RFID
Labels
Radio-frequency
identification labels or RFID Labels are the hottest new product in
narrow-web printing and converting today. A dramatic shift toward
their use for packaging, shipping, warehousing and inventory is
already taking place. RFID Labels are printed and manufactured in
much the same way as a regular label. After an antenna has been
designed, art files are created through PDF, MAC or CAD publishing
software. Approvals are confirmed, films and screens are produced,
and finally the antenna is ready for printing for 13.56 MHz, 900 MHz
or other applications. (13.56 MHz. is used for short-range labels
and 900 MHz is for longer-read ranges.)
In essence, the
RFID Labels are used to create "smart products" that can communicate
with their surroundings. Applying RFID Labels directly to television
sets illustrates the value of creating "smart products." During
production, RFID Labels are applied to the inside of the
televisions' housings. After utilizing the labels during production
(as explained above), the labels accompany the "smart products" into
the warehouse. In the warehouse, the labels are used for both
locating a given model and routing different models to intended
storage locations. Further, with the ability of reader/writers to
communicate with multiple labels in the same field, all televisions
can be read or written to as they exit the warehouse, regardless of
whether the televisions are stacked on pallets or transported
separately. This enables users to write destination information to
the "smart products" and to record what has been shipped, providing
the trigger for electronic billing.
Demand for
smart RFID Labels is projected to more than double annually off a
slim 2002 base, rising to 1.8 billion units in 2007. By 2012, demand
will increase a further ten-fold, reaching 17.5 billion units.
Following their commercialization in the late 1990s, RFID Labels
have begun to penetrate a broad range of applications, where their
ability to provide a low cost means of data storage and
communications promises to revolutionize applications from supply
chain and inventory management to health care and airline baggage
tracking.
A range of
industries and institutions have become aware of the potential of
smart RFID Labels to improve efficiency, lower costs, enhance
security and improve customer service. As a result, dramatic gains
are expected, both in extant and emerging uses. Limiting even
further gains will be the still high costs of RFID Labels, which has
to date limited their use primarily to higher value items, as well
as to situations in which labels are reused rather than disposed of.
Inventory management at the case or pallet level in closed loop
systems is a prime example.
The costs of
deploying RFID Labels -related infrastructure — readers, scanners,
printers, smart shelving units, etc. — also poses a barrier for many
potential users. Other hurdles include a lack of uniform standards,
which limits the ability of competitive systems to interoperate, as
well as growing consumer opposition to item level tagging based on
privacy concerns. Smart RFID Labels generally encompass ultra thin
RFID tags, or inlays, embedded in or attached to some sort of
flexible, adhesive coated substrate, most commonly paper or a
plastic film. The tags contain integrated circuits (ICs) attached to
an antenna for wireless radio frequency communication, typically a
coil of wires. Data is stored on the IC and transmitted through the
antenna. Also covered here for present purposes, although not
technically RFID Labels are similar products which communicate
through electromagnetic or other non radio means. RFID Labels can be
segmented along various parameters, including transmission
frequency, power supply, type of intelligence and
format
Sensormatic
RFID Labels are designed for use in item-level inventory counting,
reconciliation, and location applications. The label has both read
and writes capabilities and can store up to 100 characters of
user-defined data. The labels are provided in a pressure sensitive
format for applications to hard goods and have been designed with a
small footprint to accommodate item-level tagging. The label is
delivered in sheet format.
These RFID Labels are compatible with EPC and ISO Standards
for full interoperability in the retail supply
chain.
According to
the shoe company, the RFID Labels they use do not contain unique
product information. Rather, the RFID Labels reportedly serve only
to trigger an alarm if a consumer leaves the store without paying
for the shoes. In addition, by putting RFID Labels on each item,
another important issue for the retail fashion industry can be
addressed - i.e. making sure that products are on the right shelf or
rack when the customer wants to buy it. RFID Labels can even be used
for added in-store security, tracking items around the shop. They
can also be used to identify returns and warranty claims, and can
help maintain brand integrity, by preventing cheap copies of
trademarked and designer products from being mistaken for the real
thing.
