What is UHF RFID?
Many manufacturers are looking to RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) as a solution to improve efficiency, increase visibility and drive “smart” manufacturing. RFID has the capability to do these things and more, but did you know there are multiple types of RFID?
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID is a newer technology in the industry, and brings with it some huge advantages not found in other more traditional types of RFID (high frequency and low frequency). UHF readers operate at 900 MHz which gives them a much larger range and achieves higher data transfer rates. These characteristics make UHF RFID a more flexible and powerful identification and tracking tool than other RFID technologies.
UHF shines in applications that require long-range reads. If a process currently involves an operator having to pick up a hand scanner to scan a part, or an operator waving the part in front of an antenna, a UHF antenna could read the tag without that extra step.
UHF RFID offers the ability to build in flexibility to a manufacturing line. If a retool may be in the future, or carriers cannot be precisely positioned, a UHF system can provide extra coverage to account for any small differences in positioning.
For those manufacturers looking to get on board with the industrial internet of things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0, the potential is huge. UHF systems can be used for anything from lot-traceability systems to item-level tagging. For an assembly with thousands of parts, this level of tracking now becomes possible due to the much lower costs to manufacture UHF tags. This could allow a manufacturer to positively identify each and every part that is assembled and save that data for future analysis.
These are just a few of the scenarios where UHF RFID can bring value to an industrial manufacturing facility. With UHF RFID being a flexible and powerful technology, many manufacturers are looking to standardize on it for future benefits.
HOW DOES A UHF RFID SYSTEM WORK?
The RFID reader emits radio waves of specific frequencies through RFID antennas. The waves “give energy” to the tags so that they can communicate by emitting a unique ID. They do not need batteries and can be used for many years. The reader processes the data so that we can integrate them into our application and give them meaning. The typical reading range is 0-12 meters. Gen2 UHF RFID systems consist of: readers, antennas, printers, and RFID tags or tags.
RFID ANTENNAS
RFID Antennas are responsible for emitting and receiving waves that allow us to detect RFID chips. When an RFID chip crosses the antenna field, it is activated and emits a signal. The antennas create different wave fields and cover different distances.
RFID READERS
There are multiple types of readers; Fixed RFID, portable rfid readers, rfid readers for Smartphone and USB readers. To read a high density of tags or requirements of 100% accuracy in detection, the best fixed RFID readers are: Impinj R420, ThingMagic M6e, Zebra FX9500. And if we need to use portable readers, we recommend the Zebra MC9190, Impinj AB700 Zebra RFD8500.
RFID LABELS AND TAGS
The essential factors are: size, orientation, reading angle, area the are located and the type of chip.
UHF electronic tag application
The UHF RFID market has a wide application scenario, and has the advantages of being able to read multiple tags at one time, recognizing a long distance, transmitting data speed, reliability and long life, and withstanding outdoor harsh environment. Can be used for asset management, production line management, supply chain management, warehousing, anti-counterfeiting traceability of various items (such as tobacco, alcohol, medicine, etc.), retail, vehicle management and so on.
Vehicle management
Through the special short-range communication between the vehicle electronic tag installed on the windshield of the vehicle and the RF antenna on the ETC lane of the toll station, the computer network technology is used to perform background settlement processing with the bank, so that the vehicle does not need to stop through the road and bridge toll station. And the purpose of paying the road and bridge fees.
Electronic identification
Electronic license plates are an application of the subdivision, extension and enhancement of IoT technology. An electronic license plate label is mounted on the motor vehicle, and the RFID electronic tag is used as a carrier of the vehicle information, and the data on the electronic tag of the motor vehicle is collected or passed through a section with an authorized radio frequency identification reader/writer Write, an advanced technology that enables all vehicles to be digitally managed.
Product anti-counterfeiting traceability
Through the application of RFID technology in various aspects of enterprise product production, it realizes anti-counterfeiting, traceability, circulation and market control, protects corporate brand and intellectual property, and safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.
Warehousing logistics pallet management
The introduction of RFID technology in the existing warehouse management, automated data collection for warehouse inspection, warehousing, delivery, transfer, transfer shift, inventory counting and other data of various operations, to ensure data input in all aspects of warehouse management Speed and accuracy ensure that the company can accurately and accurately grasp the real data of the inventory and maintain and control the enterprise inventory.
