fields of manufacturing, energy and healthcare. Around the world, the company’s almost 400,000 employees develop and manufacture products, plan and implement systems and facilities, and provide customers with made-to-measure solutions. For more than 160 years, Siemens has stood for technical capability, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality.

Siemens is the European market leader in industrial identification systems. For 25 years, the group has been developing products, systems and services based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for its customers and for use in its own production processes. RFID solutions from Siemens can be deployed throughout the entire value chain, automating production, supply, authentication and other business processes. In the consumer goods and automotive industries, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in aeronautics, logistics and transportation, Siemens has already proven its expertise in the field of identification systems. In addition, the company is also working together with Fujitsu Services and Fujitsu Siemens Computers on developing a platform which will allow retailers, industry partners and producers to exchange information along the entire supply chain.

As a partner of the METRO GROUP Future Store Initiative, Siemens provides participating companies with consulting services and with a wide selection of RFID hardware and software. In 2003, Siemens cooperated with METRO GROUP in a case study of RFID deployment in the clothing industry.

To make it easier for interested companies to introduce RFID technology and to help manage the associated risks and costs, Siemens has developed a range of RFID Starter Kits which are available in three configuration levels. Each kit comprises an initial business scan to assess the impact of RFID on the operations, as well as preconfigured hardware and consulting services during the introductory phase. The basic package supports retailers in furnishing their product shipments with RFID tags. Levels two and three enable manufacturers to incorporate RFID into their manufacturing and shipping processes on a step-by-step basis, up to full integration with legacy data processing systems.

The Simatic RF600 reader operates in the European and North American ultrahigh-frequency range (UHF) and is designed especially for use in logistics and supply chain management. Up to four antennas (model: Simatic RF660A) connected to the reader let the device capture data stored on RFID transponders – such as the Electronic Product Code (EPC) – and convey this information to downstream systems via a compatible interface (Ethernet or RS-422). As an alternative, the reader can also transmit data to a client application. The handheld Simatic RF610M reader is ideal for mobile applications.

Volker Klaas
Head of CC RFID
Phone: +49 211 399 3100
E-mail:  volker.klaas@siemens.com
 www.siemens.com/rfid