INTRODUCTION TO RFID
RFID tag development trends and market growth opportunities
Given the difference in costs, RFID should not be considered as a pure alternative to barcodes. Companies that are considering investing money in RFID systems should understand their unique capabilities (and limits) in order to make the most of them in terms of process improvement and ROI.
Below you will find a comparison chart between RFID and barcode technology.
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RFID
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BARCODE
|
|
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Line of sight
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Not required
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Required
|
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Reading distance
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From 1 mm to dozens of meters
|
Few centimetres
|
|
Read rate
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Hundreds of tags can be read simultaneously
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One at a time
|
|
Dynamic updates
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Can be always updated
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Static data
|
|
Amount of data storage
|
High
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Low
|
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Human assistance
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Virtually none
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High
|
|
Type of identification
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Can univocally identify each item
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Can typically identify only the type of the item
|
|
Counterfeiting
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Very difficult (using unique tag ID)
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Quite simple
|
|
Durability in harsh environments
|
High (converted tags)
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Low
|
|
Problems due to metals and liquids presence
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High for some types of tags
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None
|
|
Capability to be read when dirty
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High
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Low
|
|
Event triggering
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Capable to trigger events such as door opening, alarms etc.
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Not capable
|
|
Public/Reserved data storage
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Public and reserved
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Only Public
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|
Cost
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Higher
|
Low
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RFID tag manufacturers are becoming increasingly committed to developing products conceived for specific applications and yet that are, at the same time, standardized and affordable.
There are some application fields, such as the tracking of low cost consumer goods, where the current manufacturing costs of RFID tags prevent their adoption. In order to lower RFID tag costs, some companies are working on processes that would make it possible to print RFID tags directly onto good plastic packages. These technologies could be available in the market in few years.
In conclusion, the standardization and drop in costs of RFID hardware is making its use affordable in more and more verticals markets and applications, starting a technological revolution that will change not only business processes, but also many consumer habits.