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18 September 2024 / News

RAIN RFID – More Than Just Identification

For decades, RAIN RFID tags have been used for item identification. Te...

1 August 2024 / News

Discover how UHF RFID technology revolutionizes automotive, industry and healthcare.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is transforming opera...

13 June 2024 / News

Important Notice: Impinj xArray Gateway Set for End-of-Life in 2024

The Impinj xArray gateway, introduced in 2014, will be discontinued du...

29 April 2024 / News

CAEN RFID unveils new Lepton module selection guide, simplifying reader choice

CAEN RFID has introduced a new selection guide that helps customers ch...

22 April 2024 / News

Share your RFID hardware project with the world!

Are you a company using RFID technology in groundbreaking ways? We're ...

28 November 2023 / News

Comparing Times-7’s A5010 vs. A5020CP Antennas

Choosing the right antenna is crucial for improving the performance of...

24 May 2023 / News

Watch the recording of the webinar: Wireless power over the air - Revolutionizing asset tracking

We want to take a moment to remind you about our recent webinar, ...

15 May 2023 / News

Important Announcement: We're moving to a new office location

Dear valued customers and suppliers, We're excited to announce th...

15 May 2023 / News

Come See! We Care!

At Cisper we believe that taking care of our planet is not just a resp...

9 May 2023 / News

Cisper becomes official Distributor of Chainway's RAIN RFID products.

Cisper is pleased to announce that we have officially become a di...

17 April 2023 / News

Kathrein Solutions launches new RFID demo kit sets

Kathrein Solutions offers an RFID demo kit program. This program offer...

10 November 2022 / News

Confidex launches new tag upgrades with latest Impinj RAIN tag

Confidex has expanded its portfolio of RAIN RFID tag products to meet ...

Case studies

RFID in practice: Read about how RFID technology is implemented successfully in different industries.

more cases

RFID Case Study: Intelligent Transportation Systems

Kathrein

RFID Case Study: Detection and inventory of tools in the Aerospace Industry

Nexess

RFID Case Study: Onsite drug management system enabled by SensThys technology

SensThys

RFID Case Study: Dutch Rail Company Improves Wagon Safety with RFID

Confidex

RFID Case Study: Capturing the flow of goods in real time

Kathrein

Adam Sharp

Director, Business Development - Xerafy

Whitepapers

In our white papers we discuss different ways to approach the selection of the correct RFID hardware for your project.

more whitepapers

Selecting the right RFID antenna for your project

Selecting the right RFID handheld reader for your project

How to choose the right RFID tag or label for your project?

Videos

Unboxing the Impinj R700 RAIN RFID reader

In this unboxing movie you will see all the highlights, connections and more about the R700 in only 3 minutes.

Learn all about the Confidex Ironside Family

In this video, we are showing you the Ironside Family from Confidex, which are robust UHF RFID hard tags. The Confidex Ironside Family consist of 4 different UHF hard tags in several sizes and shapes for different types of industrial applications.

Learn all about the Confidex Viking beacons

Confidex Viking Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) Industrial beacons are used to track the location of assets and people, with optional sensors for capturing environmental data. Learn all about the specifications of the beacons in this video.

Unboxing the Times-7 A5010 Circular Polarized Antenna

In this video, we are showing you the A5010 from Times-7. A circular polarized antenna . Learn all about the special features and specifications in only 3 minutes.

Kathrein RRU 1400 RAIN RFID reader

Learn all about the The Kathrein RRU 1400. A small basic RAIN RFID reader with high performance for indoor applications such as in logistics, manufacturing, supply chain and for access control.

Who is Cisper?

In this animated company movie we tell you who we are and what we can do for you.

How to choose the right RFID tag or label for your project?

In the world of RFID there are a thousand different tags and labels. But which one is best for your project? This animation movie helps you choose the best RFID tag for your project in 5 steps.

Selecting the right RAIN RFID antenna for your project

Selecting a suitable RAIN RFID antenna for your project, can be very complex. In our new animation video we discuss different ways to approach the selection of the correct antenna for your project.

Unboxing the Kathrein RRU 4500 Reader Unit

In this video we unbox the Kathrein RRU 4500 Reader Unit. We tell you all about the highlights, connections and applications.

