Building new warehouse networks

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 9/1/2005

The developing radio frequency (RF) and microwave data collection market is poised to see a momentous upturn over the next 36 months. This according to Venture Development Corporation (VDC).

VDC forecasts that slightly over $150 million in RF/microwave products will have been shipped in 2004. That number jumps to almost $420 million by 2007, nearly a 40% annual growth surge.

With these gains, comes the advancement of mesh networks in warehouse and distribution. These networks allow warehouses to expand RF data capture to once-unreachable corners of the operation.

Data retrieval stations are strategically positioned throughout the warehouse so that any data reader out of range of the central collection hub can relay the information to a retrieval station instead. The station then broadcasts the information to another station until the data finally reaches the central hub.

Building on the mesh network strategy is ZigBee, is a set of protocols that allows communication among low power units – printers, scanners, RFID readers and the like. The system operates much as Bluetooth technology allows for intrapersonal communication. VDC asserts that due to ZigBee's agility, the technology will allow users to customize their wireless solutions to address their specific needs in the warehouse.