The Sentry AST™ Cable is a thin, small footprint UHF tag developed principally for tracking insulated electrical cables. It has been designed to fit into a plastic cable marker for easy installation and optimum protection in instances where cables are moved around requently.  Alternatively, the Sentry AST Cable tag can be applied directly to cables of ½” diameter or greater with vinyl heat shrink or clear electrical tape – a simpler and less costly application method.

The Sentry AST Cable can also be used for other assets in which there is embedded metal, such as laptops or other IT equipment.  The use cases should be evaluated individually to determine appropriate tag placement to achieve highest performance.

Features & Benefits:

• Read distances of 8 – 10 feet on cables
• Easy installation using plastic Cable Markers
• Can also be installed using vinyl heat shrink or electrical tape
• Excellent read performance on other metal – imbedded assets

Download Product Datasheet (pdf)

RFID has been used in a variety of industries to insure that maintenance or testing procedures have been performed on products or assets. In healthcare, knowing that devices have undergone proper sterilization procedures is vital. Gamma sterilization is used on devices that are temperature or chemical sensitive. RFID tagging these devices has not been possible to date since data stored in most RFID IC’s does not survive the Gamma sterilization process. Vizinex’s Sentry AST Gamma HF tag incorporates the Fujitsu MB89R1118C chip that has been tested to 80 kiloGrays and provides 2kBytes FRAM. The tag is 13mm x 13mm and has a read distance of 3 -4 inches.

Features & Benefits

• Small size allows for use with wide range of medical devices
• Sentry AST platform provides capability for cost effective tag customization
• Gamma resistant up to 100 kiloGrays
• 2 kBytes FRAM for extra data storage

Download Product Datasheet (pdf) 

Features & Benefits:

• Read distances of 45 feet on most surfaces, including metal
• Rugged, UV-stabilized ABS exterior to endure extended outdoor exposure
• Compact size (smaller than most smartphones)
• Industrial design that withstands repeated exposure to vibration, temperature extremes, mechanical shock, and salt sprays
• Additional data storage: 96-bit EPC memory plus 512-bit user memory
• Excellent read performance throughout U.S. and European frequency ranges
• Cost-effective long-range tracking compared with active tags
• Efficient and reliable tracking of assets during transportation or in a large yard

Download Product Datasheet (pdf)

RFID is relatively simple, but it isn’t always easy.   Take the healthcare industry, for example.  The RFID applications are plentiful, but the requirements are becoming increasingly demanding.  So when customers came knocking, for an autoclave tag that could handle the heat and chemistry of multiple sterilization cycles, Vizinex answered.

Vizinex RFID is uniquely positioned to address the complex requirements of a variety of healthcare applications.  Rapidly developing, highly tolerant, reliable, hi-performance RFID tags, tailored for demanding applications, is Vizinex’s field of expertise. Vizinex’s area of differentiation is rooted in exploring and developing highly tolerant, reliable and performance- driven tags.

Autoclave presents a very harsh environment and it is not an area where many RFID developers dare to go.  The temperature of an autoclave cycle can be between 230 and almost 300° F. These temperatures are enough to threaten the viability of most tags.  Additionally, customers expect autoclave tags to last through numerous cycles.  If the heat does not destroy the ordinary tag, the cycles will.

Vizinex’s Sentry- AST HT tag is specifically designed for superior performance when attached to metal assets that are placed into the harsh chemicals and temperatures of an autoclave machine. The tag can withstand numerous autoclave cycles without affecting the 10 foot read range with a fixed reader. To meet the autoclave heat and cycle requirements Vizinex designed a unique tag.  Built on an aerospace certified substrate, the RFID component and its interconnects with the antenna are encapsulated with temperature and chemical tolerant materials.

But don’t ask Vizinex, ask ODIN Technologies who has recently tested our Sentry-HT tags for use in the hospital environment.  As reported by ODIN in their blog, “Vizinex has run these tags through hundreds of cycles of autoclave simulations at temperatures up to 300° F.  With our guidance, one of our healthcare clients has tested these RFID tags to stringent FDA standards for autoclave and chemical bath sterilization processes with no discernible performance degradation.  This is remarkable considering how relatively new the concept of metal mount tags is, and then adding the autoclave requirement on top of it. “

Every element of the Sentry-HT was selected to withstand the high temperature, pressure, and chemicals of the sterilization processes.  The Sentry-HT, has already proven to be a durable and highly capable tag, thriving throughout various third-party testing scenarios.