Unboxing the Impinj Speedway R420 RAIN RFID reader

In this video we are going to unbox the Impinj Speedway R420 reader and tell you all about it. From the available connections to the highlights of the product and the best applications.

Unboxing the Nordic ID HH85 Handheld Reader

In this video we are going to unbox the Nordic ID HH85 and tell you about the highlights and advantages and what you get when you order the device.

Auxcis

CAEN RFID skID Mini Sled RAIN RFID Reader

The CAEN skID can transform any smartphone in a cool and efficient data collection terminal for inventory counts. But it can also be attached to a rugged tablet to obtain a robust RFID terminal.

Learn all about the Times 7 A5020 family

In this video we show you the A5020 family from Times-7. Learn all about the 4 different models and the individual specs and options.

Frequently Asked Questions

RFID

What is RFID?

Simply stated, RFID “radio frequency identification” is a means of identifying objects via a wireless communication protocol using radio waves, a capability that enables various advantages and breakthroughs in applications ranging from supply chain management to asset tracking to authentication of frequently counterfeited pharmaceuticals.

One of the earliest uses of wireless identification was by world war II pilots who used it to help determine whether oncoming planes were friends or enemies.

What are the benefits of RFID?

RFID technology has the capability to both greatly enhance and protect the lives of consumers. It also revolutionizes the way companies do business. RFID technology benefits include:

Ability to identify the source of products, enabling intelligent recall of defective or dangerous items such as, tainted foods, defective toy or compromised medication
Easy monitoring of items with expiration dates
Prevention of counterfeit products in the supply chain
Automated registration of sports results in marathons
A better shopping experience for consumers, with fewer out-of-stock-items and easier returns
Automated management of assets such as containers and production material
Automated management of personnel access.
Greater visibility into the supply chain resulting in a more efficient distribution channel and a reduced cost of doing business
Less business revenue lost to theft or inaccurate manually counting of goods
Increased civilian security
More efficient baggage handling at airports

How is a RFID system or solution built up?

A typical RFID system consists of three primary components:

RFID Tags
RFID Readers
RFID Reader antennas

What is an EPC CODE?

EPC stand for Electronic Product Code. This code containes information only about the product and the company that made the product. An EPC contains no personal information. The EPC is similar to the UPC used on barcodes today. An EPC is a number that is meaningful only when compared against a database with the decoding information. Below drawing gives an indication of how an EPC code is build up.

What is middleware?

Middleware is term the industry gives to software that performs a connecting function between lower level objects, such as RFID readers, and the applications they support. For applications requiring RFID, the middleware sends control commands to the readers and responds with tags data received from the reader. For this purpose EPCglobal, with imput from the industry, created the LLRP (low-level-reader-protocol) standard. The LLRP is a specification for the network interface between the RFID reader and its controller.

RFID versus Barcode

People have compared RFID to an electronic barcode, which is an oversimplification similar to comparing communications with a string and two cans to a cell phone.
RFID technology goes far beyond the capability of passive, non-unique printed graphics (barcodes) that require line-of-sight to readers, lack interactivity, cannot be used to identify unique objects, and are easily counterfeited or otherwise compromised.
Other than Barcode tags, RFID tags are sophisticated, intelligent devices that carry unique, field-updatable information. They leverage huge efficiencies not only in time, cost, and labor, but in unprecedented supply chain visibility. These are just a few of the reasons driving major retailers, Governmental organizations and other commercial organizations and entities to the deployment of RFID technology.

Why is RFID better than barcode?

RFID technology brings numerous advantages over barcode, including:

RFID tags do not require line-of-sight reading, meaning that mixed pallets can be read without unpacking the pallet
Greater depth of serialization – With RFID it is possible to uniquely identify each individual item rather than just the product type
Many RFID tags can be read or written to simultaneously
Information contained in RFID tags may be updated in the field by writing new information in the tags
Unique serial numbers make product authentication possible

On what frequencies do RFID systems work around the world?

RAIN RFID technology uses two major frequency ranges: 902-928 MHz and 865-868 MHz. Different countries use different frequency ranges. It is important that you match the region version of purchased reader with the local regulations of the region where your reader is being used. For more in depth explanation and an overview of regions see: https://www.cisper.nl/en/whitepapers/selecting-the-right-rfid-antenna-for-your-project

What is the relation between cable length and signal loss in antenna cables?

