| A | It's true that metal can detune RFID reader and tag antennae and interfere with system performance. Further, the signals reflected by metal can create interference between tags and readers leading to reduced read and write rates. There is no single solution to these challenges, but a number of companies have come up with antenna configurations and tag packaging specifically designed for the metallic environment; among them ADASA, Avery Dennison, BemroseBooth, Escort Memory Systems, Emerson & Cuming, Mitsubishi TDK Corp. and others listed in Managing Automation's RFID Product Directory. You may also be interested in the recent announcement from the University of Kansas on a new tag designed for high performance in metal and liquid environments. You can download information on this tag here. Before you contact these resources, take the time to define your application requirements; i.e., the type of tag (HF or UHF, active or passive, read-only or read-write), the amount of data that the tag will have to carry, the physical characteristics of the products you intend to tag and any constraints on where the tags will be placed on the products, the locations where you plan to install readers and antennae and, finally, the sppeed at which the tagged products will be moving at the read points. With this data, you'll be able to help suppliers to quickly determine the suitability of their solution(s) for your requirements. Hope this helps. |