Your Kegs are our business

Your Kegs are our business

Transponder service

Transponder technology keeps you updated at all times by automatically identifying your kegs. RFID represents the biggest driving force for innovation and growth. For you as a brewer, it involves not just service and customer loyalty but also a reduction of technical complaints.  Furthermore, you have all market data for assured scheduling.

By having planned production management, your workflows go smoother and are automated.  You have the option of batch tracking in accordance with EU Regulation 178/2002 at the end of the logistics

Retrofitting is easy, both for PU kegs as well as for stainless steel kegs, and can be carried out on the occasion of a fittings and keg service. On request, we can handle complete
  • project organisation
  • logistics of all components
  • selection of transponders and software
  • retrofitting of transponders to keg
  • training of your personnel

RFID is an English acronym and stands for radio frequency identification. Automatic identification of objects and living beings is thus possible by means of electromagnetic waves.

For companies, this means a common standard for the identification of articles and inventory, thus enabling the tracking of processes and the continuous determination of responsibilities to ensure uniform communication along the value chain. For example, changes in stock or inventory can be recorded to the second without manual intervention.

An effective RFID system consists of transponders (tags), readers (antennas) and software to recognise the transmitted data. This software has an interface to programmes already in use in the company.

Firstly, a distinction is made between active and passive transponders according to their energy supply.

  • Passive transponders draw their energy from the field of the read/write unit and do not have their own power supply.
    This is the type of RFID transponder used in the beverage industry.
  • Active transponders have their own power supply and can therefore also send their own signals. These are used, for example, in the field of aircraft or satellites.

Another distinguishing feature is the frequency strength of the RFID tags

  • Low frequency transponders (LF) transmit at 125kHz and are used, for example, as access controls or in the area of animal identification.
  • High-frequency tags (HF) transmit at 13.56 MHz. These are usually cards or labels and have a reading range of up to 70cm.
  • Ultra High Frequency chips transmit at 869 MHz. This means that pallets can be read in bulk or even in the vicinity of metal environments, such as stainless steel drums.

Nowadays, there are no limits to the design of transponders. Depending on the application and environment, transponders made of metal, plastic or glass are used.

  • empties management
  • batch tracing guaranteed
  • up-to-date circulation statistics
  • creating transparency in the supply network
  • stock-taking at the touch of a button
  • increase efficiency
  • reduce complaints

The right
System

The way to the right system, i.e. the right transponder (e.g. HF, UHF or LF) for the respective conditions and requirements of the filling plant, can be clearly worked out in advance. As soon as it is known how far RFID must reach for which materials, which susceptibilities to interference have to be taken into account and at which points in the operation recording has to take place, implementation can commence in conjunction with the (software) applications already in use in the warehouse, logistics and filling operations.

Retrofitting
on kegs

New barrels to be purchased can, depending on the manufacturer, be bought already tagged. An existing keg pool will need to be retrofitted with transponders. The retrofitting of kegs can be carried out over a period of several weeks as part of a special project, depending on the average circulation time of the kegs in the company, or at regular intervals over a longer period of time as part of the regular maintenance of the fittings. This process always begins with the attachment of the transponders. In the case of stainless steel kegs, they are welded to the keg lid or glued to the grips. In the case of PU kegs, transponders are attached by moulding. The basic data of the keg are recorded via an input mask on the PC screen and entered into the software. In addition to the most important basic facts about the keg, such as size, type of keg and fitting, the keg manufacturer, keg number and the maintenance interval for the keg and fitting specified by the bottling company can also be stored. The accounting of the deposit and the beer tax are among the most important motivators for the implementation of such a system, which is why the empty weight is also recorded.

HW Brauerei-Service GmbH & Co. KG
Am Wiesenweg 29
97262 Erbshausen

Telephone: +49 (0) 93 67 / 98 87 84-0
Telefax: +49 (0) 93 67 / 98 87 84-29

E-Mail: info@hw-bs.de

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