Every meter cable and every connector will result in more power loss. Approximately 0.5db per meter for a standard cable. But the real loss depends on the cable rate. Higher rated cables are thicker so harder to bend. Lower rated cables are more flexible but with more power loss.

For more detailed information see: https://www.cisper.nl/en/whitepapers/selecting-the-right-rain-rfid-antenna-for-your-project

RFID Tags and Labels

How does an RFID Tag work?

Tags operate on the same basis as other wireless devices like your cordless or cellular phones or wireless LAN: an antenna attached to the tag chip’s electrical circuits radiates electromagnetic waves through the air in a manner defined by a particular communications protocol. In case on UHF RFID this protocol is the EPCglobal UHF Gen2 standard, which is a single worldwide standard that defines tag and reader communications operating in the 860MHz to 960MHz frequency band. The specific frequency of those waves is expressed in Hertz (cycles per second). Other RFID technologies, like the high frequency (HF) technology and the low frequesncy (LF) technology, operate at 13.56MHz respectively 125KHz.

What is an Active RFID Tag?

An RFID tag is an active tag when it is equipped with a battery that can be used as a partial or complete source of power for the tag’s circuitry and antenna. Some active tags contain replaceable batteries for years of use others are sealed units.

Note: it is also possible to connect the tag to an external power source.

What are the main features of Active RFID tags?

Active RFID tags may have all or some of the following features:

Longest communication range of any tag
The capability to perform independent monitoring and control
The capability of initiating communications
The capability of performing diagnostics
The highest data bandwidth

What are the advantages of active RFID tags?

The major advantages of Active RFID tags are:

Tags can be read at distances of one hundred meter or more
Tags may have other sensors that can use electricity for power, for example:
- Temperature sensors
- Humidity sensors
- Tilt sensors
Tags may be powered by an external source
Tags can be used to determine position in a room or space

What are the problems with and disadvantages of active RFID tags?

Tags cannot function without battery power, which limits the lifetime
Tags are typically more expensive, often costing € 20 or more each
Tags are physically larger, which may limit applications
Long-term maintenance costs can be greater than those of a passive tags if the batteries are replaced
Battery outages in an Active tag can result in expensive misreads

What is a Passive RFID Tag?

A passive tag is an RFID tag that does not contain a battery; the power is supplied by the reader. When radio waves from the reader are encountered by a passive rfid tag, the coiled antenna within the tag forms a magnetic field. The tag draws power from it, energizing the circuits in the tag. The tag then sends (backscatter) the information that is encoded in the tag’s memory.

What are the advantages of Passive tags?

The advantages of a passive tag are:

Tags function without a battery; these tags have a useful life of twenty years or more
Tags are typically much less expensive to manufacture
Tags are much smaller
Tags have almost unlimited applications in consumer goods and other areas

Do Passive RFID tags have disadvantages?

Tags can be read only shorter distances (compared to Active Tags)
It is more difficult to include sensors
When not killed at POS tags can remain readable for a very long time

Active, Passive and BAP tags, what’s the difference?

Active RFID tags have a transmitter and their own power source (typically a battery). The power source is used to run the microchip’s circuitry and to broadcast a signal to a reader (the way a cell phone transmits signals to a base station).

Passive tags have no battery. Instead, they draw power from the reader, which sends out electromagnetic waves that induce a current in the tag’s antenna.

Semi-passive tags (or BAP tags Battery Assisted Passive) use a battery to run the chip’s circuitry, but communicate by drawing power from the reader.

Active and semi-passive tags are useful for tracking high-value goods that need to be scanned over long ranges, such as railway cars on a track, but they cost more than passive tags, which means they can’t be used on low-value items.

Why are there different RFID tag antenna designs?

Convenient as it would be, there is no single best tag antenna design for every application operating in every region of the world. Different antenna designs optimize performance in various applications. As a result, there are special forms and configurations for different applications, such as palletized cases of small items. Some tags might be optimized for a particular frequency band, while others might be tuned for good performance when attached to materials that normally do not work well for wireless communication (liquids and metals for example). Some tags are designed for generic use and will work reasonably well across the entire frequency spectrum, in free space or when fixed to an item.