Download Sentry-AST High Temperature datasheet.

Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Tags are becoming more popular for solving difficult RFID problems and meeting business needs across various industries. However questions surrounding High Frequency (HF) and Ultra High Frequency or UHF tags remain. Many still wonder whether HF or UHF tags are the best solution for meeting business goals. To understand why UHF Tags are finally gaining popularity one must first understand what UHF Tags are, the differences between HF and UHF tags and applications where UHF Tags have been successfully deployed.

UHF Tags vs. HF Tags

Up until now HF Tags have been viewed as a more reliable and proven technology. However recent developments established that UHF tags are equally as reliable and often times can offer better performance across many applications. To understand why that is, we must first understand the difference between HF and UHF Tags.

HF and UHF Tags operate at different frequencies. The maximum range for HF tags is 13.56 MHz and the maximum read range is about 3 feet. Meanwhile UHF Tags operate in the 858 to 930 MHz frequency band and can have a read range of 30 feet (while there are tags with a longer read range, 30ft are an average).

HF Tags are considered more “mature” tags, since they have been around for longer. While UHF tags are dominant technology for supply chain applications, it is believed that due to their “maturity” and a short read range HF tags are a better choice for item level or near-field applications. However over the past years it has become apparent that UHF Tags are equally as reliable as HF tags and often can offer better performance. UHF tags do not need to be near field tags to be read at a close range. Unlike HF tags, UHF tags can be read both at close and long ranges: a 30 ft. tag can also be read from an inch away. Because of their versatile read range, UHF tags can be optimized for various applications and be processed at various read distances. UHF Tags are perfect for work-in-process applications including, inventory tracking, anti-counterfeit applications, identification applications and many more. Because UHF Tags can provide the range and coverage users need, UHF tags are perfect for applications where a “universal” tag is necessary or a tag that can be read at both long and short distances.

Additionally, HF tags are not an option where a longer read range is required. Therefore it is important to consider future applications and extensions of RFID uses when planning on implementing an HF RFID System.

Advantages of UHF Tags

There are several advantages to using UHF Tags, the two most relevant are cost and performance. In the section above we touched upon how UHF Tags have a longer read distance; however we have yet to explain the difference in speed. The speed at which UHF tags may be read and the distance over which UHF tags may be read are usually higher when compared to HF tags. Additionally, due to mandates to their supplier to use UHF tags for their supply chain tracking, from giants such as Wal-Mart and Gillette it is believed that UHF Tags will be cheaper. The idea is that as UHF tag production volume increase, cost will decrease. Furthermore it is suggested that as UHF tags become more popular in item level tagging and the production numbers will reach billions, tag prices will plummet.

While both of these factors suggest operational benefits to implementing a UHF RFID system, there are still misconceptions that need to be cleared. The next section deals with myths and misconceptions if UHF Tags.

Misconceptions about UHF Tags

While UHF tags can obviously offer a versatile read distance, many believe there are drawbacks to UHF Tags. For a long time it was believed that

1. UHF Tags could not function on/in water or metal

2. UHF Tags could not provide shorter read range

3. UHF Tags are too large and are inappropriate for applications where a smaller footprint is necessary

This section is delegated to reexamining these misconceptions and myths about UHF Tag.

1. UHF Tags cannot function on or in liquids or metals.
It is well proven that HF tags perform reliably and accurately on liquids and metals. However, for a while it was believed that UHF tags cannot function on/in liquids. The later claim is untrue: UHF tags perform equally well (if not better) on both liquids and metals. UHF Gen 2 Tags not only work on liquids they actually work in containers that are filled with liquids. In 2009 an RFID tag manufacturer demonstrated that a UHF Tag can, not only work on containers containing liquids but in liquids as well, by reading a UHF Tag placed inside a Gatorade bottle.

Additionally UHF tags not only work on metal, but these tags actually take advantage of the metal background, utilizing it to increase performance. For example, Boeing chose to identify aircraft parts with UHF Tags to streamline maintenance and pre – flight inspection processes. Boeing used a mount – on – metal UHF tag to identify metal objects. Additionally, Vizinex RFID’s Sentry Family of Asset tags are all mount on metal UHF Tags, specifically designed for superior performance on metal surfaces.
In short, UHF tags are flexible and can be designed to achieve the best performance required on metal and on – or in – liquids.

