WELCOME TO SECTION 4 OF THE
RFID Roadmap.
We've divided the information up into 10 sections - RFID Overview, RFID Readers, RFID Antennas, RFID Tags, Hardware, Software, & Firmware, Auxillary Equipment, Advanced Principles, Ideal Equipment Performance, Deploying Your RFID System, & Different Types of RFID.
* If you are crunched for time, follow the starred posts for the crash course.
SECTION FOUR -
RFID Tags.
There are 3 key elements in an RFID system, RFID readers, antennas, and tags. Let's learn about RFID tags.
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12 | GUIDE
Read the Guide Online| Length - 16 minute read (3,147 words)
In this eBook, we discuss the most important aspects of an RFID tag like, what an RFID tag is, how do they work, and what makes up an RFID tag. After that we walk through different RFID tag form factors and how tag positioning and attachment can make or break an RFID application.
Key Takeaways: This tag eBook is packed full with key takeaways such as - a tag is comprised of an antenna and an integrated circuit (chip), and a chip has 4 main memory banks, EPC, User, Reserved, and TID. Tag positioning is very important for a successful application so always remember to take Tag SOAP - Size, Orientation, Angle, Placement in consideration when purchasing and attaching RFID tags. Read the full
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13 | ARTICLE
Read the Article Online| Length - 3.5 minute read (707 words)
In this short article, we discuss the top three component differences to know among RFID tags - IC type, antenna, and encasement.
Key Takeaways: A tag's IC or chip is the brain of the RFID tag that stores the tag's encoded information. The tag's antenna size and shape is an indicator of the tag's read range, the larger the tag antenna, generally the more read range the tag will have. The encasement is the physical form factor that holds the IC and the tag antenna, and this could be a label, wire, hard encasement, etc.
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RFID can be complicated, but no worries - we are here to help! Feel free to ask our RFID experts a question at any point of your learning process to get a non-salsey, straight forward email reply direct to your inbox. If you'd rather ask us on this page, click here to jump down to the comments section. To send in your question instead, fill out the simple form below and we will get back to you asap!
14 | ARTICLE
Read the Article Online| Length - 3 minute read (621 words)
In this article, we discuss the 7 key factors that you should consider when searching for the ideal tag for your application, they are - frequency range, environment, mounting surface, size, attachment meethod, read range,
Key Takeaways: This article actually has 7 key takeaways but the first two are - #1 Determine your country's operating region regulations and select a tag compatible with the specific region, #2 Consider all environmental factors that are applicable for your application and carefully narrow down your ideal tag by consulting
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RFID can be complicated, but no worries - we are here to help! Feel free to ask our RFID experts a question at any point of your learning process to get a non-salsey, straight forward email reply direct to your inbox. If you'd rather ask us on this page, click here to jump down to the comments section. To send in your question instead, fill out the simple form below and we will get back to you asap!
15 | ARTICLE
Read the Article Online| Length - 2.5 minute read (543 words)
In this article, we talk about RFID and metal surfaces and why mounting RFID tags on metal can be more difficult than other materials. In addition to discussing metal's interference with RFID, we provide tips on using metal-mount RFID tags, what industries use metal-mount RFID tags, and how these tags can be attached.
Key Takeaways: Interference from metal surfaces can hinder an application, however, this can be mitigated by using a metal-mount RFID tag. Metal-mount RFID tags are used in asset tracking, tool tracking, IT asset tracking, and healthcare applications and can be attached in different ways depending on the type of tag - either a hard tag, embeddable tag, or a printable/flexible RFID tag.
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RFID can be complicated, but no worries - we are here to help! Feel free to ask our RFID experts a question at any point of your learning process to get a non-salsey, straight forward email reply direct to your inbox. If you'd rather ask us on this page, click here to jump down to the comments section. To send in your question instead, fill out the simple form below and we will get back to you asap!
16 | ARTICLE
Read the Article Online| Length - 2 minute read (425 words)
In this article, we answer the question - What are the different types of memory in Gen 2 RFID tags, and how will I know when to use each type? We will walk through all four memory banks on RFID chips - Reserved, EPC, TID, and User.
Key Takeaways: The Reserved memory bank is a read-only memory bank that simply stores the kill and access password for the RFID tag. The EPC Memory bank stores the EPC, or Electronic Product Code, and can be read, written, and rewritten as needed. The TID memory bank is another read-only memory bank that stores the tag's unique ID number created by the manufacturer. The User memory bank is the second writable memory bank and is typically used for storing additional data.
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RFID can be complicated, but no worries - we are here to help! Feel free to ask our RFID experts a question at any point of your learning process to get a non-salsey, straight forward email reply direct to your inbox. If you'd rather ask us on this page, click here to jump down to the comments section. To send in your question instead, fill out the simple form below and we will get back to you asap!
17 | ARTICLE
Read the Article Online| Length - 7 minute read (1321 words)
In this article, we walkthrough the difference between encoding data directly on an RFID tag and associating data via software with a tag's EPC or TID number. After that we discuss three common situations that occur where association is the better option rather than encoding data on the RFID tag.
Key Takeaways: The communication between a tag and an RFID system (reader and antenna) is called coupling, and there are a few different types of coupling that can occur, depending on how far the tag is from the RFID antenna. If the tag is located in the near-field area of the RFID antenna, inductive coupling is used to power the tag, if the tag is located in the far-field area of the RFID antenna, capacitative coupling is used to power the
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RFID can be complicated, but no worries - we are here to help! Feel free to ask our RFID experts a question at any point of your learning process to get a non-salsey, straight forward email reply direct to your inbox. If you'd rather ask us on this page, click here to jump down to the comments section. To send in your question instead, fill out the simple form below and we will get back to you asap!
Ready for Section 5?
If you are ready to jump into learning about Hardware, Software, Firmware's Role in RFID in Section 5 - click on the button to the right to get started!