Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will have acquired specific knowledge
about the use of Auto-ID technologies (and RFID in particular) in different
areas of logistics and production systems, such as, for example, the shelf
management, the management of logistics assets and the management
of distribution center processes.
Applying knowledge and understanding
The knowledge gained during the course will enable the student to design
a solution Auto-ID in relation to the particular application context, as well
as to assess the related fallouts in terms of economic savings and
process performance.
Making judgements
The knowledge acquired during the course will allow students to
quantitatively ponder the use of the Auto-ID technologies in different
industrial contexts.
Communication skills
The student will acquire specific vocabulary related to the topics covered
in the course, such as, for example, data capturing, RFID technology or
barcode technology. It is expected that students will be able to exhibit,
whether verbal or in writing, the main concepts covered during the
course.
Learning skills
Students who have attended the course will acquire the fundamentals
relating to the use of the Auto-ID technologies in the field of logistics and
production, and will therefore be able to deepen their knowledge in these
areas, through autonomous consultation of specialized texts and articles
published in scientific journals or dissemination, even outside of the
topics covered closely in class
Prerequisites
Industrial Logistics
Course unit content
The course illustrates the use of Automatic Identification and data
capture technologies (Auto-ID technologies) in different areas of
production and logistics systems. The course focuses, in particular, on the
use of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology for data
acquisition.
Firstly, the building elements of an RFID system will be introduced, such
as tags, readers, antennas, and the infrastructure of the Internet of
Things (IoT). Afterwards, the students will go through the use and the
impact of RFID technology on the identification and traceability of food
products, on the management of supply chain processes and logistics
assets, and on sales measurement and management.
Full programme
- RFID technology (prof. Romagnoli)
- Introduction to logistics and supply chain management (prof. Bottani)
- RFID technology for food product identification (prof. Bottani)
- The impact of RFID on supply chain process management (prof. Bottani)
- Use of RFID technology for food traceability (prof. Bottani)
- Use of RFID technology for the management of logistics assets (prof. Bottani)
- Use of RFID technology to monitor sales (prof. Bottani)
- Monitoring of the cold chain of the food product by means of RFID technology (prof. Bottani)
- Laboratory tests (prof. Romagnoli)
Bibliography
The didactic material mainly consists of the textbook, which covers all the topics dealt with in the lesson and is therefore particularly indicated for students not attending. Any slides or notes used to support the lessons by the teacher will be uploaded to the Elly platform during the course of the course (in any case before the course), possibly through links to other pages of the network. To download the slides from Elly you need to enrol in the online course; therefore students are invited to enrol beforehand. of the beginning of the course. Students who are not attending the course are reminded to check the teaching materials available for each academic year and the possible
indications provided by the teacher through the Elly platform.
For the laboratory part specific didactic material can be provided, always made available through the ELLY platform.
A suggested book is:
Rizzi, A., Montanari, R., Bertolini, M., Bottani, E., Volpi, A., 2011. "Logistica
e tecnologia RFID". Springer-Verlag Italia, ISBN 978-88-470-1928-7
Teaching methods
The course has a weight of 6 CFU and is equally shared (3 CFU each) between prof. Giovanni Romagnoli and prof. Eleonora Bottani.
The theoretical topics of the course, corresponding to about half of the hours assigned to teaching, will be covered by prof. Bottani during the first 6 weeks pf the course approximately. The chosen teaching method will be that of frontal lessons.
In addition, in the course of the lectures, industrial case studies are discussed as examples of the theoretical topics of the course. During these lessons, business cases relating to the practical usage of RFID technology will also be ilustrated.
The second part of the course consists of (mandatory) laboratory experiments and will be covered by prof. Romagnoli in the remaining 6 weeks approximately.
For carrying out the laboratory esperiments, students will be grouped into sets of 3-4 people and will have to use the laboratory facilities located at the Departent of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Parma. For an effective laboratory experience, students will have to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired during the course to a real scenario or case study. As an example, the laboratory experiment may concern the execution of experimental measurements related to the reading of items using RFID technology. The laboratory experiment wil be detailed in a report that the student (or group of students) must submit within 5 days (AT THE LEATEST) from the date scheduled for taking the exam; the report will be discussed during the exam.
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination consists of the verification of knowledge related to the theoretical part of the course as well as the student's presentation of his or her own report on the laboratory activity (possibly together with other members of the group who appear at the same examination session).
Verification of theoretical knowledge may be conducted in oral or written form, depending on the number of students enrolled in the exam roll call and the possibility of scheduling students over several days. Conversely, the presentation of the laboratory report is always done orally; questions may, of course, be asked by the committee about the presented report.
Each of the two parts of the test (project and theory) is assigned a rating in thirtieths by the committee; the final grade is determined by the average of the two ratings, rounded up if necessary. For merit evaluation purposes, the student's accrued knowledge, ability to apply, autonomy of judgment and communication skills, as well as expository skills, will be considered in both parts of the test.
The test is passed if it achieves a score of at least 18 points, as well as sufficiency in both parts being evaluated (project and theoretical part). Honors are awarded in the case of reaching the maximum score in each assessment area.
A student who refuses the grade at the end of the test will be marked as "WITHDRAWN" and may reappear at the next appeal. In case the assessment is insufficient (or unsatisfactory to the student) in terms of theoretical knowledge, the student may resubmit to the next appeal while keeping the project report and its exposition valid, and then repeating only the theoretical part of the exam. Similarly, if the grade is inadequate (or unsatisfactory) in terms of the project report, the student may resubmit to the next appeal keeping the grade of the theoretical part valid and improving only the project report in the parts that will be indicated by the Examination Committee. Where the student rejects the proposed grade but does NOT reappear at the immediately following appeal, he/she MUST REPEAT both parts of the examination
Other information
Registration for the exam in ESSE3 is mandatory to take the test. The teacher will not accept students who have not booked to take the exam. Similarly, since the exam is an oral one, even though an exam day is indicated, it is likely that the teacher will have to schedule students on multiple days.
