RFID tabanlı izlenebilirlik sistemi geliştirilmesi ve denim sektöründe uygulama
A RFID-based tracing and tracking system deployment and an application in denim industry
Yazar: MAHİR ÖNER
Danışman: DOÇ. DR. ALP ÜSTÜNDAĞ
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü / Endüstri Mühendisliği Ana Bilim Dalı / Endüstri Mühendisliği Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2014
Konu: Endüstri ve Endüstri Mühendisliği = Industrial and Industrial Engineering

Özet:
Bu tez çalışmasında üretim süreçlerinde görülen aksaklık ve sorunların önüne geçmek ve ürünlerin gerçek zamanlı izlenebilirliğini sağlamak amacı ile RFID sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi ve gerçeklenmesi konusu ele alınmıştır. RFID sistemlerinin kullanımı yakın geçmişte yoğunlaştığı için uygulamalar oldukça yenidir ve RFID sistemlerinin kurulumunu bütünsel açıdan ele alan çalışma sayısı oldukça azdır.  Literatür araştırmasından elde edilen en önemli bulgu, yapılan çalışmaların genelde alt kurulum süreçlerinin incelenmesinde yoğunlaştığı ve sistemin bütününün geliştirildiği ve gerçeklendiği çalışmaların yetersizliğidir. Mevcut çalışmaların çoğunluğu teorik olup, konuyu uygulamalı olarak ele alan çalışmalar teorik çalışmalara nazaran oldukça azdır. Bu durumun yanı sıra RFID projelerindeki beklenmeyen başarısızlıkların önüne geçilmesi için bu tür projelerde RFID sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi ve gerçeklenmesi konusunda sistematik bir yol izlenmesinin gerekliliği açıktır. Bu çalışmada literatürdeki ve pratikteki bu boşluğu dolduracak şekilde RFID sistemlerinin tasarlanması ve gerçeklenmesi için bir yol haritası sunulmuştur. Ayrıca denim sektöründe yapılan bir uygulama çalışması ile bu yol haritasının anlaşılırlığı pekiştirilmek istenmiştir. 
Bu çalışmanın birinci bölümünde, yapılan literatür araştırmasından detaylı olarak bahsedilmiş ve bu çalışmalar uygulandıkları alanlara, kavramsallık ve uygulama çeşitlerine göre ve yayınlandıkları dergilere ve çalışma içeriklerine göre kategorize edilmiştir. Bu ön araştırmadan yola çıkılarak literatürdeki boşluk vurgulanmıştır. Tezin ikinci bölümünde, okuyucuların RFID teknolojileri hakkında bilgi sahibi olmaları amacıyla, ilk olarak RF teknolojisinin tarihi gelişimi ve daha sonrasında RFID teknolojisinin bileşenleri ve RFID teknolojisi ile ilgili bilinmesi gereken detaylar açıklanmıştır. Çalışmanın üçüncü bölümünde, RFID sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi ve gerçeklenmesinde okuyucuyu yönlendirecek bir yol haritası adım adım anlatılmıştır. Dördüncü bölümde ise SANTEZ kapsamında yapılan denim ürün üretim süreçlerinde RFID tabanlı izlenebilirlik sistemi geliştirilmesi ve uygulaması anlatılmıştır. Dördüncü bölümde ayrıca SANTEZ kapsamında yapılacak inovasyon açısından denim ürün üretimindeki ağır şartların (yüksek sıcaklık, kimyasallar, ıslak ortam, mekanik etkiler vb) olduğu süreçlere dayanıklı bir etiketin bulunabilmesi için yapılan kapsamlı araştırmadan bahsedilmiş ve RFID etiketi seçim kriterleri ortaya konulmuştur. Ayrıca bu bölümün sonunda yapılan uygulama çalışması ekonomik olarak analiz edilmiştir. Son bölümde sonuçlar sunulmuştur. 
Bu tezde yapılan pilot çalışmada tasarım aşamasındaki çözümün birçok değişikliğe uğraması, RFID sistemlerinin geliştirildiği projelerde gerçekleme aşamasının ne derece önemli olduğunu göstermiştir. Bunun yanı sıra çıkarılacak en önemli sonuç, RFID teknolojisinin kurulumu ile sağlanacak gerçek zamanlı izlenebilirlik ile aksaklıkların erken kontrolü ve problemlerin erken tespiti günümüzün yoğun rekabet ortamında firmalara büyük avantaj sağlayacağıdır.

Abstract:
In this study, RFID design, implementation and deployment are discussed in order to enable the real time tracking of the malfunctions and problems that are occurred in production processes.  Since RFID technology usage is increasing day by day, applications in this area is currently new and naturally, studies related to RFID implementation in holistic way are not sufficient enough. Studies mostly emphasized on theorical approaches rather than practical studies. The most substantial finding extracted from literature review is studies dealt with RFID implementation were generally focused on researching of the sub configuration processes of RFID and they are also inadequate in explaining implementation and deployment of the whole system. In this study, a roadmap for RFID design, configuration and deployment is presented in order to fulfill the gap that is pointed out from literature reviews and former RFID projects. Additionally, an application is performed for denim sector for validation and reinforcing of the understanding of the proposed RFID implementation roadmap. 
