Field Trials of RFID Technology for Tracking Pre-Fabricated Pipe Spools

The FIATECH Smart Chips project, in conjunction with Shaw Pipe Fabricators and Fluor Corporation, undertook field tests of current RFID technology to determine its technical feasibility for automatically identifying fabricated pipe spools in a laydown yard and tracking shipment through portals. The results indicate the technology could work effectively in the field environment and that it has reached the stage where it can begin to be used to reliably track materials through major portals. Currently, the authors are assessing its potential economic benefits based on preliminary information on recent industrial projects and data provided by the literature.