I. Background
Currently, the level of informatization in the automotive industry varies widely. Some companies are highly digitalized, some are just starting out, and others still rely on fully manual recording. However, all enterprises hope to establish identification systems to elevate their management to a certain level, improve the efficiency of the entire logistics chain, and reduce error rates. Although most enterprises have established their own ERP systems, each has its own information systems operating independently, resulting in serious information silos and significant inconsistencies in informatization levels. The situation is particularly backward for domestic enterprises in our country. Yet every company invests heavily in informatization over the long term, and there is a strong and urgent desire to establish identification systems.
The automotive parts industry is a vital component of the automotive industry and the foundation for its long-term stable development. In recent years, the auto parts supporting market has reached 200 billion yuan, and the maintenance market has reached 60 billion yuan. Not only has a certain economic scale been formed, but the quality level of automobiles has also greatly improved. Driven by the localization of automotive components, a relatively complete and mature parts supporting system has initially taken shape.

II. Solution Overview
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a rapidly developing identification technology in recent years. It obtains data through contactless identification of objects. Compared with traditional barcode technology, it features large data capacity, contactless identification, long storage life, dirt resistance, and adaptability to harsh environments. It is widely used in various industries.
Compared with other industries, automakers and parts suppliers face greater pressure: on one hand, they need to continuously reduce costs; on the other hand, they must ensure their products meet the industry's particularly strict quality standards. In recent years, automakers have spent a large portion of their IT budgets on supply chain management systems to achieve transparent and flexible supply chains. The role of RFID technology in material and product tracking will have a positive impact on the automotive supply chain. By deploying RFID systems, visualized management of supply chain processes and distributed control of manufacturing processes can be achieved.
A typical RFID automatic identification system consists of the following parts: data carriers, read/write units, and interface modules. The interface module connects to control units such as PLCs and PCs via bus or serial communication.

III. System Design
A unified central database is established at the enterprise workshop site as an information platform for item circulation to facilitate overall standardized management. In the industrial process, RFID technology is used to assign an identification number (ID) to each work-in-progress part, which is its name in the information network. Through RFID technology, production status and inventory conditions are mapped to the information network, registered in the on-site central database, and then transmitted to information systems (e.g., ERP, MRP).

