EPCIS: A Complete Guide to Understanding Its Functionality and Use
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been used in the supply chain for years. While it has revolutionized inventory management and logistics, it falls short when it comes to sharing data across different systems. That's where the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) comes in. EPCIS is a standard that allows for the sharing of RFID sensor data across different systems.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about EPCIS, from its functionality to its use in the supply chain and business operations.
What is EPCIS?
EPCIS is an industry standard developed by GS1, the global standards organization. It provides a standardized format for capturing, sharing and storing RFID data across different systems, regardless of the manufacturer or vendor.
EPCIS acts as a middleware between RFID readers and other enterprise systems (such as warehouse management and ERP systems), allowing sensor data to be shared in real-time. The standard defines a common set of data structures, events, and interfaces that enable the sharing of information about product movement and status along the supply chain.
The EPCIS information model is divided into four core components:
- Object Event: Captures information about the creation, movement, and disposal of products along the supply chain.
- Aggregation Event: Captures information about the association of products into a logical grouping (e.g. carton, pallet) and its movement within the supply chain.
- Transformation Event: Captures information about changes in the state of a product, such as the repackaging or transformation of materials.
- Association Event: Captures information about the relationships between different objects (e.g. parent-child relationship between products).
How Does EPCIS Work?
At its core, EPCIS is a messaging approach that allows different applications to communicate with one another. It relies on a set of standardized messages, which are sent between the RFID reader and the enterprise systems. These messages contain information about the location, status, and movement of products along the supply chain.
EPCIS messages can be sent in real-time, using message-oriented middleware (MOM) or web services. The EPCIS standard defines a set of interfaces that enable different applications to interact with the EPCIS middleware. These interfaces are known as EPCIS events, and they provide a common method for exchanging information between different systems.
EPCIS events can be generated by any RFID-enabled component along the supply chain, including RFID readers, handheld scanners, and even mobile devices. Once the events are generated, they are sent to the EPCIS middleware, which processes and stores them in a centralized repository. This allows different applications to access the data and use it for their own purposes.
Why Use EPCIS?
EPCIS offers several key benefits for supply chain management and business operations:
Increased Visibility
EPCIS provides increased visibility across the supply chain. It allows businesses to track products from the point of manufacture to the point of sale, providing real-time information about product movement, location, and status. This increased visibility can help businesses optimize their supply chain operations, reduce waste, and improve customer satisfaction.
Improved Traceability
EPCIS improves traceability by capturing a detailed record of product movement and status. This record can be used to identify and trace the origin of any quality or safety issues, helping businesses to quickly resolve any issues and prevent them from recurring.
Enhanced Efficiency
EPCIS can help businesses improve their efficiency by automating many of the manual processes involved in inventory management, logistics, and supply chain operations. This can reduce errors and the need for manual data entry, freeing up time and resources for more important tasks.
Increased Collaboration
EPCIS promotes increased collaboration across the supply chain. It allows different stakeholders to share information and work together to optimize the supply chain, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.
EPCIS Implementation
To implement EPCIS, businesses need to have an RFID infrastructure in place. This includes RFID readers, tags, and other hardware components. They also need to ensure that their enterprise systems are capable of sending and receiving EPCIS messages.
There are several EPCIS middleware solutions available on the market, including:
1. Savanna from Impinj: A cloud-based EPCIS middleware solution that provides real-time data capture and sharing across the supply chain.
2. OAT Foundation Suite: An open-source EPCIS middleware solution that provides real-time data capture and sharing across the supply chain.
3. NEC EPCIS: A scalable, cloud-based EPCIS middleware solution that provides real-time data capture and sharing across the supply chain.
EPCIS and Blockchain
Blockchain technology is increasingly being used in the supply chain to provide greater transparency and security. EPCIS can be integrated with blockchain technology to provide even greater visibility and traceability across the supply chain.
By using blockchain technology, businesses can create an immutable record of product movement and status, which cannot be tampered with or altered. This can help prevent fraud, counterfeiting, and other types of supply chain risk.
Conclusion
EPCIS is a powerful tool for businesses looking to improve their supply chain operations and increase efficiency. By providing increased visibility, improved traceability, and enhanced efficiency, EPCIS can help businesses optimize their supply chain and reduce waste.
EPCIS is a standardized format that allows for the sharing of RFID sensor data across different systems, regardless of the manufacturer or vendor. It relies on a set of standardized messages, which are sent between the RFID reader and the enterprise systems.
To implement EPCIS, businesses need to have an RFID infrastructure in place and ensure that their enterprise systems are capable of sending and receiving EPCIS messages. There are several EPCIS middleware solutions available on the market, including Savanna, OAT Foundation Suite, and NEC EPCIS.
EPCIS can be integrated with blockchain technology to provide even greater visibility and traceability across the supply chain. By using blockchain technology, businesses can create an immutable record of product movement and status, which cannot be tampered with or altered.
Overall, EPCIS is a powerful tool for businesses looking to optimize their supply chain operations and increase efficiency. With its standardized format and ability to share data across different systems, EPCIS is positioned to play a major role in the future of the supply chain.