Combat Feeding RFID Technical Demonstration Feb 23-26, 2004 CW4 Stephen Moody U.S. Army RDECOM, Natick Soldier Center Combat Feeding Directorate

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1 Executive Conference Hilton Chicago March 29 to 31, 2004 Combat Feeding RFID Technical Demonstration Feb 23-26, 2004 CW4 Stephen Moody U.S. Army RDECOM, Natick Soldier Center Combat Feeding Directorate 1

2 The DOD Combat Feeding Program Combat Rations Combat Feeding Systems Field Food Service Equipment Combat Feeding Involvement in RFID October 2000 Initial Meeting with MIT Auto-ID Center 2001 Became Co-Member w/dla on Board of Overseers June 2001 FNREB Approved Global Asset Visibility-RFID Project Briefed at Over 100 Venues; Gov t, Industry, Academia 2

3 Logistical Challenges The Last Mile Operation Iraqi Freedom First 6 Weeks 54M gallons fuel 55K tons ammunition 1.2M cases MREs 1.2M cases bottled H M miles driven $1.1B repair parts 250K tons cargo moved 3

4 Some Things Will Have to Change Some Things Will Never Change 4

5 Global Asset Visibility-RFID Project Broad Agency Announcement Awarded Contract in February 2003 OATSystems Inc. Systems Integrator Alien Technology Tags and Readers Down selection based on shake down tests and EPC compliance Stationary Portals, Portable Carts, and Forklift Readers Used Static Demo of Aggregation to Savi 433 MHz Tags Handheld 915 MHz Reader Several Companies Promised Symbol Delivered 5

6 Objectives and Benefits Objectives Ability of RFID to track inventory in an end-to-end supply chain. Ability of sensor equipped RFID tags to provide shelf-life data. Benefits Provides an objective evaluation of the practical application of passive RFID technology in the DOD logistics environment. Provides analysis of passive RFID application in DOD supply chain to support OSD implementation policy. Goals of the Technical Demonstration Proof of Concept for RFID Reader Applications Forklift Reader Handheld Reader Shelf Life Calculation Temperature Records in Storage and Transit Generation of Quality Based Pick Lists Automated Inventory Web Accessible Real-Time Inventory Tracking of Demand Rates 6

7 Product Flow Defense Depot San Joaquin Whse DEPOT 1 8 DS 9 GS Pallet Building 2. Container Loading 3. GS Entry 4. Quality Update 5. GS Issue Portal 3 6. Flatbed Loading 7. GS Exit 8. DS Entry 9. DS Issue Portal 10. Unit Issue MHz 2.45 GHz Both Site Survey and Demo Preparation Defense Depot San Joaquin Warehouse 29, Section 5 Arrived January 19, 2004 Established Network 3 servers simulate 3 separate facilities Dozens of devices (wired and wireless) Tagged 70 pallets of Military Rations Pallet tags and case tags 30 pallets MRE, 20 pallets each UGR Breakfast and Dinner 7

8 Network Schematic Challenges and Obstacles Limited Access to IT Infrastructure Network Established Outside Depot Firewall Media Converters and Lots of Cat 5 Cable Wireless Network Connectivity b and 2.45 GHz Readers Forklift Vibration Environmental Considerations Limited Space Weather Stray Tag Reads and Interference Multiple Readers and Tags in a Constrained Space 8

9 Real-Time Inventory Data Web Accessible Bar Chart Format User Friendly Several Reports Available by Query Current Inventory Report Container and Pallet Details Reports In-Transit Containers Report Pick-List by Lowest Remaining Shelf Life Unit Issue Report 9

10 Drill Down Ability from Container to Cases Station 1 Depot Operations: Case Commissioning and Pallet Building 2.45 GHz Semi-Passive (BAP) Pallet Tag Commissioned Header Data and EPC 915 MHz Passive Case Tags Commissioned EPC only Cases Associated with Pallet in Middleware Database Case EPC Written to Pallet Tag Depot Inventory Automatically Updated 10

11 Overcoming the Laws of Physics Composition of Rations High Water Content Foil & Metal Packaging 48 Cases per MRE Pallet 24 Cases per UGR Pallet Check Tag Applied 915 MHz Passive Tag Placed on Full Pallets Read at Distribution Nodes Absence Reveals Broken Pallet Commissioning Case Tags 11

12 Station 2 Depot Operations: Container Loading Transportation Data Written to Middleware 2.45 GHz BAP Container Tag Commissioned Pallets Associated with Container During Loading TCN and Pallet Manifest Data Written to Container Tag Depot Inventory Automatically Decremented Container Loading 12

