RFID systems provide the next level of technology over UPC or EAN barcodes. RFID technology has a number of important advantages over existing barcode systems. The ability to scan or read a product without line of sight, multiple product reads in one pass and being able to store a larger amount of information are all key advantages over barcodes.

RFID codes are long enough that every RFID tag may have a unique code, this data capacity is rivaled only by 2D or RSS barcodes. Current UPC barcodes are limited to a single code for all instances of a particular product. The uniqueness of RFID tags means that a product may be individually tracked as it moves from location to location, finally ending up in the hands of a consumer. This may help companies to combat theft, counterfeiting and other forms of product loss.

In typical RFID systems, individual objects are equipped with a small, inexpensive tag. The tags contain a transponder either passive or active with a digital memory chip that is given a unique electronic code. The interrogator, an antenna packaged with a transceiver and decoder, emits a signal activating the RFID tag so it can read and write data to it. When an RFID tag passes through the electromagnetic zone, it detects the reader's activation signal. The reader decodes the data encoded in the tag's integrated circuit (silicon chip) and the information is passed to the host application for processing.

RFID tags and labels come in four common standards categorised by their radio frequency:

• 125 or 134.2 KHz (low frequency tags)
• 13.56 MHz (high frequency tags)
• 868 to 956 MHz (ultra high frequency tags or UHF)
• 2.45 GHz (microwave frequency tags)

PRISYM software is an ideal platform for managing RFID devices and printed labels, combing a bar coding system and an advanced RFID solution on a single, user friendly platform. PRISYM allows you to take variable data from databases and ERP, MRP or LIMS (Laboratory Information Systems) and design, print and write to RFID labels, or just write to an RFID tag.

PRISYM supports stand alone RFID read/write units and integrated printers/encoders from manufacturers such as Zebra, Sato and Avery Dennison printers.

PRISYM also supports the following RFID technologies:

• Inside Technologies Picotag 2K
• ISO 15693 tag
• Phillips I Code
• Texas Instruments Tag It
• Alien EPC Class 1
• Matrics EPC Class 0
• Phillips U Code EPC Class 1.19

For free information on RFID systems or RFID technology please contact us.