Walmart and RFID: an unsuccessful beginning
Walmart, the leading retail giant, was very smart to realise in advance the potential of new technologies like RFID, able to transform dramatically the inventory management.
Already in 2005, when the RFID technology was still unknown both to many clients and companies, Walmart executives understood that their supply chain processes were not so strategic. This resulted in an inefficient stock management with a considerable reduction in sales. This problem led Walmart to launch a challenging program which envisaged the RFID tag implementation to enhance the inventory management.
Unfortunately, this first attempt was unsuccessful and abandoned at the beginning of 2007.
The failure was linked to three main issues:
Nevertheless, over the years, RFID technology has made significant progresses, overcoming many of its initial limitations. In fact, today it has begun much more affordable and is adopted by many due to the industry standardization and to the reduction of the RFID tag costs (today the average cost per tag is $0.08-0.15 each).
Although the previous unsuccessful attempt, Walmart believed in the RFID potential to enhance the inventory management. Every day, its stores and distribution centres tackle challenges related to the huge quantity of items to manage. Clearly, even the smallest mistakes can lead to considerable economic losses, as in 2013, when Walmart experienced a sales loss of $3 billion due to the inaccuracy of the inventory management.
Walmart adopts RFID technology
The application of RFID tags on every item, provides Walmart with a solution to face these types of problems. In fact, in 2020, Walmart decided to re adopt the RFID technology, taking advantage of the best conditions available on the market. The company started an initiative that directed its suppliers to apply RFID tag on garments, jewellery and specific products like tires. The first results were very promising and confirmed the effectiveness of the strategy, so, Walmart expanded the application of RFID on other products.
In fact, from 2 September 2022, the company has extended the use of RFID tags to other departments, requiring all suppliers of toyselectronics, household and sporting goods to equip each product with a UHF RFID tag, by February 2024.
The application of RFID tags is strategic in the logistics industry, for both employees and customers. In fact, it is possible to track inventory adjustments and identify when the stocks are about to run out. An RFID tag can provide with the real time position of a product in the supply chain, as well as store information such as the description and price of the item. The inventory process is also speeded up because multiple RFID tags can be scanned simultaneously up to 40 feet by a reader without visual contact. Employees, therefore, can scan more tags at the same time, spending time on other tasks and greatly reducing labour requirements.
The RFID tags implementation offers a wide range of significant advantages. By managing the inventory, the website and stores always have availability of items, so as customers have always the chance to buy. In this way, Walmart experiences a growth in sales, enhances the customer experience and reinforces customer retention.
The digitisation of inventory information makes shopping more efficient both at bricks and mortar stores and online. In-store, the clients can check which items are currently available, identify where they are positioned, and order out-of-stock products. When paying, they can take advantage of contactless checkouts that detect products without scanning them. Online, they can purchase items to pick up later in the brick-and-mortar stores or activate notifications to advise them when a product becomes available.
Walmart understood the huge potential of the RFID technology, above all from the point of view of ROI. This decision is dramatically transforming the inventory management and pushing suppliers to review and optimize their operations. If they do not adapt to the Walmart’s mandate, they will risk being excluded from the distribution network of the retail giant.
As to suppliers, the implementation of RFID may entail additional costs; however, these are irrelevant when compared to the benefits of the strategic and advantageous positioning with other players, who will enter this market in the future and will have to tackle this challenge.
Adhering to Walmart’s RFID mandate is, in conclusion, a strategic move to remain competitive in a market increasingly focused on process optimisation and traceability.
Non-conforming product marking or reconciliation
We integrate Videojet 1280/ VJ1580+
The unit has been fully integrated into the machine control panel what enables a wide range of benefits
For the operator:
Possibility of having a single panel where every machining parameter can be configured
For net plant productivity:
Reduction of setup time and guarantee of constant and correct functioning of the unit
Non-conforming Product Marking Functionality
The machine process automatically handles the marking of non-conforming products by integrating it within the error management process chosen for production.
Functionality of printing on the back of the material
The machine process automatically manages the printing of variable data on the back of the material (liner) for each reconciliation requirement by integrating their management within the error management process chosen for production.
Ability to integrate other third-party CIJ systems
Other third-party CIJ printing systems can be integrated upon development of the command-and-control interface.
Thermal transfer printing
We integrate Videojet Dataflex 6530
The unit has been fully integrated into the machine control panel what allows a wide range of advantages
Ability to integrate other third-party TTO systems
Other third-party TTO printing systems can be integrated upon development of the command-and-control interface.
Spark Cam™
Vision inspection system
What is SPARK CAM?
SPARK CAM™ is a high-performance vision inspection system fully designed and built by our R&D department to control print quality during production.
The system reliability is also the result of more than two decades of direct market experience with some of the most popular inspection systems including: Decosystem and Lake image.
System fully integrated into the machine control panel
The system is fully integrated into the machine control panel which enables a wide range of benefits
Single system to manage the Print Ǫuality of graphics and Variable
Single system where two control macro areas can be activated with different libraries related to specific production needs:
Print Ǫuality Inspection:
Libraries for the inspection of security elements, scratches, smears, streaks, stains, ink splashes, ghost effects, torn material, creases, color deviation, …
Thanks to our vision engineering department, it is, in addition, possible to directly develop customized control features.
Print Ǫuality inspection of Variable Data:
Libraries for OCR control (with a full range of fonts/special characters), machine readable codes also with grading features according to international standards:
With a wide range of codes and encoding protocols including: ǪRcode, Data Matrix, … and with GS1 coding standards, ….
