- RFID, key technology breakthrough, applied to Tyres to realize an integrated management system from production to distribution
- All Tyre products are subject to the RFID system following those for buses and trucks launched in early 2013
Kumho Tyres, one of the world's leading Tyre manufacturers, announced today it will place radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags on all Tyre products for the first time in the world as part of the u-IT New Technology Verification Project being led in cooperation with National IT Industry Promotion Agency.
The decision aims to boost workflow efficiency by introducing RFID tags on all of its Tyre products, differentiating it from other manufactures which rely on barcode labeling.
The RFID tag co-developed with Asiana IDT delivers information on product quality. It is a tiny and thin patch-type tag to be implanted inside the inner liner of a Tyre during a high temperature and high pressure manufacturing process.
Each Tyre with an RFID tag will be given a unique identity, which can be tracked by a database system at Kumho Tyres’ headquarters building. The tag will contain information on quality and performance and all detailed records relating to production processes to distribution and sales.
Under the RFID system, the enTyre product life cycle can be managed systematically by streamlining the whole process from product quality in the course of manufacturing to product record tracking to distribution channels to warehousing and to inventory management. It can also prevent possible distribution through illegal channels or selling of defect products, helping raise consumer confidence and satisfaction.
The company also expects to keep its lead in technology leadership in the passenger car Tyre market, too, as overseas premium European carmakers are requiring LTS (Lot Tracking System) information.
Since early 2013, Kumho Tyres has introduced RFID tags for all Tyres for buses and trucks, manufactured in its Gwangju and Gokseong sites in Korea and for original equipment (OE) Tyres. From the second half of this year, RFID inclusion will be applied to all Tyres for Korean domestic cars. From 2014, all manufacturing sites, including those overseas, will adopt the RFID system. In Australian market, newly RFID-embedded Kumho Tyres will be arrived in couple of early next year.
With the expansion of its RFID-embedded Tyres to all product lines, Kumho Tyres expects to cut KRW10.4 billion in annual costs in the area of logistics, production and quality control.
RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) is a wireless frequency of recognition technology and an RF module through an antenna can recognize and identify product information stored in RFID tags. It is widely applied in various industries such as car, aerospace, pharmaceutical, clothes and communication. It is in the spotlight as an advanced technology to bring a change to the lifestyle of consumers.
Unlike barcodes with limited data capacity and short distance recognition, RFID can be equipped with a memory that can store a large amount of information. The recognition distance extends several meters and it can collect product information from RFID tags in real time.
“Kumho Tyres has always introduced new innovative technologies to the industry one step ahead, raising quality control efficiency and consumer confidence at the same time,” said Bok-soo Park, chief technology officer of Kumho Tyres. “We will remain committed to customer satisfaction and production innovation in the Tyre market while systematically managing product information under the new system.