RFID & Computer Vision-Based Inventory Tracking

Client Overview

The client is a mid-sized pharmaceutical company operating multiple storage and distribution facilities across regions. Given the high-value nature of its inventory—including temperature-sensitive and regulated products—the company’s success depends on precise inventory control, strict compliance with storage standards, and timely order fulfillment. Inventory mismanagement posed a risk not only to profitability but also to regulatory compliance and customer trust.

Challenge

The company was facing several operational challenges rooted in its manual inventory tracking methods:

• Inventory inaccuracies caused by human error during stock entry and audits
• Expired products due to poor visibility of shelf-life tracking and FIFO (First-In-First-Out) inefficiencies
• Frequent misplacement of high-value inventory, resulting in delays and increased shrinkage risk
• Time-consuming manual audits, which were both labor-intensive and unreliable
• Order fulfillment delays stemming from inventory mismatches and the inability to locate specific items quickly

These issues collectively hindered the company’s ability to scale operations efficiently and maintain the high standards required in the pharmaceutical industry.

Solution

Fx31 Labs implemented a custom RFID and AI-powered Computer Vision Inventory Management System tailored to the client’s warehouse and operational needs. The solution combined RFID tagging with real-time computer vision for intelligent, automated inventory tracking. Key features included:

• RFID tag-based item scanning, eliminating the need for manual barcode checks and enabling real-time tracking of every product in the warehouse
• AI-driven image recognition, allowing visual stock monitoring and movement detection through strategically placed cameras
• Smart replenishment alerts, where AI models analyzed historical movement data to predict restocking needs
• Automated shelf-life tracking, helping staff prioritize product dispatch based on expiry timelines
• Dashboard integration with live inventory updates, location mapping, and compliance check notifications

By digitizing the tracking process, the system minimized manual intervention, improved traceability, and provided managers with actionable insights on stock health and movement.

Impact

The deployment of the RFID and vision-based system delivered transformative results:

• Inventory accuracy, drastically reducing shrinkage, mismatches, and misplacement incidents
• Reduction in time spent on manual audits, freeing up resources for more strategic tasks
• Significant drop in expired stock, thanks to automated alerts and better shelf-life visibility
• Improved order fulfillment timelines, with faster stock identification and real-time location tracking
• Higher customer satisfaction and operational confidence, reinforcing the company’s reputation in a highly regulated industry

This case demonstrates how advanced inventory tracking can solve long-standing inefficiencies in pharma and other high-precision sectors.