Line-of-sight scanning has limits in fast-moving environments. Radio frequency identification uses radio waves to read data from tags attached to items, cartons, or pallets without direct optical contact.

Passive tags draw power from the reader; active tags carry their own battery and longer range. RFID portals at dock doors can capture an entire pallet load in seconds. Inventory counts that once took hours can shrink to minutes when tagging is consistent.

Cost, metal and liquid interference, and data standards have slowed universal adoption. Where volume and process design justify the investment, RFID improves visibility and reduces manual scanning labor. It complements rather than fully replaces barcodes in most supply chains.

• Radio-wave technology for identifying tagged items
• Reads without line-of-sight optical scanning
• Used on items, cases, and pallets
• Speeds receiving, shipping, and inventory counts