What is a Real-Time Asset Tracking System (RTLS)?
A complete breakdown of RTLS hardware, software, indoor positioning accuracy, and how it compares to legacy RFID and barcode scanning.
Defining Real-Time Asset Tracking
A Real-Time Asset Tracking System (often synonymous with RTLS - Real-Time Location System) is a combination of hardware and software used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people in real time, usually within a building or other contained area.
Unlike traditional barcode scanning or passive RFID, which only record an asset's location when manually scanned or when passing a specific choke-point, a real-time system continuously broadcasts the asset's location to a central dashboard.
How an RTLS Works
A typical Real-Time Asset Tracking System consists of three main components:
- Tags (Transmitters): Small, battery-powered devices attached to the assets you want to track. These tags continuously emit a signal (via Bluetooth, Ultra-Wideband, Wirepas Mesh, or WiFi).
- Anchors (Receivers/Gateways): Fixed hardware installed throughout the facility that receives the signals from the tags and calculates their position.
- Software Platform: The cloud-based or on-premise software (like TagFinder) that processes the location data, visualizes it on floor plans, triggers geofence alerts, and provides analytics.
Key Benefits of Real-Time Tracking
- Eliminate Search Time: Workers can instantly locate tools, jigs, or WIP inventory on a digital map, eliminating the hours wasted walking the shop floor.
- Automate Workflows: Trigger actions automatically. For example, when a tagged pallet enters a "Shipping" zone, the tracking software can alert the ERP system to mark the order as dispatched.
- Prevent Loss and Theft: Receive instant alerts if a high-value asset leaves a designated geofence area.
- Improve Utilization: Track how often equipment is actually moving versus sitting idle.
Active RTLS vs. Passive RFID
While passive RFID is cheap per-tag, it has significant limitations for dynamic environments. Passive RFID only tells you an asset's location at the exact moment it passed a reader portal. If the asset is moved afterward, it becomes "lost" again until scanned.
Active RTLS, like TagFinder Track (powered by Wirepas Mesh), provides continuous visibility. You know exactly where the asset is right now, with 1-5 meter accuracy, without requiring expensive, hard-wired reader infrastructure. TagFinder's battery-powered anchors can be deployed across a facility in an afternoon, making enterprise-grade real-time tracking more accessible than ever.