2. UHF Tags do not provide contained read range, required for item level tracking.
UHF Tags can provide a full spectrum of ranges required, from near field ranges as small as an inch away to 50+ft. Read range is not strictly determined by the frequency. UHF Tag inlays designed to have a shortened read range will be as good (if not better) as HF tags. Antennas can be designed to have a short, long or complete read ranges. Unlike HF Tags, UHF tags allow for flexibility in read range, tags can be designed to function in near and far field applications.

3. UHF Tags are too large and are inappropriate for applications where a smaller footprint is necessary
UHF Tags do not have size constraints. UHF Tags can be designed based on a footprint. For example Vizinex RFID developed a UHF Tag; with a footprint small enough to be placed on servers that have limited space (36.3mm x 10.9mm x 2.8mm). Additionally, medical UHF labels can be found as small as 9 mm in size. UHF tags provide the flexibility to meet customers’ needs, from short range tags to tags small enough to fit in the cap of a vial to large tags that require robust performance in the longest of read ranges.

Conclusion

As one can see from this brief, UHF Tags are the right choice for most applications. While UHF can offer the same effective uses as HF, the reverse is not true. UHF tags can be read at a long and short distances, while HF tags are limited to a very short read range. UHF tags are easily customized to meet application specific goals and can be read on/in water, on metal, and can vary in size. Additionally UHF tags have been implemented in many supply chains and business in many difficult applications. While HF may be the more “mature” technology, unlike UHF tags, they do not have the properties necessary to meet today’s evolving business needs.

Today, the largest RFID application aids companies and governments in supply chain management. RFID is being used to manage products through production, distribution and retail. Manufacturers can especially benefit from implementing RFID applications in supply chains because they can decrease costs associated with product tracking and inventory management and increase the accuracy and timeliness of inventory data. Experts say that early adaptors of RFID applications in supply chains have seen a significant increase in revenue.

RFID Applications in the Distribution Chain

RFID Applications can be used to monitor and manage the movement of the finished products throughout a supply chain.  RFDI tags can be attached directly to the items and materials or they can be attached to the containers that carry them.  Pallets, trailers, totes, carts, cargo containers, and reusable transport items can all be tagged. Readers placed throughout a facility can monitor movement and location of inventory, thus providing real time data.  This can be within a warehouse, a freight yard or within a retail location.

RFID applications in the supply chain enable more frequent and accurate inventory counts  RFID applications in the supply chain can also decrease costs associated with inventory counting

In addition, RFID applications in fleet management have demonstrated significant ROI.  RFID applications in fleet management enable a more cost-effective long-range tracking solution, global tracking of containers and cargo, reliable tracking of capital and inventory assets during transportation and increased security. By placing RFID tags on long range vehicles, trailers or other mobile assets, companies can gain visibility into their business’ assets’ utilization.

RFID Applications in Retail and Product Marketing

As in the distribution chain, RFID application in retail can greatly aid in reducing the cost of keeping accurate inventory data.  With fewer people and less time, retailers can keep accurate inventories.  Associates can spend more time providing service to customers rather than counting product.

RFID Applications in retail can greatly aid in ensuring proper product mix and availability are maintained for customers.  The accuracy of the real time inventory data that is provided by RFID applications, enables product marketing managers to ensure that hot selling items are properly stocked and to ensure replenishment order for these items are placed as quickly as possible.  Slow moving items can be quickly identified.  This allows product marketing managers to take corrective action to goose demand through promotional or advertising activity before a ‘fire sale’ is needed.  Thus RFID applications help product marketing managers maintain their margins.

RFID applications are, also, a significant aid in deterring theft in retail environments.  Items tagged with RFID devices can trigger alarms when they are removed from the store without being properly deactivated.  RFID applications have been successfully deployed for anti-theft purposes for several decades.

RFID Applications in Brand Protection

RFID applications can be used to protect brand identity by product marketing managers and to protect consumers from counterfeited products. RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting are, generally, aimed at high-value end consumer products.    The unique identification number on standard RFID tags can be used to verify the authenticity of the products to which they are attached.  These unique numbers combined with encryption algorithms can create authentication schemes that are extremely difficult for counterfeiters to circumvent.

RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting can be used in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, entertainment, retail, IT and many more. It is estimated that counterfeiting costs legitimate companies nearly $600B worldwide each year.  The payback even modestly successful anti-counterfeiting efforts can be very high.  RFID applications represent one of the most promising methods for countering this major problem.

