September 12, 2005
Selecting the right reader for your applications
To ensure smooth working of an application and to make optimum use of RFID, the readers should be tailored to the end use so as to obtain the best fit, form, and functionality. Given below are some situations and the type of reader best suited to that situation.
Conveyor Reading: Case-level and each-level tracking on conveyors is best achieved using multiple antennas. Recyclable plastic containers that have RFID tags embedded in them are ideal for conveyor readings.
Dock door/Portal reading: Portal readers are the best for pallet-level readings and are used with metal wire meshes that function as RF-presence detectors and prevent the mixing of RFID signals.
Stretch wrap station reading: A fixed reader is used for this purpose; the station gives the reader sufficient time to read the information on the tags on individual items.
Overhead reading: This is accomplished by using a fixed reader that is positioned on top of the RF-reflective surface. It is useful for reading information on bulky items; the units have their tags facing the reader and can be read while they are being transported in a forklift.
Handheld reading: This is an example of exception reading and is carried out by the means of a mobile handheld reader that can be maneuvered to avoid items or pallets that do not require to be read.
Forklift reading: Portal reading applications can be substituted by an RFID-enabled forklift mounted computer that facilitates mobility and is useful for reading pallet-mounted and pallet-racking tags.
RFID printer reading: RFID-enabled printers can read tags and cross-check the data that is to be printed on the smart label tags.
Intermec offers several types of RFID readers that are suitable for different applications. Some of these are given below.
IP3 Portable Reader: It is a mobile computing device, has three radios, and read/write capabilities. It is used for exception scanning and rewriting. It has a frequency range of 915 MHz and functions in a temperature range of -3 Fahrenheit to 131 Fahrenheit.
IF4 Fixed Serial Reader: The IF4 Fixed Serial reader has been designed specially for the RS 232 port and it functions as a peripheral reader. It is available with multiple antennas and effectively does the job of 2-3 readers with single antennas. It is useful in scanning conveyors and monitoring the work-in-progress at different stages in a supply chain. It has a frequency range of 915 and 2450 MHz and functions in a temperature range of -4 Fahrenheit to 131 Fahrenheit.
IM5 reader module: It is equipped with multiple sensors to monitor audio and visual indicators. The reader finds application in security access and supply chain management in retail and manufacturing environments. It is configured to work in the 869 MHz range in Europe and in the 915 MHz range in America and functions in a temperature range of -13 Fahrenheit to 158 Fahrenheit.
IM4 PC card reader module: It provides multi-air interface protocol capabilities for tags that have been developed under both ISO and EPC standards. It can be integrated into industrial data terminals and uses a PCMCIA bus interface. It’s primarily used for single antenna application in supply chain management. It works in a frequency range of 869 and 915 MHz and functions in a temperature range of -4 Fahrenheit to 131 Fahrenheit.
IM3 reader module: It is useful in applications that require a read range, read/write and memory functions. It is an ISO compliant RFID device. The IM3 spread-spectrum frequency-hopping reader does not interfere with the 802.11 RF data gathering systems. It has a frequency range of 915 MHz and functions in a temperature range of -4 Fahrenheit to 131 Fahrenheit.
IF5 fixed smart reader: It is considered to be a “smart” reader as it can glean information from tags and also monitor and control external audio and video indicators. It does this without a server box, which very often can be a failure point. It is useful in dock door and overhead scanning. It has a frequency range of 869 and 915 MHz and functions in a temperature range of -13 Fahrenheit to 158 Fahrenheit.
RFID readers can be categorized depending upon the number of antennas that they have and the nature of the information that they provide. The choice of the reader will be determined by factors like the orientation of the tags on the units, whether they remain fixed or are liable to shift; the number of tags to be read at a given time; the speed of the tagged items at the time of being read; the point at which tag data is screened for relevant information; and the need for the reader to pass on the information to peripheral devices and PLCs.
Simple scanners are used primarily for gathering data and forwarding it to a host system. The host system can be a handheld connected to a computer or a trolley mounted computer. Simple tags with a single antenna are useful in the presence of a local controller, the tags are consistently oriented in a single direction, and when the tags travel at a slow speed through the RF-field. Simple scanners are a cost-effective alternative for companies and can be used with the existing handheld computers. Smart scanners are useful when real-time decision making is required. Intelligence embedded within smart tags allows them to respond to the data read. As the readers are the decision makers, the server induced time delay is eliminated. Also, smart readers are better equipped to handle a larger volumes of tags moving at variable speeds and positioned unevenly. Smart readers are a better alternative for exception reading as they can take the decision on the spot.
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