Barcodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are the two major means by which enterprises dealing in moving goods from one place to another enable themselves to identify those goods in transit and automate tracking and other processes. Companies in such industries as warehousing, distribution, shipping, manufacturing, and retail sales find such automation particularly useful, being far more economical than any human-based means of tracking goods. Both types of identification carry varying amounts of data about goods and facilitate use of mechanical readers to gather and report that information.

Although both kinds of technology fulfill the same function in general terms, they have some significant differences. Barcodes must be printed on some kind of label material, which can vary from paper to vinyl, and must be placed on goods in a uniform manner to facilitate mechanical reading. Barcode reading depends on maintaining a line of sight from the reader to the label, thus being limited to a maximum range of 10-15 feet, and is subject to misinterpretation if the barcode label isn't printed with sufficient clarity or becomes damaged or distorted by moisture or other stresses from storage or shipping environments. Also, barcodes can carry only limited amounts of data, so they tend to be used to identify large numbers of similar items. Another computer-related use for barcodes is to use them on documents to support content-management and document-retrieval applications.

RFID tags, on the other hand, are electronic and hold much more information, enough that enterprises can use them to identify individual items down to serial numbers and actually update that information by radio. RFID tags come in three types: passive, semipassive, and active. Electromagnetic waves from RFID readers can extract information from passive tags at a 10-foot range, similar to barcode labels. Semipassive tags carry a small battery that activates a chip onboard the tag to make it easier to read. Active tags contain a larger battery that can actually transmit the onboard information to readers up to 1,500 feet away. RFID tags are more expensive than barcode labels, costing up to five cents per tag. But in addition to carrying more information, they are more durable than barcode labels and more secure because they are difficult to counterfeit. This greater versatility enables RFID tag use at the product or item level, rather than primarily on pallets or containers as barcodes are used. Standards for RFID tags are controlled by the International Standards Organization (ISO), which handles standards for pallet and item tracking, and EPC Global, which is working on codes for individual product types.

Barcode and RFID products for the System i break down into several different product types, but there are few enough for us to cover all of them in this article. Barcode printing solutions help users generate barcode labels on appropriately equipped printers. Barcode and RFID middleware interprets data coming in from mechanical readers and passes that information to back-end server applications for analysis and storage. RFID control applications help users organize and manage systems that use RFID tracking technology. This roundup doesn't include industry-specific applications (e.g., warehousing, retail sales) that many contain inherent barcode-processing capabilities or any hardware-related barcode or RFID products.

The information offered here for each product is simply a summary. For more complete product information, please consult the URLs following each product description.

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System i Barcode and RFID Applications

Barcode Printing Solutions

Barcode400
T.L. Ashford & Associates
Barcode400 specializes in custom label designing and printing on the System i with no programming. It offers the ability to generate a custom barcode label and the ability to print it via random access or in batch mode. Although Barcode400 specializes in barcode labels, T.L. Ashford provides an RFID add-on that encodes smart labels with data directly from the System i. tlashford.com

EZeDocs/400
ACOM Solutions
EZeDocs/400 is a forms design and document delivery system that includes barcode label capability. Using ACOM's EZDesigner/400 product, users can design their own barcode labels that can also include logos, signatures, and other graphics. acom.com

FontMagic/400 Font Manager
Keowee Systems, Inc.
FontMagic/400 offers scalable TrueType fonts for all popular barcodes, postal, optical character reader, and other labels and documents. It works with other Keowee document-management products to extract data from System i spooled files and applications. keoform.com

FormSprint
Integrated Custom Software, Inc.
FormSprint provides laser forms generation for the System i, including barcode labels. It enables users to print labels and other forms directly from a System i to any PCL-compatible laser printer. formsprint.com

Formtastic Labels
Quadrant Software
Formtastic specializes in barcode labeling and can translate data into more than 25 different barcode types. It has the ability to turn files into address labels for mailing and to produce custom and industry-standard labels. Formtastic also provides flexible design tools and supports RFID. quadrantsoftware.com

iBar and Graphic Tools
InFORM Decisions
InFORM's iBar and Graphics Tools generate popular barcodes on forms and labels, integrate labels and forms, and provide secure document automation with graphic overlays. informdecisions.com

