Smart chips serving industry

The RFID chip in our daily lives

RFID technology is increasingly used to identify, track and trace all kinds of products. It can be found in many sectors such as:

• logistics (e.g. La Poste customer case)

• automotiver

• agri-food (e.g. Sénécal customer case)

• mass distribution

• hotel industry (e.g. PPHE Group customer case)

• health industry (e.g. APHP customer case)

• retail
  

You may not be aware of it, but you encounter this technology every day. Whether it is at your supermarket checkout, at the entrance to your car park or even in your own clothes, it is now well established and helps many industry players to develop and optimise their processes.

What is RFID technology?

It is a remote data storage and retrieval system that uses devices known as chips, readers, antennas, RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. 

Its objective is to transmit the identity of an object (unique serial number) by means of radio waves that communicate with a chip that can be attached to various media (product, animal, person). To read the data collected on the chip, a reader (gantry, mobile device, portal) and an RFID antenna are required.

Different categories of chip

Chips can be active, semi-passive or passive. The main difference between active and passive RFID technology is the presence of a power supply inside the active transponders. A passive tag is not able to communicate until it is activated by the emission from an RFID reader. As for the active chip, it is powered by an energy source such as a battery, which enables it to read at longer distances.

Depending on the use, there are different types of uses for these chips. These include:

• Cards and badges: These do not require physical contact with the reader and are very often used in access control and contactless payment solutions.
  
  

• Tags: They consist of an antenna, a radio transducer and a chip. The purpose of the antenna is to allow the chip to transmit the identification information it contains. They have different uses, but they are mainly used for the traceability of stocks, goods, vehicles, and for the control of linen in hospitals or hotels. There is a very wide variety, ranging from simple self-adhesive tags to those specially designed for textiles or other specific materials.

  < UBI Textile Tag QR Code    < UBITex 1136
  
  

• Bracelets and key rings: These are very common solutions, with an antenna and a chip that holds a set of data. They are used in many situations such as identification of people, event organisations, access control in companies, residences, car parks.

• Subcutaneous: They are inserted under the skin and, among other things, make the tracking and checking of animals possible.

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How to choose the right chip?

An important part of any RFID project is choosing the right chip. As this is a complex task, support is needed to achieve it. Depending on the characteristics of the project, it will be possible to determine the required reading distance, the solution in which the chip will be placed and the most suitable reading rate. Factors that are taken into consideration when selecting a chip include: 

• The type of format (types of tags, cards, badges, etc.)

• The desired RFID technology (passive, active, semi-passive RFID)

• The operating frequency (low (LF), high (HF), very high frequency (UHF)). The higher it is, the greater the reading distance.

• The materials of the goods to be identified (metal, textile, plastic, etc.)

• The method of attaching the chip (adhesive, silicone, rivets, sewing, etc.)

• Reading distance

• The reading rate

• The size of the chip

• Environmental conditions (indoor, outdoor, dirt, dust, etc.)

• Cost and specific requirements requested

The choice of an RFID chip is essential to achieve high reading efficiency and optimal operation of the solution. 

Some possible applications

Today, there are many chip manufacturers present on the global market. Leaders like Avery Dennisson supply the largest multinationals. Whilst smaller companies are trying to make their way by offering increasingly innovative, efficient products to remain competitive.

Among them, we can mention Fenotag a producer of RFID products and a UBI Solutions partner which has patented, designed and manufactured its own fully automated production lines. Didier Elbaz’s team designs and produces 100% Made in France RFID chips with a performance that is unique and unequalled to date.

There are many possible uses for these chips. Every year more companies are starting to set up an RFID system.

According to an article published in Usine Nouvelle (a reference journal in France), ”according to IoT Analytics, the market for chips for the Internet of Things is expected to jump from 33 billion dollars in 2020 to 80 billion dollars in 2025”.

Logistics and supply chain

The use of RFID chips in industrial sector supply chains reduces errors and failures in product delivery. RFID provides transparency and real-time control, streamlining processes and improving both efficiency and service quality.

Control of assets

The implementation of an RFID system and tags enables employees and management to know the volume of existing stock, its status and its exact location at any time.

In hotels, for example, it makes a considerable improvement in the efficiency of linen circulation operations possible. Each item of linen is chipped, which gives optimal traceability.
It is also used very often in companies where employees handle a large number of tools. RFID tracking makes it possible to know which employee has used which tool, and whether it has been put back in its place or not.

It is also used very often in companies where employees handle a large number of tools. RFID tracking makes it possible to know which employee has used which tool, and whether it has been put back in its place or not.

Access control

Access to certain areas of an establishment which require special authorisations, or at the entrance of events, trade fairs, car parks, etc., can be managed easily with an RFID accreditation that authorises or limits access in advance. 

Animal traceability

The RFID chip enables animals to be tracked and monitored from birth to slaughter, providing full transparency of information. Chips are also used to identify pets and track endangered species.

As well as these applications, there are a multitude of other possibilities. UBI Solutions offers every company a customised product traceability solution to meet not only today’s challenges but also to anticipate those of the future...

The industry is constantly evolving and changing, so it is necessary to be able to offer the most appropriate technologies.
With the boom in the Internet of Things (IOT), RFID chips will become increasingly essential. For these reasons, forecasts estimate that the market will grow steadily over the next few years.

Coupled with other known technologies such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), GPS, iBeacon, the chips will be even more efficient and accurate, making ever better optimisation of businesses possible as a result of in-depth information analysis.

You want to implement an RFID solution, but you don't know where to start?