RFID

Whom to Contact:

Lynne Harris
Vice President of Science and Technology
(202) 974-5217
lharris@socplas.org

What's New | Background | Glossary |Applications | Research | Standards* | Funding* | Additional Information*

* Members only

What's New

Radio Frequency ID Educational Session Presentations from NPE 2006 – The NPE 2006 Free Conference provided educational sessions on innovative topics including RFID. Copies of the RFID session presentations are provided below:

• "Integrating RFID with Plastic Products and Packaging" – Randy Stigall, UPM Raflatac


• "Integrating RFID with Plastic Products and Packaging in the Retail Supply Chain" – G. Michael McCartney, QLM Consulting


• "Impact of RFID and Sensor-Based Network" – Pete Efstathiou and Tim Stojka, Fast Heat, Inc.


• "RFID Sensor Based Network" white paper – Pete Efstathiou, Fast Heat, Inc.

Background

RFID, Radio Frequency Identification technology enables labels attached to objects and packaging to dynamically interface with other electronic systems. Like bar codes, RFID provides a mechanism for quickly accessing information about a product or container. However, RFID labels store much more data than bar codes, can dynamically change the data they hold and do not require a laser beam to scan the code in direct line-of-sight. Radio Frequency (RF) refers to the area of the electromagnetic spectrum where data rides on a carrier frequency. The RF carrier frequency ranges are:

Glossary of Terms

Ultra High Frequency (UHF) 915 MHz standard frequency for cases and pallet-level tagging. The assigned carrier frequency differs around the world.
High Frequency (HF) 13.56 MHz proposed standard for item-level tagging, being shorter range than UHF. 13.56 MHz is a worldwide frequency allocation.
Active tags have both RFID circuitry and a battery. They provide high range access and may also have the capability to transmit a signal or record in transit information like temperature extremes.
Backscatter describes the mode in which UHF information is transmitted back to the reader, reflection.
Inductively coupled describes the mode in which HF information is transmitted back to the reeader, that is, coupling like a transformer. Passive tags have no on-board power source, but derive power from the tag reader.
RFID Radio Frequency Identification

Applications in Plastics

Typical applications for RFID today include "EZPass" highway toll tags, amusement park wristbands for children, access control to buildings, library book management, cargo container seals. A variety of mandates for supply chain tagging by large retailers and government agencies will promise to increase RFID tagging on all consumer goods. The pharmaceutical industry is seriously considering unit-of-sale tagging for anti-counterfeiting, anti-theft, as well as traditional recall.

Research

The majority of research in the RFID industry is focused on reduced cost of tags and readers, because consumer product and pharmaceutical applications require tens of billions of tags per year. At these volumes, every tenth of a cent is critical. There is also considerable research to increase read range and read rate, so all the potential benefits and savings expected from RFID are realized.

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