Know today what will be important tomorrow!
A new concept designed by Bornemann based on professional trackingdevices brings long-term tracking to a completely new level
In late September 2015, at the RFID tomorrow conference, Bornemann for the first time presented its completely new concept for a worldwide container tracking with devices that, despite their small construction size and the fact that they are filled to the brim with GSM, RFID, GPS, and sensor technology, can run with a single battery for up to 15 years. At the same time, the robustness of the devices allows them to be installed, for example, onto a container for its entire life cycle, as Steen Burnaes, CPO at Bornemann reports regarding the tracking technology specialists newest innovations. How the development steps were made over the past years, what potentials for which applications can the new device exploit, and what developments are to follow explains the leading product developer in an interview with “RFID im Blick”.
Approximate tracking via GSM, precise tracking via GPS
“In global container transport, for shipping companies and logistics service providers it is usually enough to know whether a specific container is tracked in the Rotterdam harbour or in the Shanghai harbour or if it is still on a freighter somewhere in the ocean. An approximate tracking via triangulation of the GSM network signals with an accuracy of hundred meters is usually sufficient. With the tracking unit sending its position once every 24 hours, the battery will last for around 15 years,” explains Steen Burnaes. If tracking with an accuracy of around ten meters is necessary, you can check the GPS position with the tracking solutions software platform. “The tracking of containers in the global logistics of ship, rail, and truck transport offers multiple methods of process optimization. For example, major container shippers invest billions of dollars per year into the shipping of empty containers. Solutions based on professional tracking technologies can significantly reduce this financial
effort.”
The combination with RFID technology is unique
The combination of GSM and GPS for tracking containers is, according to Steen Burnaes, a standard method on the market. Bornemann, however, is taking one step further by combining traditional tracking technologies with RFID. “Active RFID technology that is integrated into our tracking units creates huge benefits for shippers and freight forwarders as the devices can
now communicate with external devices using RFID. This pushes open the door to further process optimizations.” Echo tags installed on cranes permanently sending their ID to everything within up to 300 meters’ distance can be identified by the containers tracking units. “This creates connections between containers and cranes which establish additional transparency in
the loading process,” reports Steen Burnaes, and he elaborates: “Using active RFID, multiple tracking units can be linked to one electronic chain. If one part of the chain is removed. It is immediately detected with active RFID, as ‘sleeping’ tracking units can only be woken up by an external RFID stimulus. An individually configurable alarm notification is sent immediately.”
Robust construction design “made in Northern Europe”
Specifically fibre-reinforced plastics made in Northern Europe are used for the manufacturing of the tracking units. This is
the only way to implement our high quality claim,” states Steen Burnaes, and he explains further: “The device manufacturing
itself is done in the North of Germany. All of our products run on the only production line. This is to avoid duplicates, as there
can’t be any double serial numbers.”
Read the complete interview at "RFID im Blick" Online or in the digital october 2015 edition of "RFID im Blick"
A new concept designed by Bornemann based on professional trackingdevices brings long-term tracking to a completely new level
In late September 2015, at the RFID tomorrow conference, Bornemann for the first time presented its completely new concept for a worldwide container tracking with devices that, despite their small construction size and the fact that they are filled to the brim with GSM, RFID, GPS, and sensor technology, can run with a single battery for up to 15 years. At the same time, the robustness of the devices allows them to be installed, for example, onto a container for its entire life cycle, as Steen Burnaes, CPO at Bornemann reports regarding the tracking technology specialists newest innovations. How the development steps were made over the past years, what potentials for which applications can the new device exploit, and what developments are to follow explains the leading product developer in an interview with “RFID im Blick”.
Approximate tracking via GSM, precise tracking via GPS
“In global container transport, for shipping companies and logistics service providers it is usually enough to know whether a specific container is tracked in the Rotterdam harbour or in the Shanghai harbour or if it is still on a freighter somewhere in the ocean. An approximate tracking via triangulation of the GSM network signals with an accuracy of hundred meters is usually sufficient. With the tracking unit sending its position once every 24 hours, the battery will last for around 15 years,” explains Steen Burnaes. If tracking with an accuracy of around ten meters is necessary, you can check the GPS position with the tracking solutions software platform. “The tracking of containers in the global logistics of ship, rail, and truck transport offers multiple methods of process optimization. For example, major container shippers invest billions of dollars per year into the shipping of empty containers. Solutions based on professional tracking technologies can significantly reduce this financial
effort.”
The combination with RFID technology is unique
The combination of GSM and GPS for tracking containers is, according to Steen Burnaes, a standard method on the market. Bornemann, however, is taking one step further by combining traditional tracking technologies with RFID. “Active RFID technology that is integrated into our tracking units creates huge benefits for shippers and freight forwarders as the devices can
now communicate with external devices using RFID. This pushes open the door to further process optimizations.” Echo tags installed on cranes permanently sending their ID to everything within up to 300 meters’ distance can be identified by the containers tracking units. “This creates connections between containers and cranes which establish additional transparency in
the loading process,” reports Steen Burnaes, and he elaborates: “Using active RFID, multiple tracking units can be linked to one electronic chain. If one part of the chain is removed. It is immediately detected with active RFID, as ‘sleeping’ tracking units can only be woken up by an external RFID stimulus. An individually configurable alarm notification is sent immediately.”
Robust construction design “made in Northern Europe”
Specifically fibre-reinforced plastics made in Northern Europe are used for the manufacturing of the tracking units. This is
the only way to implement our high quality claim,” states Steen Burnaes, and he explains further: “The device manufacturing
itself is done in the North of Germany. All of our products run on the only production line. This is to avoid duplicates, as there
can’t be any double serial numbers.”
Read the complete interview at "RFID im Blick" Online or in the digital october 2015 edition of "RFID im Blick"