Washing industry
The laundry label is resistant to high temperatures and stagnation, and is mainly used for tracking in the laundry industry and checking the washing situation of the laundry. The label is made of silicone encapsulation technology and can be sewn, blanched or hung on towels and clothing for inventory management of towels and clothing products.
By sewing a button-like (or label-like) electronic label on each piece of cloth until the cloth is scrapped (the label can be reused, but does not exceed the life of the label itself). It will make the user’s laundry management more transparent and improve work efficiency. High temperature laundry labels are widely used in textile factories, linen professional washing and laundry.
Clothing management
Garment management introduces RFID technology into the existing clothing warehouse management, which can automatically collect data for each warehouse operation, such as inspection, storage, storage, transfer, transfer, and inventory of the garment warehouse to ensure the warehouse. Manage the speed and accuracy of data input in all aspects, ensure that the company can accurately grasp the real data of the inventory in a timely and accurate manner, and reasonably maintain and control the enterprise inventory.
UHF RFID technology can provide real, effective and timely management and decision support information from all aspects of garment production, product processing, quality inspection, warehousing, logistics and transportation, distribution and product sales. The rapid development of the business provides support that will solve most problems.
Live bird management
UHF RFID foot ring electronic label gives each live bird a unique “identity card”, from the seedlings, quarantine, slaughter, processing to sales traceability management of live birds, effectively preventing food safety of live birds. Main application areas: It is suitable for poultry such as chicken, duck, goose, etc. It is widely used in food source, aquaculture, production, epidemic prevention and sales circulation.
Pig traceability management
Qualified pork white strips are bound to the RFID traceability label. The pork code obtained by the RFID channel at the factory is automatically associated with the RFID vendor’s RFID ID card information obtained by the RFID traceability machine. At the same time, the all-in-one machine is also connected with the electronic scale to obtain the weight, and the one-piece machine prints the meat transaction certificate of the traceability system. The source code, weight, downstream buyer and other information of the batch of meat products are uploaded to the government traceability supervision system. Each piece of pork corresponds to the only merchant or business household, and the information link between the pigs entering the factory and the white strips at the slaughtering stage is realized.
Tire management
By implanting RFID electronic tags, each tire becomes an effective data trace carrier. With the tire information database, the tire life cycle can be effectively managed.
Intelligent inspection management
The application of RFID technology can realize the electronic, information and intelligentization of inspection work, thereby improving work efficiency and ensuring the safe operation of power equipment. Suitable for enterprises, independent substations and centralized control stations, etc. Users are customized and managed for equipment information, inspection tasks, inspection lines, inspection points and inspection items involved in power inspection, to achieve inspection control and defect management. Standardization, thereby improving the level of power equipment management.
Airport baggage management
The application of RFID electronic tag technology to the tracking and management of air parcels ensures that airlines can track and manage passenger checked baggage, ensuring that passengers and checked baggage are securely delivered to their destinations on time.
Asset Management
RFID tags are used to identify fixed assets, and RFID readers are used to collect data to complete the daily management and inventory of fixed assets, realizing the tracking and information management of the use period and usage status of fixed assets.
Medical instruments
The direct advantages of RFID are significant: for example, the number of lost devices will decrease, and the time for manual inventory will decrease. After the introduction of RFID electronic tags to track each surgical instrument, the hospital can ensure the integrity and thoroughness of the disinfection, avoid the risk of hospitalization, or the occurrence of medical accidents left by the surgical instruments.
Jewelry wisdom management
In the RFID smart jewelry management system, the RFID electronic tag has a unique ID number. Therefore, after the electronic tag is in one-to-one correspondence with the individual jewelry, the target of precise management of the individual jewelry is achieved by recognizing the electronic tag. At the same time, UHF RFID electronic tags have the characteristics of simultaneous reading of multiple tags. Therefore, through the construction of RFID jewelry management system, fast and accurate inventory can be realized, and the efficient management of jewelry assets can be realized.
In the past two years, the market has grown rapidly, and the price of UHF RFID tags has dropped rapidly. If you need to purchase UHF RFID tags, please feel free to contact us.