13 RFID and Wireless Enabled Forklift Station 3 GS Supply Point Operations: GS Supply Point Entry Container Tag Read at Entry Point Antennae Stack Stack Placed at Security Checkpoint Tag Read While Credentials are Checked GS Bulk Storage Inventory Incremented Container Location Identified as GS Bulk Storage Area Pallet EPC and Quality Indices Added to Inventory 13

14 Container Enters GS Supply Point Station 4 GS Supply Point Operations: Quality Index Assessment and Update Containers Opened Upon Receipt 2.45 GHz Portable Reader Acquires Temperature Data Computer Shelf-life Model Calculates Quality Index Pallets Identified as Issue, Inspect, of Reject Pick List Generated based on remaining Shelf-Life 14

15 Calculating a Quality Index Station 5: GS Supply Point Operations: Issue Portal Container Loads Reconfigured Based on Requisitions Pallets Moved Through a 915 MHz Reader Portal (4x4) Case Tags and Check Tags Read Light Stack for Feedback Yellow = case tags read Green = check tag read Red = no check tag read Inventory Adjusted Between GS Bulk and GS Issue Area 15

16 GS Issue Portal Inventory Shows Bulk and Issue Areas 16

17 Station 6 GS Supply Point Operations: Flatbed Trailer Loading User Input of Transportation Data 2.45 GHz BAP Tags Commissioned for Trailer Tagged Pallets Loaded in GS Issue Area Pallet Manifest Data Written to Trailer Tag Portable Reader Used Pallet EPC and Quality Data Written Reconfigured Load on a Flatbed Trailer 17

18 Station 7 GS Supply Point Operations: GS Supply Point Exit Identical Hardware to Entry Near Instantaneous Reads GS Inventory Decremented Station 8 DS Supply Point Operations: DS Supply Point Entry Container Tag Read at Entry with Portable Reader 2.45 GHz Cart Mounted Reader with Wireless Connection Tag Read While Credentials are Checked DS Bulk Storage Inventory Incremented Container Location Identified as DS Bulk Storage Area Pallet EPC and Quality Indices Added to Inventory 18

19 Flatbed Receipt at DS Supply Point Station 9 DS Supply Point Operations: Issue Portal Pallets Moved to Issue Area Based on Requisitions Pallets Moved Through a 915 MHz Reader Portal (4x4) Case Tags and Check Tags Read Light Stack for Feedback Yellow = case tags read Green = check tag read Red = no check tag read Inventory Adjusted Between DS Bulk and DS Issue Area 19

20 Moving Product to the DS Issue Area Station 10 DS Supply Point Operations: Unit Issue Products Separated into Unit Piles Hand Held 915 MHz Reader Used to Scan Piles DS Inventory Decremented Unit Issues Recorded 20

21 Scanning Unit Piles Stand Alone Supplemental Demonstration Aggregation of Pallet Tag Data to 433 MHz Savi Tag Alien 2.45 GHz BAP Tag Savi 433 MHz Active Tag Table Top Prototype Demo Kit Used Potential Ability to Link to Current ITV Infrastructure NDSU Revolutionary Miniaturization Technologies 21

22 Preliminary Results High Success Rate in Writing Passive Tags Case & Pallet Tagging a Moderately Mature Process Shipping Operations with BAP Tags Still Immature Container and Trailer Loading Posed the Most Challenges Wireless Connectivity and Interference Issues In-Transit Visibility Worked Very Well Temp Sensor & Shelf-Life Model was a Success Seamless Integration is Essential Feedback Many Positive Comments Potential to Streamline Shipping and Receiving Potential to Increase Inventory Accuracy Real-World Deployment Better than Trade Show Demos Some Concerns Ability to Withstand Global Climates Requirements for Connectivity Cost 22

23 Lessons Learned Final Technical Assessment Pending Oak Ridge National Laboratory third party auditor Final OATSystems Report Pending Deliverable Under BAA Contract What s Hot and What s Not What s Hot Aggregation from Case, to Pallet, to Cargo Container Partnerships and Cooperation among Technology Providers Interoperability What s Not Missed Milestones for New Equipment Availability Lack of Available Multi-Protocol/Multi-Frequency Readers Proprietary Systems 23

24 Future Challenges Hardened Deployable Systems Linkage to Legacy Automated Information Systems Interoperability Between all Tags and Readers Increased Sensor Capabilities Cost Considerations The DOD Combat Feeding Program Meeting Today s Challenges Providing Tomorrow s Solutions Doing great things for the warfighter for over 50 years. 24