Radio waves received by a tag’s antenna are converted back to an electrical current in the circuit on the tag. Tags use their own antenna to respond to send back a response (backscatter). The intensity of the response (backscatter) that the tag produces depends on:

The material of the product tagged (the dielectric constant)
The dimension of the tag antenna
The surface of the tag antenna
The polarization of the tag antenna
The polarization of the reader antenna

How are RFID Tags manufactured?

An RFID tag generally comprises an integrated circuit (IC or chip) that has been mounted on a flexible PET (PolyEthyleneTherephtalate) or paper substrate, which has been preprinted with conductive ink (or assembled with an etched, stamped, or vapor-deposited antenna pattern), according to the particular antenna design. The resulting inlay assembly is then converted or sandwiched between a printed label and its adhesive backing. By doing so a so called smart label is constructed. The label can then be programmed with a unique tracking identifier called an electronic product code (EPC) and attached to an item, case, or pallet. For some applications, tag chips can also be factory programmed before they are assembled.

RFID Readers

What is an RFID reader and how does it work?

The reader, also known as an interrogator, is a device that provides the connection between the tag data and enterprise system software that needs the information. The reader communicates with the RFID tags within its field of operation, performing any number of operations including simple continuous inventorying, filtering (searching for tags that meet certain criteria), writing to selected tags, etc.

The reader uses its antenna to send digital information encoded in a modulated waveform as well as the tone that the tag uses to power itself. A receiver circuit on the tag is able to detect the modulated field, decode the information, and use its own antenna to send (backscatter) a response.

Readers may be fixed (dock door or shelf installations), mobile (installed on a forklift or hand-held), or in the form of a module contained within a printer/encoder.

RFID Antennas

What are the different type of connectors used in RFID?

Typically, RP-TNC and SMA cables are used in RFID applications. RP-TNC Female connectors are often found on RFID readers, (RP= Reverse Polarity) and they typically do have a center pin. To connect to an antenna, the antenna cable requires a RP-TNC male connector.

SMA connectors are often used to connect cables to an antenna. SMA connectors are smaller than RP-TNC connectors and are available in male and female type. An RFID antenna often has an SMA female connector, which implies that the cable needs to have an SMA male connector on one side.

Therefore, RFID antenna cables are equipped with one RP-TNC Male connector and on the other end an SMA male connector.

What is a RFID reader antenna and how does it work?

Reader antennas, like tag antennas, may also assume form factors appropriate to their application. This includes antennas fitted to dock doors, embedded in store shelves or racks, fitted within a point-of-sale terminal, or integrated into the guide rails of conveyor equipment. Some antennas are especially designed to read tag data of tags on athletes running a marathon, other antennas can be mounted in door frames to read tags worn by people accessing a room or festival.

How do reader antennas work? In basic terms, a reader antenna converts electrical current into electromagnetic waves that are then radiated into space (similar to an FM radio) in a particular pattern at a given level of intensity. These radio waves can be received by a tag’s antenna and converted back to electrical current. The tag uses its own antenna to respond to send back a response (backscatter). When the tag responds, the reader antenna receives the information in a similar manner.

The parameters of greatest interest to the tag are polarization (or the reader antenna wave’s electric field vector, orientation, and direction) and the power level of the transmission. A linearly polarized antenna radiates entirely in one plane in the direction of signal propagation, while with a circularly polarized antenna, the plane of polarization rotates in a circular fashion (effectively a corkscrew when considered in time), making a complete revolution during one period of the wave.

What antenna configurations are possible?

System performance is greatly impacted by the configuration of the reader antenna ports (where the antennas connect to the reader), the choice of the configuration is generally driven by tradeoffs in cost and performance. Two schemes of choice are monostatic and bistatic configuration

A monostatic system uses the same antenna to both transmit and receive and requires 4 antennas
A bistatic system uses separate, dedicated antennas for the transmit and receive operations. And requires 8 antennas

A monostatic system is inexpensive, simple to deploy, and exhibits better data collection and processing efficiency over bistatic solutions. What’s more, monostatic antennas greatly simplify the extension of UHF Gen 2 to item-level tagging (ILT). ILT is difficult and impractical for bistatic systems, because the transmit and receive antennas must be positioned so closely together that the signal from the transmit antenna couples strongly back into the receive antenna. The reason that some readers use bistatic antennas is to provide isolation between the transmit and receive signals in typical portal applications; they don’t get this isolation in ILT environments. Simply put, monostatic readers work better for ILT.

