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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a new way for identification of products/parts and their tracking during the whole life cycle, from the manufacture and assembly phase to the disassembly phase. Design/methodology/approach - Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is applied on a chosen product, an in-mould labelling (IML) robot. Findings - This paper discusses a case study that highlights the use of RFID as automatic identification technology, especially in the processes of assembly/disassembly of the IML robot. The application can be expanded onto any kind of product, with the exception of some life cycle phases that are specific for a particular product. Practical implications - The paper gives an example of how RFID technology can actually be realized in the case of the IML robot to improve the quality of tracking its main components. Originality/value - The users have the possibilities to access and analyze information about the products/parts during their cycle. Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.