ARCwire - Confidex, the RFID tag design and manufacturing specialist, has launched Steelwave, a versatile UHF EPC Gen 2 RFID tag for indoor tracking and asset management applications. The company has also created Ironside, an EPC Gen 2 high-performance transponder that works on metallic objects and in the most demanding conditions.
Steelwave Tag
Unlike standard RFID labels, the Steelwave tag also works on metal-based objects. The Steelwave tag, featuring a robust IP40 casing, operates at frequencies between 865-868 MHz or 902-928 MHz.
The 45 by 32 by 6 mm (1.8 by 1.3 by 0.23 in.) RFID tag from Confidex is coated in a synthetic film and is attached to metal objects using an adhesive, already applied to the synthetic film. When attached to metal objects, such as containers, trays, and electrical equipment, it has read range of 4 to 6 m.
The Steelwave transponder is ideal for applications such as tracking parts in assembly lines, locating components in a warehouse environment, and safeguarding valuable assets via RFID-based surveillance systems. Confidex' tag has successfully been tested in asset tracking applications on a several different items, from electrical appliances and other portable objects found in public places, to expensive and vital medical devices.
Ironside Tag
Ironside, a patent pending solution, is the flagship of the Confidex Special Tags portfolio. Ironside is an EPC Gen 2 high-performance transponder that works on metallic objects and in the most demanding conditions. It provides a totally new benchmark for low-cost, passive UHF RFID tags in terms of both its size and durability.
Confidex' tough on-metal tag (IP68) can operate at temperatures ranging from –40°C to 100°C and withstand the intense mechanical stresses found in the petrochemical, automotive, and maritime industries. Furthermore its passive UHF technology means it can be used in the aerospace industry to safely communicate with transported assets and components both on the ground and in the air.
When mounted on metallic surfaces, either by using the industrial adhesive provided with the tag or mechanically using sturdy pop rivets, Ironside has a read range of 4 to 6 m. Even with such a long read range, Ironside is very compact, with dimensions of 52 by 6 by 10 mm (2.1 by 1.9 by 0.4 in.). The tag operates at frequencies between 865-868 MHz or 902-928 MHz.