Description: Lecture, four hours; discussion, two hours; outside study, six hours. Enforced requisite: course M20 or Civil Engineering M20 or Computer Science 31. Manufacturing today requires assembling of individual components into assembled products, shipping of such products, and eventually use, maintenance, and recycling of such products. Radio frequency identification (RFID) chips installed on components, subassemblies, and assemblies of products allow them to be tracked automatically as they move and transform through manufacturing supply chain. RFID tags have memory and small CPU that allows information about product status to be written, stored, and transmitted wirelessly. Tag data can then be forwarded by reader to enterprise software by way of RFID middleware layer. Study of how RFID is being utilized in manufacturing, with focus on automotive and aerospace. Letter grading.

Units: 4.0