RFID tracking for trucks operating in mines


Essen RFID’s radio frequency identification device XtennaTM solution encompasses a “vehicle tracking system” that successfully monitors entry of over 1,500 trucks in the premises with the ore. This results in creating process efficiencies and helps identify and monitor any leakages, thereby eliminating any inconsistencies in the system.

Vedanta has successfully implemented a UHF RFID solution provided by the Mumbai-based EssenRFID at its mining sites at Jharsuguda, Orissa. Jharsuguda houses Vedanta’s 500,000 tpa aluminum smelter, together with an associated thermal coal-based 1,215 MW captive power plant.

Vedanta’s technology partner for the RFID solution, EssenRFID, is an Indian OEM headquartered in Mumbai. The RFID solution encompasses a vehicle tracking system that tracks the movement of a large fleet of around 1,500 trucks entering the premises with the ore.

Each truck is fitted with EssenRFID’s ParkaTM UHF tag and passes through an RFID-enabled portal. The moment the truck passes through the portal, details including in-time & out-time, driver name, truck operator name, licence plate number and weightage of the truck (in tonnage capacity) are being recorded by the RFID system and fed into the back-end server. This real-time data transfer helps ensure greater transparency across the entire value chain and helps identify and monitor leakages and eliminate any inconsistencies in the system.

EssenRFID, which launched its UHF-based RFID device “XtennaTM” in April 2008, has successfully demonstrated its RFID modules for personnel & car parking management systems, asset tracking, including metals & liquids, livestock efficiency management, hospitality management, and identification and stoppage of monetary leakages in the construction industry. The integrated reader-cum-antenna module has been successfully implemented for manufacturing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, realty & defence sectors in India and overseas markets.

EssenRFID has opened a new tag manufacturing facility in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh that has an annualized capacity to manufacture upto 40 million tags.

XtennaTM has dynamic multi-protocol capability that is fully compliant with future standards. Along with superior tag reading performance (upto 50 feet) it not only supports Dense Reader Mode but also overcomes multiple sources of signal interference.