LOCFIELD Turns Refrigerators into Automated UHF RFID Inventory Systems
Wilmsmeier Solutions demonstrates how a refrigerator can be transformed into an automatic RAIN RFID reading zone using the slim and flexible LOCFIELD® antenna. Tagged samples, containers, or products are detected, and the data is transmitted directly to the backend via FEIG2any.
Automated Inventory Control Without Individual Scanning
In laboratories, medical facilities, or smart retail applications, it must be possible to track which items are in a refrigerator at all times. Conventional processes often require manual inventory checks or scanning each container individually.
With UHF RFID, inventory can be taken automatically. The items inside the refrigerator are equipped with RAIN RFID transponders and detected by the integrated LOCFIELD® antenna. A software dashboard digitally displays the read transponders and thus the current inventory.
This creates a controlled identification zone directly inside the refrigerator. Employees do not have to search for individual items or record them one by one.
Flexible Antenna for Limited Installation Space
Integrating RFID into a refrigerator places special demands on the antenna technology. The read zone must be aligned with the interior, while the antenna must take up as little space as possible.
The LOCFIELD® antenna features a slim and flexible design and can therefore be adapted to the geometry of the refrigerator. Wilmsmeier Solutions also uses this antenna technology for spatially constrained reading zones on shelves, in aisles, and in conveyor systems.
This application demonstrates that smart cabinets and intelligent refrigerators do not necessarily require specially designed enclosures. Existing devices can generally be retrofitted with RFID tracking as long as the antenna, reader, transponder, and read zone are properly coordinated.
Automatically Monitoring Laboratory Samples and Products
One potential area of application is laboratory and research refrigerators. RFID-tagged samples, reagents, or containers can be automatically inventoried. The system can thus show which items are present and which have been removed from the refrigerator.
Similar applications are also possible in retail. A smart refrigerator can automatically track products and provide inventory information for self-service, restocking, or billing processes.
For system integrators, the key advantage lies in contactless batch detection: Multiple tagged objects can be detected within the defined read zone without requiring visual contact with a barcode.
FEIG2any transmits RFID data directly to the backend
RFID capture alone does not create an end-to-end process. The read data must then be reliably transmitted to a laboratory information system, an inventory management system, a cloud platform, or a customer-specific application.
To achieve this, the application can be combined with FEIG2any. The software runs directly on supported FEIG UHF RFID readers and transmits RFID events to the backend without the need for an additional edge computer or separate middleware. Supported protocols include HTTP and HTTPS, MQTT, AWS IoT Core, Azure IoT Hub, and OPC UA.
Configuration is browser-based. This allows system integrators to reuse the RFID data connection and eliminates the need to develop new middleware for every smart fridge project.
From the Refrigerator to a Connected Inventory Solution
The combination of the LOCFIELD® antenna, UHF RFID reader, and backend connection offers a compact approach to automated inventory systems. The solution is relevant wherever a large number of tagged objects need to be reliably tracked and digitally managed in a confined space.
In addition to laboratory and retail applications, this includes, for example, medical supplies, food, tools, or other sensitive inventory items. Key to successful implementation are a defined read zone, suitable transponders, and the reliable integration of RFID data into the existing process.
Are you planning a smart refrigerator, a smart cabinet, or an automated inventory solution?
Talk to Olaf Wilmsmeier about antenna design, transponder selection, reader integration, and the direct connection of RFID data to your backend.