4 ms·

lojack won't work for the reasons you mention, RFID really is the best solution because it's cheap and they don't need to change their existing inventory. There

by phpnode 12y ago

lojack won't work for the reasons you mention, RFID really is the best solution because it's cheap and they don't need to change their existing inventory. There's no need for plastic pallets, they could embed the RFID tags into each of the wooden blocks which make up the corners of the pallet. If one doesn't already exist, it's probably quite simple to produce a nailgun like device which literally shoots an RFID tag into a block of wood, which would make tagging existing pallets straightforward and cheap. The palettes are cheap enough that they actually don't need the exact location of each of them. All they need is the ability to track pallets at certain points in the supply chain, which will give them a good indication of global pallet movements. RFID tag readers are also quite cheap so you could potentially fit a lot of them at relatively small expense. They could be embedded into the flooring of trucks, the entrances of warehouses and the arms of forklifts.

nwenzel 12y ago
All of the examination of costs in the comments assume a zero cost of enforcement. Free courts, free police, free jailing or fine enforcement of any violators. Without that free enforcement, these $5-$50 items would not be worth fighting over. I don't believe that police protection should be a fee-for-service business, but are there no checks and balances on the use of public services for private gain?
- phpnode 12y ago
  Your argument applies to theft of any low value item. If a shopkeeper presses charges against a shoplifter, are they using public services for private gain? Should there be checks in place to stop shopkeepers from reporting too many thieves?
  - nwenzel 12y ago
    It would seem from the article that the business model not only requires the free protection, but that the enforcement of fines an judgements is a major driver of revenues. In your hypothetical example, I believe you are referring to a physical storefront where the primary revenue generating activity is to sell merchandise. If your hypothetical shopkeeper had a shop that made more money from forcing shoplifters to pay a fine for scaling, then... perhaps. I don't think your hypothetical shop exists, so it's tough for me to answer.
kbaker 12y ago
The problem with RFID for pallets is that the logistics space is still too decentralized. I work for a company which does a lot of custom RFID integration (we have worked with the companies in the article for tracking pallets.) First, the RF properties of inserting RFID tags into wooden pallets just doesn't work well; it is far better to stick a label on the outside of the pallet. But then you get into durability issues, etc. So iGPS really had the right idea here, with molding the tags into the actual plastic pallet itself. Great read range. The other problem is the hugely distributed nature of the supply chain. Pallet poolers like CHEP just don't have the resources to stick an RFID reader at every location that can possibly accept pallets, and distributors / store locations have no incentive to help CHEP out with returning accidentally-delivered CHEP pallets. RFID readers are unfortunately not cheap enough for CHEP to start parking readers everywhere to see where their pallets go. Trust me, as a manufacturer of RFID readers, our company would absolutely love a scenario where RFID readers start being embedded in every trailer and on every forklift, however realistically that solution is still at least a few years out, and the cost needs to come down probably another order of magnitude to be practical for use in the pallet industry. iGPS was just too early to the game.
- phpnode 12y ago
  thanks for the insight! regarding embedding the tags I was imagining a small device around the size of a large coin with perhaps three prongs / nails attached. The prongs would embed into the wood keeping the tag in place, and the force of installation would depress the device into the wood slightly, but the RFID tag itself would remain on the exterior of the wood, so it should still be readable.

by phpnode 12y ago

nwenzel 12y ago

All of the examination of costs in the comments assume a zero cost of enforcement. Free courts, free police, free jailing or fine enforcement of any violators. Without that free enforcement, these $5-$50 items would not be worth fighting over. I don't believe that police protection should be a fee-for-service business, but are there no checks and balances on the use of public services for private gain?

phpnode 12y ago
Your argument applies to theft of any low value item. If a shopkeeper presses charges against a shoplifter, are they using public services for private gain? Should there be checks in place to stop shopkeepers from reporting too many thieves?
- nwenzel 12y ago
  It would seem from the article that the business model not only requires the free protection, but that the enforcement of fines an judgements is a major driver of revenues. In your hypothetical example, I believe you are referring to a physical storefront where the primary revenue generating activity is to sell merchandise. If your hypothetical shopkeeper had a shop that made more money from forcing shoplifters to pay a fine for scaling, then... perhaps. I don't think your hypothetical shop exists, so it's tough for me to answer.

kbaker 12y ago

The problem with RFID for pallets is that the logistics space is still too decentralized. I work for a company which does a lot of custom RFID integration (we have worked with the companies in the article for tracking pallets.) First, the RF properties of inserting RFID tags into wooden pallets just doesn't work well; it is far better to stick a label on the outside of the pallet. But then you get into durability issues, etc. So iGPS really had the right idea here, with molding the tags into the actual plastic pallet itself. Great read range. The other problem is the hugely distributed nature of the supply chain. Pallet poolers like CHEP just don't have the resources to stick an RFID reader at every location that can possibly accept pallets, and distributors / store locations have no incentive to help CHEP out with returning accidentally-delivered CHEP pallets. RFID readers are unfortunately not cheap enough for CHEP to start parking readers everywhere to see where their pallets go. Trust me, as a manufacturer of RFID readers, our company would absolutely love a scenario where RFID readers start being embedded in every trailer and on every forklift, however realistically that solution is still at least a few years out, and the cost needs to come down probably another order of magnitude to be practical for use in the pallet industry. iGPS was just too early to the game.

phpnode 12y ago
thanks for the insight! regarding embedding the tags I was imagining a small device around the size of a large coin with perhaps three prongs / nails attached. The prongs would embed into the wood keeping the tag in place, and the force of installation would depress the device into the wood slightly, but the RFID tag itself would remain on the exterior of the wood, so it should still be readable.