Wide range of available templates
Due to the fact that we make our inspection systems in-house, Graphimecc can meet any production requirement.
Available are:
both black-and-white or color systems, and with a wide range of resolutions to fit every inspection specification.
Spark Jet™
Inkjet printer
What is SPARK JET?
SPARK Jet™, is an inkjet printing system completely designed and built by our R&D department to go beyond the frequent limitations of traditional printing systems.
The system reliability is also the result of more than two decades of direct market experience with some of the manufacturers of the most popular inkjet printing systems such as: Domino, Videojet, REA JET.
System fully integrated into the machine control panel
The system is fully integrated into the machine control panel which enables a wide range of advantages:
High performance and print quality
SPARK JET™ offers different print resolutions depending on the production speed. Thus, you can get a high-quality product (600x600dpi) or lose definition slightly to increase production speed.
Modular print height
Each printing module has a printing height of 54mm.
The SPARK JET printing system is fully modular and can be composed to achieve the desired print height without any limitation.
Wide range of inks that can be used
SPARK JET™ can be configured to print with different base inks:
This flexibility allows adaptation to the widest range of materials, managing every production requirement.
Single-color, multi-color system
SPARK JET™ is available in two versions:
Automatic cleaning system
To maximise the durability of SPARK JET™ print heads, we have developed an automatic cleaning system that is fully managed via the machine’s central panel. This system cleans the heads every X hours of printing (with X being a parameter that can be adjusted according to the characteristics of the print and substrate) and positions them so that they rest in a way that protects them from ink drying inside the nozzles.
Furthermore, as it is fully motorised, it allows for easy and precise adjustment of the print head’s height and transverse position relative to the material.
High-precision adjustment holder
Each SPARK JET™ system is equipped, as a basic feature, with a high-precision adjustment system that, in the absence of the automatic cleaning system, allows the adjustment of the printer position both in height (distance from the substrate) and in transverse position with respect to the material.
With this option, the head cleaning and resting activities are manual.
Spark RFID™
RFID antenna and reader
What is Spark RFID?
Spark RFID™ is a system completely designed and built by our R&D department and allows to control and encode any RFID TAG (UHF, HF, NFC, BLE and RF, …), ensuring maximum reliability and efficiency.
The system reliability is also the result of continuous collaboration with chip and Inlay manufacturers such as:
Modular system that can be configured according to individual needs
Due to its modular structure SPARK RFID can be configured in different modes to allow the best productivity according to production needs and the type of RFID to be processed.
Easy encoding, even for inexperienced operators
Thanks to our fully graphical GMG RFID Memory Map™ editor, the creation of any type of encoding finally becomes intuitive and accessible to everyone.
Ǫuick and intuitive setup, even for inexperienced operators
Setting up RFID production becomes quick and accessible to every operator; thanks to the high level of automation, our machines can be operated autonomously by any finishing operator without requiring specific knowledge of electronics or telecommunications.
System fully integrated into the machine control panel
The system is fully integrated into the machine control panel allowing a wide range of advantages
100% compliant with regulatory standards
Certified CE Marking
CE marking plays an increasingly important role in protecting operators and the enterprise.
For Graphimecc this is an indispensable value.
Advanced levels of automation
Integration with external software
The machine is natively integrable either directly or with the GM ENTERPRISE™ CMS with any ERP and enterprise database ensuring secure, real-time data exchange.
Usable by any operator
Fully graphical interface
Designed to be usable by any operator regardless of experience level.
Advanced operator login
Integration with user management via corporate Active Directory for machine access in compliance with internal security policies.
To certify the quality of production
Automatic production reports
The machine generates various production reports fully automatically and with customisable content.
Automatically eliminates all production errors
ZERO™: the technology that enables you to produce a 100% error free finished
Developed since 1999, it is now in its 5th generation and is the most advanced technology for:
ZERO™ represents the next generation of quality finishing in that it allows:
ZERO™: the technology that guarantees the highest productivity
ZERO™ enables productivity levels up to 10 times higher than other solutions available on the market.
ZERO™ enables productivity levels up to 10 times higher than other solutions available on the market.
ZERO™ allows you to choose between 21 different error management processes to meet every production need.
Detects all errors with absolute precision
Inspection of Variable data
You can manage the control of any type of variable data: OCR, Linear Barcode (1D and 2D), 2D Matrix Barcodes with different encoding types (Industrial, GS1, …).
Inspection of printing defects of the graphic products
You can manage the inspection of various printing defects typically related to the graphics part such as: scratches, smudges, streaks, spots, ink splashes, ghost effects, torn material, creases, color deviation, …
Modular control features
With our fully graphical GMG Layout EditorTM, configuration of each control feature becomes intuitive and accessible to everyone.
Ability to customize the vision system to your specific needs
Machine configuration also allows you to choose the vision system best suited to your production needs:
Our specialty since 1999
Print every type of variable data
You can manage the printing of any type of variable data: OCR, Linear Barcode (1D and 2D), 2D Matrix Barcodes with different encoding types (Industrial, GS1, …).
OCR
Linear barcodes 1D
Matrix barcodes 2D
Advanced Variable Data Printing Functionality
Thanks to our fully graphical GMG Layout Editor™, creating any type of variable data printout becomes intuitive and accessible to everyone.
Ability to manage any type of protocol and sequence
Variable data printing can be configured by choosing from a wide range of fonts and codes to which sequences of all types can be linked, being able to meet every production need.
Possibility to integrate a wide range of printing systems
The machine can be configured by integrating different printing units to best meet production needs and investment budget.
