Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/H048936/1
Title:	Enhancing the Use of Radio-Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) to Optimise Operational Costs and System Efficiency in Outbound Logistics
Principal Investigator:	Lim, Professor M
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Sch of Engineering and Applied Science
Organisation:	Aston University
Scheme:	First Grant - Revised 2009
Starts:	17 November 2010	Ends:	16 November 2012	Value (£):	64,744
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Control Engineering Manufact. Enterprise Ops& Mgmt
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 09 Feb 2010 Materials, Mechanical & Medical Engineering Panel Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
In the literature, there are two groups of research contributing to the adoption of RFID. One is related to the technical aspects, such as enhanced security tags, increased tracking range, and authentication protocols. The other is associated with the applications, which provide greater contribution to potential adoption. This area of research explores RFID applications in manufacturing, inbound/outbound logistics, warehousing, and many more. However, a crucial aspect of research which is not currently being investigated is the exploration of extensive use of real-time RFID data to improve and add substantial values to the business operations, e.g. optimising distribution routes/network responding to dynamic changing environment. This area of research is vital as it will result in greater operational costs to be reduced and system efficiency to be enhanced, and leads to a more promising investment to achieving higher returns. This area of investigation forms the key aim of this proposal and contributes to the justification required for decisions for RFID adoption. The findings of the proposed research will also highlight to the RFID implementers that the technology is not merely for track and trace purposes, but is used as a way to achieve improved economic competitiveness. This research proposal is to investigate how distribution network in outbound logistics can be efficiently modelled, reconfigured, integrated, and optimised dynamically in response to changes in the market, the production and at any stage in the supply chain. To facilitate this research work, it is proposed to adopt the concept of multi-agent systems and intelligently integrate with RFID technology. The central part of this research is to develop a dynamic integrated agent-based control system to enable distribution routes to be dynamically modelled. In response to changes, alternative route configurations can be generated and evaluated by the optimisation strategy/methodology developed (i.e. operational level optimisation). In addition, a global level optimisation across the supply chain sectors will also take place simultaneously to ensure a smooth, efficient flow of operations in the supply chain. This will enhance the responsiveness of the supply chain operations coping with dynamic changes efficiently and cost-effectively. With the optimised distribution network it will help to reduce CO2 emissions and as a result, promoting greener supply chain to support the UK government's Carbon Reduction Strategy for Transport (introduced in July 2009). Two industrial partners (Carton Edge and ATMS), the Centre of RF Applications and Testing at University of Hong Kong Science and Technology, and the RFID vendor IdentifyRFID, each with its expertise and interests in RFID, will support this research. These partners will play a significant role in this project, contributing to the project trials and output dissemination. They are able to provide resources to support the development and validate the methodology proposed. The end product of this research will then be used to assess the company's operations and they will receive a thorough assessment of the operational performance, as well as an evaluation of ways to maximise flexibility, agility, and efficiency of the operations to achieve economic competitiveness. The research will also identify how RFID-enabled operations can help them to add value to their customer services. ATMS, which develops RFID-enabled logistics software, has shown interests in exploiting the potential take-up of the end product of this research to a commercial exposure. Last but not least, invitations for workshops and academic visits to other research centres/institutions will play an important role for raising research awareness and for research collaboration. It is envisaged that the strengthened connection through this research will serve as a strong ground for partnership in the future research grants.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.aston.ac.uk