InterForm400
Intermate A/S
Interform400 gives businesses the ability to design their own forms, including barcode labels. It uses soft fonts for the most common barcodes. Interform400 also offers a wide range of other features, including copy management, PDF creation, retrieval of certain pages from a large spooled file, and handling of multiple-language characters. intermate.com/intermate-39.htm

Label-i
Tangentia400
Label-i functions as an API that developers can call from an RPG, Cobol, or CL program that can dynamically merge System i variable data into a previously designed label frame. Nontechnical personnel can make changes to label formats without programming, and all data, programs, and label formats reside on the server. tangentia400.com/labeli

MapForm
Symtrax Corporation
MapForm is an electronic-forms solution that includes barcode label printing capabilities. It lets users incorporate design elements such as logos or graphics, 1D and 2D barcodes, and optical mark recognition symbols, and combine it with data coming from System i and external databases. symtrax.com

MarkMagic
CYBRA Corporation
MarkMagic lets users print custom labels, tags, or forms using System i data from spooled files and databases. It also offers printing customization features and requires no programming to use with legacy applications. cybra.com/markmagic-family/markmagic.html

Barcode and RFID Middleware

RFID Server
Better On-Line Solutions, Ltd.
RFID Server is a middleware platform that manages RFID infrastructure, including all hardware. It coordinates and controls fixed and mobile readers, processes and correlates tag data, and provides RFID dta services to applications. A Management Console feature helps users remotely configure, deploy, and monitor site configurations. boscorporate.com

Viewpoint Data Collection System
Nutech Systems
Viewpoint works with your ERP system to supply realtime barcode data information. With features like Manufacturing Inventory, Warehouse Management, Transaction Manager, Job Reporting, and Time and Attendance modules, Viewpoint is designed to offer your company a wide range of ways to view the collected information. Viewpoint is compatible with the following applications: INFOR BPCS, INFOR PRMS, INFOR System21, INFOR SyteLine, IFS, JD Edwards, MAC-PAC, and SAP Business One. nutechsystems.com

RFID Control Applications

EdgeMagic
CYBRA Corporation
EdgeMagic is an RFID management system that is designed specifically to ensure label compliance to EPC mandates. It offers the basics needed for RFID tag creation. An Enterprise Edition version adds a range of functions that help manage the RFID tagging process, including management reporting, reading and validating RFID tags, and integration with ERP and WMS applications. cybra.com/edgemagic/edgemagic.html

RFID for iSeries
Solzon Corporation
Solzon Corporation puts forward the RFID for iSeries, an RFID tagging solution that will work with any RFID hardware. This product has the capability to integrate to back-end application software, manage GTIN, maintain the GTIN Hierarchy, dynamically program RFID tags, utilize pre-assigned RFID tags, and control EPC commissioning. solzon.com

RFID Gateway
SEEBURGER AG
RFID Gateway is a modular, Java-based RFID solution that features data, tag, and hardware management utilities. The product has a simulation mode that lets companies simulate RFID processes before an extensive implementation. seeburger.com

RFLink
RFView
Warren Point Communications. Ltd.
RFLink works as a communications bridge between RFID readers and the specified destination of collected data. It offers a speedy way to monitor and filter the data received from RFID readers.

When coupled with RFLink, RFView places all retrieved and filtered data into reports. RFView offers analysis reports, user-definable tag-location schematics, and realtime event lists for RFID data. trackerpoint.com/LayoutRFLink.aspx
trackerpoint.com/LayoutRFView.aspx

RF-SMART for JD Edwards World
ICS, Inc.
RF-SMART delivers an RFID solution to users of Oracle's JD Edwards World A7.3, A8.1, or A9.1. Its functionality includes distribution/inventory control, advanced warehouse management, RFID outbound compliance labeling, and equipment maintenance. rfsmart.com/world.htm

TagNet
Stratum Global, Inc.
TagNet offers three different software solutions for RFID needs. TagNet Closed Loop is an application that is designed to target the best possible uses of RFID. TagNet RFID Solution Suites for Compliance is a software, hardware, label, and services bundle that helps companies make compliant RFID tags. TagNet Asset Management helps businesses manage RFID data and equipment. stratumglobal.com

John Ghrist is senior products editor for System iNEWS. John would like to thank Cassie Deemer for her help with this article.