IBM Builds Momentum for Open Standards-Based Radio Frequency Identification Ecosystem

EPCglobal US Conference -- Rallying the industry to support a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ecosystem based on open standards, IBM today announced new partnerships and standards-based solutions aimed at helping customers build on demand businesses.

The announcement continues IBM's push to help customers use RFID technologies to automate business processes to gain real-time visibility of items in a supply chain, efficiently manage assets, and improve customer service.

Underscoring the company's effort to accelerate industry adoption of RFID technologies, the new solutions are based on IBM WebSphere RFID middleware and services supported by a Service Oriented Architecture, SOA. The architecture offers a J2EE and J2ME based application environment that provide small, mid-sized and large businesses the flexibility to integrate information with custom third-party business process applications and free customers from relying upon any single information technology vendor.

As part of today's news, OATSystems is working together with IBM to market an integrated offering comprising OATSystems RFID applications and IBM's RFID Solution for the Consumer Driven Supply Chain. Additionally, TrueDemand Software and MARCGlobal will also offer applications running on IBM WebSphere middleware. IBM will also introduce an RFID for Work in Process solution for manufacturers and an RFID "Express" service for small and medium businesses. The company will open a new testing and compliance lab in Raleigh, North Carolina, and announce its new IBM Infoprint 6700 R40 complies with Gen 2 standards.

"Standardization has historically been the key driver in accelerating the mass adoption of emerging technologies like Radio Frequency Identification Technology," said Robert Mayberry, vice president, IBM Sensor and Actuator Solutions. "IBM's announcements today are designed to help customers in first-adopter industries take advantage of RFID software and services to create new opportunities for growth, cut costs, and become on demand businesses."

Today's announcements include the following new initiatives:

Business Partners To Offer Applications on IBM Middleware

OATSystems, Inc. is working together with IBM to market an integrated offering comprising OATSystems RFID applications and IBM's RFID Solution for the Consumer Driven Supply Chain. The offering provides retailers and their manufacturing partners the ability to mine real-time data in the supply chain, and help suppliers comply with RFID retail mandates.

MARC Global, a leading value-driven supply chain execution systems vendor, and IBM have completed the integration of IBM RFID Premises Server with MARC's RFID Enabler solutions. The combined solutions allow companies to integrate RFID technologies into existing supply chain execution systems. The solution also helps companies comply with EPC electronic pedigree and trading partner requirements and makes it easier to launch RFID pilot programs. IBM-enabled MARC RFID solutions are being implemented at several leading companies in the High Technology and Life Sciences industries. One of the world's largest providers of medical devices and diagnostic equipment, for instance, is deploying such a solution based on Alien ALR 9800 readers embedded with IBM WebSphere RFID Device Infrastructure.

TrueDemand Software, Inc., a developer of RFID-enabled supply chain applications is developing next generation EPC-enabled supply chain solutions on IBM's WebSphere middleware. The solution offers customers the opportunity to gain real time visibility of information about inventory in supply chains and improve customer service.

IBM Introduces New Work In Process and RFID "Express" Solutions:

IBM is also introducing the two new standards-based solutions -- one is to help manufacturers automate plant floor operations and the other is to help small businesses comply with retailer mandates.

RFID for Work in Process helps manufacturers accelerate materials management within a plant floor environment. The SOA-based solution can help a manufacturer better manage assembly automation, track plant floor assets, and manage inventory by integrating applications inside a company, as well as externally with customers and suppliers. It offers customers real-time visibility of key assets to improve the identification and tracking of tools and equipment and also to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley and other mandates. The solution includes IBM's WebSphere RFID middleware, tags and readers from IBM Business Partners, as well as IBM's Global Services expertise implementing manufacturing and Work in Process solutions.

IBM currently takes advantage of an RFID for Work in Process solution to automate its semiconductor production process at the company's East Fishkill 300 mm semiconductor fabrication facility. The facility has integrated some 1,500 RFID readers with the plant's production tools to help it gain real-time visibility of the assembly line process, improve employee productivity, and reduce both product errors and production delays. Royal Philips Semiconductors recently completed deployment of a similar solution in Asia that takes advantage of IBM WebSphere RFID middleware to integrate legacy systems and plant operations.