Recognizing the need for more built-in safety measures within the wireless networking infrastructures of hazardous manufacturing environments, Omni-ID, a maker of passive UHF RFID tags, and Extronics Ltd., a manufacturer of explosion-proof equipment, have entered a partnership.
As part of the agreement, Extronics will certify Omni-ID’s entire range of products for compliance to safety and performance standards for ATEX in Europe, Class 1 Div 1 in the United States, and IECEx worldwide. Extronics will also co-brand the Omni-ID products as part of its own asset and personnel tracking product family.
According to Extronics, the company, which offers active RFID tags, recently experienced a surge of interest from manufacturers seeking cost-effective tracking solutions for hazardous areas. This prompted the company to form new partnerships that meet their customers’ needs.
Passive RFID tags have no power source, transmit between 20 and 40 feet, and generally cost from 10 cents to $4 per tag. Active RFID tags are battery-powered, have a read range of 300 feet or more, and cost between $15 and $50.