By placing RFID tags on products at the point of manufacture, manufacturers can trace products throughout the supply chain. The pharmaceutical industry is creating an RFID application that will document the authenticity of their products at retail.  Not only will the products have a unique ID, but information about the chain of custody for the product will be stored on the RFID tag or in an associated database.   If the product is not properly tagged or the tag is not associated with the proper chain of custody – then you know the product is counterfeit.

While many anti-counterfeiting efforts are a large expense that most US companies face, RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting have a high ROI. By placing RFID tags on products at the point of manufacture, not only can products be traced throughout the supply chain, but it can also prevent counterfeit products from entering into the supply chain.

Conclusion

RFID application in the supply chain offer solutions when it is impractical to use other technologies or manual labor to collect data. RFID applications have many benefits; RFID applications can help in asset tracking, inventory and product management and provide solutions for anti-counterfeiting. Data collected to accomplish all these goals can provide suppliers and end users with the tools and information to make management decisions on the fly resulting in a better ROI.

There are two types of RFID product tags widely used in medical applications.  The first are HF (High Frequency) tags, which have short read ranges (up to 3 inches).  These tags can be used to tag tissue samples, blood and other critical fluids.  They work well in proximity to liquids and human tissue.  UHF RFID products have longer read ranges, but unless they are properly engineered, can be detuned by proximity to tissue, fluids and metals.   These RFID products are used to track and locate critical medical devices, manage inventories of medical items, and, sometimes for tracking and identifying patients.  The vast majority of these RFID products are compatible with worldwide standards and are easily deployed, because of their compatibility with widely available and competitively priced RFID readers.

One of the fastest growing applications for RFID product tags is to track of the pharmaceuticals and ensure their authenticity.  Application of RFID products to solve the problem of counterfeit drugs will dramatically increase the effectiveness of anti-counterfeiting efforts.  This will improve U.S. drug safety.

In the medical equipment field, RFID product tags can be used to track and locate medical devices. The use of RFID products on equipment and RTLS (Real time locating systems), enables hospital staff to rapidly locate critical medical devices.  When you need a defribulator, you need to locate it fast!  This enhances patient safety, and can reduce the amount of equipment investment needed.   Additionally these tags can be used to inventory equipment and consumables used in an operation, including scalpels, sponges, clamps and other surgical equipment.  At the end of an operation everything can be automatically accounted for.   Finally, applying RFID products to assets aids medical institutions in automating inventory management, reducing overhead and minimizing duplicate supplies of critical inventory.

RFID product tags can also be used in patient identification. These RFID products, in the form of ID cards, wrist or ankle bands, or labels applied to patient records, can greatly aid in assuring that the right procedures and medications are applied.  In addition, the RFID products enable data system to call the correct record for the patient who is scanned, and aids in the reducing errors associated with data entry.  Finally, RFID products can be used to track patient movements within a facility.  Patients with afflictions such as Alzheimer’s, can be tracked within a facility to ensure they do not get lost or enter an area where they might harm themselves.

Laboratories can use RFID products to track tissue or fluid samples.  As samples move through various preparation steps, they can be automatically tracked, reducing errors from data entry or mishandling. Samples that arrive at the pathologist for analysis will automatically have the patient record and the indication called to the computer screen to ensure proper association of the sample with the patient.

Finally, drug discovery firms are thinking of ways to use RFID products to automate the tracking and location of the millions of proprietary pharmaceutical compounds they have in their libraries.  These very valuable assets are difficult to inventory, but it is essential that it be done with a very high level of accuracy.  RFID products are perceived as an enabling technology for the automation of this task, but the high density and small size of these samples still present challenges.

The implementation of RFID products in the medical field has raised some concerns related to the confidentiality of medical information.  In the vast majority of cases, RFID product tags are used only as ‘license plates’ for the items they tag.  That is, they contain only an identifying number, and all the ‘human readable’ information about an asset, drug, tissue sample or patient, resides in a database on a computer that is linked to the RFID product via that license plate number.   Thus, security for the information resides in the data system, rather than in the RFID product or the transmissions between the RFID product and the RFID reader.  The FDA has outlined four components for ensuring medical information security.  Information must be kept confidential, it must be accurate and complete and it is available and accessible by following the prescribed process.  By storing this information in a computer based system, where security measures are already well established, the use of RFID products in medical processes does in not put at risk the security of this confidential information.

