It is important to test your RFID equipment before implementing an RFID system. RFID tags can be scanned manually via handheld terminals or through the use of active tags and fixed scanners/antennas. Active labels have built-in power, while passive labels do not require built-in power. Passive RFID tags of the received RFID reader to send the electromagnetic energy to obtain power activated to send data abroad.
The rfid reader can be portable, it can be fixed. Portable rfid readers are used to reading tags manually, in the same way that you manually scan hardware assets as you roam the data center. Fixed rfid readers are used to mark those applications, such as items that are scanned with an ID card to access the data center or downloaded onto a transfer carousel.
Another important part of the RFID installation is the software that supports tagged communication. There are many vendors that provide out-of-the-box applications for this purpose, often as part of an RFID packaging solution. Another option is to connect directly to your own infrastructure, via a middleware application or by using a controller that connects to your existing back-end data warehouse.
When implementing an RFID reader device in a production environment, it is important to consider variables such as temperature, airflow, and humidity to ensure that the environment is suitable for use with RFID devices. It is worth mentioning that another important test index is the reading distance. For any rfid implementation, make sure to always achieve a read rate close to 100%. There are many potential obstacles to achieving this, including interference from existing unrelated wireless infrastructures and even from many devices in high-density environments.
What are rfid tags?
We could say that they are the simple way to identify a product or object so that it can be discoverable wirelessly , and to guarantee its traceability . They have a built-in chip (there are several models with different memory capacity) to which the information deemed necessary in each case is added. They are printed and recorded with specifically designed printers.
There are several kinds of RFID tags :
Passive: they are the most common type of label, and are called “passive” because they do not have their own battery. They are short-range tags (signal perceptible from 0-15 meters away). In any case, they offer very interesting advantages, such as the possibility of being manufactured extremely small, or having a more competitive price.
Active: they have their own power supply, which allows them to extend and emit their signal over a longer distance.
Semi-passive: as with the passive ones, it is the RFID reader that emits a signal when it wants to communicate. The characteristic that makes them different is the small battery that they have incorporated to power the chip and thus store information and respond more quickly and safely.
What are rfid tags made of?
The main components found in this type of labels are: the substrate (material from which the label is made); the antenna (which allows communication with the reader); and the type of IC (Integrated Circuit).
Material / substrate: Depending on the composition (metal, plastic, cardboard, etc.) of the product to be identified, and the environmental conditions to which the label will be subjected, we will choose a different type of material, inlay, and format: the requirements for a correct operation they will not be the same in a label destined to logistics, then in one to be used inside freezing chambers. Taking into account all these factors, we will choose the material that best suits our needs (paper, plastic, pet, cardboard, polyamide, etc.), and the delivery format (in rolls, loose, printed, etc.).
Antenna: In order to select the antenna that we are going to use, we must take into account what the reading processes that the product we want to identify will be subjected to during the supply chain will be subjected to. The reading sensitivity may vary depending on the readers there is the number of tags to be identified, and the positioning of the tag.
For more information about it and its applications, do not hesitate to contact us. At Urovo we have been installing and manufacturing handheld rfid reader products that adapt to all kinds of challenges for many years.