RFID WIP tracking that keeps production records in step with the work.
See which jobs have reached the next operation, how long they have waited, and where a handoff was missed. FactorySense turns RFID reads at selected points into reliable production updates, whether you track parts, kits and fixtures, or the totes and carts that carry them.
A job can move without its record moving with it.
Work-in-process (WIP) tracking records where unfinished jobs are in your production process and how they move between operations. In many plants, the system learns about a move only when someone scans it, signs a traveler, or updates a screen. When that step is skipped or done late, a job can be at one location while its record still shows it in another. Supervisors then walk the floor to find it and email blasts are sent asking people to help search for it. With FactorySense solutions, RFID captures arrivals and departures at selected read points, helping keep the record aligned with the work. With the FactorySense enterprise RFID software platform, RFID tags can identify the part or assembly itself, or the traveler, fixture, tote, or cart that carries it.
RFID for work-in-process tracking
Explore how RFID can improve visibility as work moves through manufacturing operations.
Read the WIP articleWhat RFID work-in-process tracking can tell you.
Design the read points around the decisions your production team needs to make: find delayed jobs, spot recurring bottlenecks, check routing and prioritize intervention.
Know the last place a job was confirmed. Depending on what you tag, that could be the part itself, its work order traveler, or the fixture, tote or cart carrying it.
Capture when work enters and leaves the work centers, queues and inspection areas you pick. Over time those timestamps show where jobs wait and which delays keep coming back.
Compare recorded movements with the expected route. Configured rules flag skipped steps and unexpected handoffs, and determine which events can update the record and which need review.
Connect each tag to the job, work order, lot or serial number it represents. MES or ERP context helps your team interpret the movement and act on it.
Some reads will be missed or unclear, and networks occasionally go down. Your team gets a straightforward way to sort those out, with a full history of what was read, what was accepted and what was corrected.
Example: how material moving on your floor becomes a production update.
When a tagged cart reaches the next operation, FactorySense.io WIP tracking software associates the tag with its job, validates the movement, and tracks queue and dwell time. Accepted events update the work order in your system through the agreed MES or ERP integration. Unclear or unwanted reads are filtered or held for review under configured rules.
Prove one handoff, then build out.
A good pilot shows the workflow holding up during an ordinary production week.
Define the operating question
Pick one route, queue or handoff where better visibility would change a decision someone makes. Agree on who owns the records and what counts as arrival, departure or completion.
Engineer and test the read point
Try tags, mounting, antennas and reader placement in the real environment, around metal, nearby traffic and at actual line speed, using the parts or carriers you plan to track.
Validate the event and transaction
Check that the filtering and rules produce the right event. Then test record mapping, duplicates, rejected transactions and recovery before anything writes to your MES or ERP.
Measure and expand
Look at missed reads, false events and how often someone had to step in, and ask whether the data is helping. Add stations once the first workflow meets the criteria you agreed on.
Floor maps and digital twins that reflect reality.
A floor map or factory digital twin can show where work was last confirmed and how long it has waited. Read-point tracking identifies observed arrivals and departures; continuous location tracking requires a different design. Choose the level of detail that helps your team make a decision, and keep the visualization tied to validated production events.
Connect WIP events to your systems
Explore how validated RFID events update the enterprise systems your production team relies on.
Explore enterprise integrationUnderstand what RFID can track
Compare identification, presence, transitions and location tracking to choose the right approach for your workflow.
Compare RFID tracking methodsRFID WIP tracking questions
Straight answers for planning your WIP tracking.
What is RFID WIP tracking?+
RFID work-in-process tracking uses RFID tags on the work itself, or on whatever carries it, and readers at selected points in the plant to record when jobs arrive, wait and move between operations. Software turns those reads into production events that can update your MES or ERP.
Can we track WIP around metal machinery?+
Usually, yes. Metal changes how RFID behaves, so tag choice, mounting and antenna placement matter, and they need testing with your actual parts and equipment. A site assessment and pilot will show what works in your plant.
Does every part need its own RFID tag?+
No. Many plants tag the traveler, fixture, tote or cart instead of each part. The link between carrier and job must stay accurate, especially when work is split or reassigned to a different carrier.
Can RFID replace all barcode scans?+
RFID can automate selected movements, while barcodes remain useful for exceptions, workstation checks and steps that need operator confirmation. We choose the capture method for each step in your process.
Will RFID update our MES or ERP automatically?+
Yes, accepted events can update your MES or ERP through an agreed integration. We test transaction rules, permissions and system acknowledgments first. An arrival read does not by itself confirm that an operation is complete.
How much does RFID WIP tracking cost?+
It depends on how many read points you need, what you tag, the installation work at each location and how deep the MES or ERP integration goes. Most projects start with a single handoff or route, and a site assessment gives you a scoped estimate before you commit.
Let's discuss the handoffs slowing your production.
Tell us what moves through your process, where you lose track of it and which systems need updates. We'll help you identify the right workflow to start with.