IV. System Operation Flow
The application of RFID in the automotive industry mainly includes vehicle body identification and tracking management, parts and fixed asset tracking management, and finished vehicle logistics management:
4.1 Vehicle Body Tracking and Identification in Production
The vehicle body identification system (AVI) mainly collects real-time production data, quality monitoring data, and other information on various production lines, and transmits them to departments such as material management, production scheduling, quality assurance, and others. This enables better management of raw material supply, production scheduling, sales service, quality monitoring, and lifelong quality tracking of vehicles. Before RFID technology was applied, barcodes were the primary method for storing vehicle body information. The advantages of barcode identification are flexible configuration and low system cost. However, because vehicle body information is stored in PLC or PMC databases, high requirements are placed on the speed and reliability of network communication, requiring high-performance PLCs, large-capacity databases, and high-speed PMC hosts.
After adopting the RFID system, electronic tags are generally placed on the skids carrying the vehicle body and move with the workpiece throughout the process, forming a "smart vehicle body" that carries a mobile database throughout the entire production flow. According to process and production management needs, read/write devices can be installed at the entrance and exit of the painting workshop, at branching points of workpiece logistics, and at the entrance of important processes (e.g., spray booths, drying rooms, storage areas). A read/write station mainly consists of a workpiece position detection switch, tag read/write device, communication interface module, and human-machine interface. The basic process is: after the detection switch detects the vehicle body arrival signal, the read/write device automatically reads the data stored in the tag on the skid, sends the data to the PLC, and displays it on the HMI; the data is then uploaded via PLC to the workshop production process monitoring system PMC for further processing and calculation, thereby achieving tracking of workpiece logistics and production process control throughout the workshop. Using RFID technology on the production line does not require all read/write devices to communicate with the main database, so communication failure with the main database will not cause production to stop. After the workstations, data can also be written to the tag. Therefore, RFID is increasingly used in vehicle body identification systems.
4.2 Parts and Asset Tracking Management
Automobiles are composed of a large number of parts. Proper parts tracking management can improve logistics management and quality management. Current parts tracking mainly uses two methods. First, tags are attached directly to the part itself, called hard linking. A typical example is using RFID for tire tracking management. Such parts are generally high-value, require high safety, and are easily confused. RFID can effectively identify and track these parts. Second, tags are attached to the packaging or transport racks of parts. The latter reduces the cost of using RFID but requires maintaining a database link between the tagged RFID container and the parts inside. This method is called soft linking or soft tracking.
4.3 Finished Vehicle Logistics Management
The vehicle smart electronic tag written in the RFID tag can realize information management of finished vehicle logistics, helping solve problems in vehicle production, inventory management, and sales management. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the identity document in vehicle circulation. This identification number can be written into the RFID tag embedded in the car to realize electronic digital license plate management. By reading the information stored in the vehicle smart electronic tag, the accuracy and efficiency of vehicle information are greatly improved, solving problems in after-sales service, product tracking, and quality traceability.
4.4 Application in the Entire Automotive Supply Chain
RFID technology is breaking through factory boundaries and being applied throughout the entire automotive supply chain. Toyota Motor is planning to build such a system to track vehicles across the entire supply chain. In the first phase, reusable tags are used in the assembly workshop to monitor vehicles. In the second phase, disposable paper RFID tags are used to track parts and finished vehicles, and vehicle tracking management is realized in their distribution centers. In the third phase, Toyota plans to use RFID in the retail field. RFID will be permanently retained on the vehicle and used throughout its entire lifecycle. The information on the RFID tag will include customer information and original production data.
In addition, RFID can also be used as anti-counterfeiting marks for parts. For example, electronic tags are implanted in parts such as tires, engines, airbags, and drive shafts. Using their encryption and automatic identification functions, counterfeit parts can be distinguished, protecting consumers' legitimate rights. We are also trying to use RFID to manage compressed natural gas vehicle cylinders. RFID tags are attached to the cylinders, storing information such as the manufacturer, cylinder time, and number of refills, to monitor cylinder usage, timely recall expired cylinders, and reduce potential risks during use.
4.5 Implementation Benefits
4.5.1 Error-Proof Management
Applying RFID technology on assembly lines to mass-produce customized cars based on user requirements: users can choose from thousands of internal and external options such as color, engine model, and tire style. Thus, the assembly line must assemble hundreds of types of cars. Without a highly organized and complex control system, such a task is very difficult. An RFID system on the assembly line uses reusable RFID tags that carry detailed requirements for each car. At each work station, a reader/writer ensures that the assembly task is completed without errors at each line position.
4.5.2 Warehouse Management
Parts management: Establish complete supplier delivery quality records and batch information. For each supplier, parts entering the enterprise based on electronic Kanban can be labeled and recorded, including model, type, batch, production date, etc., for inbound and outbound management.
4.5.3 Real-time Production Line Monitoring
RFID tracking management is implemented throughout the entire production process from when a product enters the final assembly workshop to final vehicle inspection.
4.5.4 Cost Control
Use modern logistics theory to improve the warehousing of auto parts and finished vehicles, save costs, and reduce waste from production and temporary inventory in various workshops.
4.5.5 Product Traceability
China has officially implemented the automobile recall system, which puts higher requirements on product traceability. Product traceability requires detailed production site records, including all aspects of production, quality, and materials.
Based on RFID tag information, it is possible to query in real time the production and manufacturing information of the vehicle at key workstations in the final assembly workshop, such as production time, operator, inspector, batch, serial number, quality data, process data, test data, etc., and understand the manufacturing flow information, such as rework and processing results.
Based on RFID tag information, it is possible to query the quality information of the vehicle at important workstations, including defect data, measurement data, and process capability data of the workstation.
Based on RFID tag information, it is possible to trace the quality information of important parts and safety parts, information of major supporting parts manufacturers, specific installation details, and other related information.
Based on product information, it is possible to trace back to product batches and key component batches, find other products of the same batch; trace upward to materials and components, and downward to end users.
4.5.6 Defect Management
Vehicle production is mainly assembly-oriented, involving a large number of parts (including in-house manufactured parts and outsourced parts). Various defects inevitably occur during assembly, some from parts, some from this process, and some from the previous process. To improve quality and reduce rework rates, real-time monitoring and recording of defects for each vehicle are needed, along with timely measures.

V. Main Equipment Deployment

RFID Electronic Tags

FineJoin M11 High-Industrial-Grade Smart Handheld Terminal

FineJoin RFID Industrial-Grade Fixed Reader