Is the Bar Code in Danger?

Bridging the gap between real-world assets and computerized company records can be done either with bar codes or with radio frequency identification (RFID). Bar codes are more widely used than RFID chips because they have been around longer, but the versatility of RFID chips present a serious challenge to the status quo. The question of whether or not bar codes will be completely replace by RFID technology can be answered by looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each system.

Information Storage

Technology advances like the QR code, a type of two-dimensional bar code, have increased the storage potential of a bar code. However, RFID chips still hold a greater amount of information, and it seems likely that software and miniaturization advances will continue to increase chip storage capacity while bar code technology is bound by the two-dimensional limitations of its label printers.

Cost

Although RFID chips hold more information, bar code systems are cheaper. New bar codes can be created with a label printer, while making a new RFID tag is considerably more complicated. It costs less to ship bar codes in bulk due to their reduced weight, and they take up less storage space.

Interactivity

A bar code cannot be changed after it has been printed, and it cannot actively engage with computer systems. RFID chips can be linked to variables like gauge readings and temperature information to signal changes in their surrounding conditions. RFID chips can also signal inventory systems to take action in response to specific trigger events, such as when a machine component is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced.

Interference

RFID technology is versatile but vulnerable. RFID chips can become infected by a computer virus that will pose a threat to the entire inventory management system. RFID tags are also difficult to read if they are placed on metals or containers of liquid, and some areas have poor signal reception or radio signal interference.

Durability

Bar codes and RFID technology are both vulnerable to wear and tear. While a bar code can be scratched or smudged to render it unreadable, RFID information can become corrupted and some active RFID tags require a power source that can become depleted.

Neither bar codes nor RFID tags hold all of the solutions to the problems posed by inventory management. Because each system has its own strengths and weaknesses, the two will likely remain in use for the foreseeable future.