SAP Auto-Identification Tech Provides Product Tracking, Authentification for Pharma, Defense, Automotive Firms
April 6, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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SAP AG released two radio frequency identification (RFID) and auto-identification technologies: product tracking and authentification (PTA) processes that tap into information contained on sensor-tagged objects and an object event repository in which the PTA information is managed.
The technologies can be used for applications in the pharmaceutical, defense and automotive industries.
In the pharmaceutical sector, PTA can be used to secure distribution and protect against drug counterfeiting and diversion by tracking and authenticating serialized products, both within a pharmaceutical company's own enterprise and when products are in the custody of trading partners.
Prescription drugs can be identified with electronic product codes (EPCs) according to the EPCglobal standard. Trading partners can exchange this information to validate drug authenticity and the chain of custody between manufacturer and retail pharmacy.
Companies such as defense contractors and automotive suppliers can apply PTA to verify the use of qualified parts and prevent use of duplicate or unwarranted parts by tracking the unique serial numbers, business events and transactions associated with the parts.
According to SAP, the object event repository offers business value derived from serialized objects - products, shipments or assets labeled with electronically readable, unique serial numbers such as EPCs on RFID tags, bar codes or sensors. It will enable companies to combine serialized data with data from enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other business applications for regulatory compliance, manufacturing and supply chain and asset management purposes.
"SAP’s introduction of its object event repository and the new processes it enables, such as product tracking and authentication, represents a significant step in the evolution of RFID. Companies have been waiting for their enterprise software vendors to build applications and analytical tools that can take advantage of the unique value RFID provides," said John Fontanella, vice president of research, AMR Research.
"SAP is taking that one step further by providing a technical infrastructure that leverages the existing technology of its customers. In addition to tackling regulatory compliance issues, it also opens up a wealth of information to help companies validate product sources, better respond to supply chain events or even offer value added services to customers," Fontanella said.
Source: SAP.