What is the relation between cable length and signal loss in antenna cables?

For more detailed information see: https://www.cisper.nl/en/whitepapers/selecting-the-right-rain-rfid-antenna-for-your-project

Orders

How fast will my order be shipped?

After receipt of your order, we will send an order acknowledgement to be sure we have fully understood the contents. If all is in stock and your company has a credit line at Cisper, your order will be shipped next working day.

If urgent, please let us know and we will work on best possible solution together.

Does Cisper offer next day delivery?

Yes we do! Depending on the country you are in, we can offer this via DHL Express (for example).

You claim to be fast, but how fast can I expect a reply to my email?

If your email was sent to our info mailbox, you can expect a reply within 4 working hours max. Our office is open between 8:30am and 5:00pm (GMT+1) from Monday until Friday.

Can Cisper also ship directly to my customer using my delivery note?

No problem at all. We can ship in blank boxes using your delivery note, directly to your customer. Please make sure to clearly point this out when ordering.

Can Cisper also ship using my courier account?

Yes we can! We can ship using your DHL/Fedex/TNT/UPS/DSV account.

What is the standard transit time after shipment?

Our orders are shipped from the Netherlands using DHL Parcel. Within Europe, your shipment should arrive within 1-5 working days. Please contact us to check the transit time for your country.

Via which courier is my order normally shipped?

If not asked otherwise, we will ship using DHL Parcel within Europe.

Does Cisper carry stock?

Yes we do! Lead times are always depending on many factors, but we aim to keep a healthy stock. Please contact our info mailbox for current stock, check the product page, call us or use our chat function on our website.

Can Cisper keep a safety stock for our company?

We can and are happy to do so. Contact us to discuss the terms together.

What will be the lead time if Cisper does not have stock?

This depends on the item and manufacturer. We can check the current lead time before your order is placed.

Knowledge

Latest News

RAIN RFID – More Than Just Identification

Discover how UHF RFID technology revolutionizes automotive, industry and healthcare.

Important Notice: Impinj xArray Gateway Set for End-of-Life in 2024

CAEN RFID unveils new Lepton module selection guide, simplifying reader choice

Share your RFID hardware project with the world!

Comparing Times-7’s A5010 vs. A5020CP Antennas

Watch the recording of the webinar: Wireless power over the air - Revolutionizing asset tracking

Important Announcement: We're moving to a new office location

Come See! We Care!

Cisper becomes official Distributor of Chainway's RAIN RFID products.

Kathrein Solutions launches new RFID demo kit sets

Confidex launches new tag upgrades with latest Impinj RAIN tag

Case studies

RFID Case Study: Intelligent Transportation Systems

RFID Case Study: Detection and inventory of tools in the Aerospace Industry

RFID Case Study: Onsite drug management system enabled by SensThys technology

RFID Case Study: Dutch Rail Company Improves Wagon Safety with RFID

RFID Case Study: Capturing the flow of goods in real time

"I’ve worked with Cisper for many years now. They’ve always worked in a professional and timely manner and are highly respected in the RFID world, always there to support and deliver on their promises. They’re the "go to" distributor for all things RFID"

Adam Sharp

Director, Business Development - Xerafy

Whitepapers

Selecting the right RFID antenna for your project

Selecting the right RFID handheld reader for your project

How to choose the right RFID tag or label for your project?

Videos

Unboxing the Impinj R700 RAIN RFID reader

Learn all about the Confidex Ironside Family

Learn all about the Confidex Viking beacons

Unboxing the Times-7 A5010 Circular Polarized Antenna

Kathrein RRU 1400 RAIN RFID reader

Who is Cisper?

How to choose the right RFID tag or label for your project?

Selecting the right RAIN RFID antenna for your project

Unboxing the Kathrein RRU 4500 Reader Unit

Unboxing the Impinj Speedway R420 RAIN RFID reader

Unboxing the Nordic ID HH85 Handheld Reader

Auxcis

CAEN RFID skID Mini Sled RAIN RFID Reader

Learn all about the Times 7 A5020 family

Frequently Asked Questions

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