In literature, radio frequency identification (RFID) was applied in many different areas but especially utilized in logistics and supply chain management systems for identification, tracing and tracking. These conveniences provide monitoring the system with more precise and real time data. In logistics, RFID provide increasing capacity and labor productivity with reducing operational mistakes. Additionally, limited number of papers deal with deployment of RFID information infrastructure mainly focus on separating related stages from capturing data to evaluation the information. This situation indicates the necessity of the RFID based integrated implementation processes. 
The first part of the thesis is started with giving a brief information about RFID technology and background of the applications in it. After that, literature review is deeply represented and previous studies are classified in accordance with the application area, published journal, content and conception. Based on this literature review, it could be emphasized that there is a need of explaining RFID design, implementation and deployment should be practiced with the integration of all these sub processes.
In Section 2, historical progress of RFID and afterwards, RFID components and further details related to this technology are mentioned on the purpose of giving brief information to the readers on RFID technology. For this purpose, last improvements and innovations in RFID devices and the types of the tags are explicated. 
In Section 3, the roadmap for RFID system development and deployment that guides the reader is explained systematically. In terms of system development performance that is the main indicator of reading performance, reading-writing performance and maximum reading distance between of the antennas could be made are critical issues. Reading distance could also be increased. On the other hand, wide reading distances could not be required due to the confusions in RFID waves and the high possibility of reading other RFID tags nearby the tags to be read.   
In Section 4, a RFID based tracking and tracing system application within SAN-TEZ foundation is clarified which was carried out in denim production processes. First of all, analysis of the current situation is made in order to the determination of the problem appeared in process. Losses caused by theft and incorrect production demonstrate the need of the effective tracing and tracking system in denim production processes. Thus, proposed RFID roadmap could be applied in Denim Village. With the analysis of current situation, firm and employees were realized the usage and contribution of the RFID implementation and deployment project. In addition to this, a brief information is given to them in order to ease the understanding of RFID technology and further plans were made with the teaming up. After that, site analyses were detailly carried out with respect of current situation of the firm. Reflections from the studies, RFID tag selection is the most critical issue for the proper reading-writing operations. In the first phase, 10 RFID tags are selected but only one tag stayed resistant in the hard production conditions explained in further steps.  In the second step, RFID project design was specified in accordance with the technological, environmental and interior (site) limitations. After pre- application test were made, RFID based design processes in where software and hardware requirements were identified. 
As mentioned before, RFID tag selection plays a key role in successful implementation of RFID projects. Denim product processes have difficulties in the selection of the tags. The main reason is the rough processes especially dry processes in 150°C with 50, washing with 90 °C in 60 minutes with chemicals and also frictions. Because of this reason, within the scope of the innovation in applied RFID project, special RFID tags which are durable for denim product processes in where high temperature, wet environments, chemical and mechanical effects should be determined and selected. In addition to tag selection, economic feasibility of RFID deployment and implementation should be reviewed. For this reason, net present worth analysis was applied for the prediction of the future value of RFID investment. With given cost value, RFID implementation will be returned 2,03 times more in five years that implies the economic return of the investment is sufficiently profitable and this investment will be applicable. At the end, reflections extracted from the application are deeply discussed and further improvements in this application are referred. 
After the understanding of the economic feasibility of the RFID investment, required software that is essential to integrate the current system with RFID infrastructure was deployed. Once all the necessary software and hardware are supplied, pilot tests were applied. During pilot studies, shortcomings related to proposed RFID system design was realized and these shortcomings were tried to be corrected. After this step, RFID based traceability and visibility system of denim production processes were ready to be extended to the entire system of the firm. During the design phase, many changes were appeared in the proposed solution is the main indicator of deployment process is critical in the application of RFID projects. 
In order to measure the value of RFID investment and adaptation, both costs which could inhibit the RFID application process and customer benefits that could change the project efficiency should be considered. Thus, after then the completion of this RFID project, real values of the cost of the project deployed in Denim Village be clarified and in addition to that, savings made from labor was determined after cost measurements were done. After the implementation of RFID project, 8 employees will be discharged. In these conditions, the net value made from labor savings was measured as 259106 € and also, net value of RFID investment will be 633896 €. In addition to economic feasibility analysis, sensitivity analysis was also applied in order to measure the changes in costs and benefits within two conditions: Savings from lost products will be 0% , 10% ve 25%  rather than 50% and durability of the tags against washing processes will be 36 washing rather than 60 washing. As seen from the sensitivity analysis results, RFID investment will still be profitable to be applied.
Within the application of RFID project implemented in Denim Village, redundant inventory and production costs, redundant labor costs caused by inefficient warehouse and production operations and non-value added activities, inadequate control system caused by loss of the products and insufficient traceability and visibility of goods, inefficient manual processes in work in processes, inaccuracies of records and difficulties in planning activities because of the inaccurate data and lack of real time data records will be decreased. 
To sum up, the aim of the thesis is to demonstrate the implementation and architectural framework of the RFID based information system for the denim industry and also to investigate the economic feasibility of RFID application in the industry. Provided by the establishment of real time tracing and tracking systems based on RFID technologies, early detection and control of the malfunctions and problems that could be occurred in the system is enabled which take significant advantages to the firms in today's competitive market conditions.