SICK’s airport expertise supplies automatic tag reading solutions to the busiest airports in the world

Lost luggage is more than just a nuisance. It reduces airline customer satisfaction and consistently increases costs to the airline. The IATA Resolution 753 will change automatic tag reading through the ambitious aim of creating continuous 100% accurate baggage tracking. Laser, camera, and RFID technology provides automatic tag reading and baggage tracking. SICK can provide support from a single source on all three technologies.

Laser Technology

For over 30 years, laser technology has been the primary solution for tag identification due to durability and compliance with even the highest industry requirements. To this day, laser-based automatic tag reading systems have the largest installed base with more than 4,500 systems sold worldwide.

RFID Technology

The key advantages to using RFID technology is that there is no need for line of sight between the sensor and the tag. More information can be stored in an RFID tag. This facilitates reliable tracking of baggage. Airport luggage identification systems with RFID technology fulfills the specifications of the global IATA standards and closes gaps, according to IATA Resolution 753.

Camera Technology

The airport luggage identification system (ALIS) camera is the best way to increase the performance of automatic tag reading based on optical process. Cameras offer the highest reading performance on all kinds of tags, even poorly printed, damaged, dirty, crumbled, and bent ones. Cameras can be implemented individually or upgraded easily to an existing automatic tag reading laser system. No changes to the communication interface or the conveyor system are required.

Cameras enable the use of 360-degree tag reading and allow additional vision processes, such as optical character recognition and video coding. Camera based automatic tag reading systems enable further processing of label information by means of automated optical character recognition and video coding. The identification of flight number or destination airport enables immediate transport of baggage within the conveyor system, even if the baggage source message is not available.

SICK’s modular automatic tag reading concept allows for every combination of identification technology. SICK is the world’s leading provider for sensor solutions for the identification of baggage tags and offers tailor made solutions based on expert knowledge.

Check out this four-minute video to learn more about this technology. Contact a SICK representative today to learn more!