The implementation of RFID products in medical applications is reaching maturity in many areas.  Reduction of data entry errors, automation of work and information flows, improvement of asset and consumable inventories and better association of treatment plans with patients are all benefits of RFID products in the medical field.  The results are better patient outcomes and lower costs.  It is clear that established applications will continue to grow and that new applications will emerge for RFID products in the medical arena.

Types of Problems RFID Tags Can Solve

RFID is a  fundamental technology  used to solve many types of tracking, identification and security problems.  When used correctly, it allows real time monitoring and decision-making.   For example, RFID tags are applied to cargo containers and trailers.  When the containers enter and leave the freight yard, their contents are automatically logged into or out of inventory, and the owners of the cargo can be automatically updated regarding progress.  RFID tags user memory can, also,  be used as local information repositories, and can store service information on aircraft parts, or chain of custody information for pharmaceuticals.   RFID tags can, also, be used for security, to ensure tagged assets do not leave their assigned locations, or to ensure only properly authorized people enter secure facilities.

A November 2009 report from ABI Research suggests three areas where RFID will grow the most during the next five years.

• Fashion apparel
• Asset tracking and management – spare parts, tools, IT and medical assets, and rental-item management
• And active RFID tags – real-time location systems

Choosing the right RFID Tag

Many RFID applications can be satisfied with a standard RFID tag.  However, there are many use cases where a custom RFID tag is needed.  Applications where high or very specific RF performance is required will need a custom RFID tag.  If the tag will see extraordinary environmental or processing conditions, such as pressure washing, autoclaving or steam cleaning, a custom tag may be required.  It sometimes occurs that the tag must fit in an existing physical footprint on a product or container, and this will require a specially designed tag.  In people tracking applications, whether using cards, wristbands or tags, the interaction of the tag and the human body must be managed, and a custom tag will be needed to get the RF performance needed in the application.

If you should need a custom RFID tag design, be sure to choose a partner with a proven track record,  knowledge and experience in a wide variety of RFID applications and environments, and a solid network of partners.  The RFID tag design firm should be able to use your specifications to design and configure a custom RFID tag for optimal data collection and security.

Testing the Custom RFID Tag Design in the Application

Because communication with the tag is the essential data link that makes RFID deployment work, it is vital to test the tag in your application.   Conformance to specification is not always enough in custom RFID deployments.  Structures, vehicles, fluids and people as well as readers and tags can affect the performance of the system.  Many of these problems can be anticipated by a seasoned RFID tag designer, but it is always best to test in the ‘real world’ before rolling out a program.

Vizinex RFID has just released the newest addition to its Sentry family of asset tracking tags; the Sentry-AST Worldwide.  This patent pending, mount-on-metal asset tag is functional across the worldwide UHF frequency band of 860-960 MHz.  Developed in cooperation with Sun Microsystems, Inc. Vizinex is the first to deliver a true, global mount-on-metal tag with a footprint small enough for use on IT Assets.  It exceeds the FSTC performance guidelines in the North American, European and Japanese frequency bands making it ideal for source tagging of the OEM’s IT equipment. As a mount on metal solution, the Sentry-AST Worldwide can be used for tracking many metal assets, such as tools, metal containers or equipment.

Sun Microsystems plans to attach the Worldwide RFID tag to its products to help customers track their IT assets and comply with regional legal requirements. A large number of Sun customers are global and therefore require global solutions to run their businesses. A Sun customer in the financial services industry reported a 30% improvement in accuracy and a 60x reduction in time spent tracking assets after moving from bar-code to RFID.

The need for a worldwide tag stems from doing business in a global economy.  Today’s RFID asset tags are tuned for a specific region of the world, putting a global RFID asset tracking solution out of reach. The need for a worldwide tag is well justified as seen by the current global and volatile economies.  More than ever, we seek greater efficiency and less human error.   Additionally, customers are increasing their tracking and data collection requirements – either by choice or by government regulation.  OEM’s supply product to and from countries around the world.

Given these market, industry and operational dynamics, Vizinex’s Sentry-AST Worldwide is poised to improve the OEM’s internal supply chain management and meet customer demand for source tagging of IT assets.  The Sentry-AST Worldwide can accomplish this regardless of the country in which the equipment is manufactured, distributed or sold.  Further, as corporate operations are merged or expanded, the equipment and other assets therein must be reallocated and transferred to different facilities, even different countries.   As for the end users, they also have stringent demands.  They seek an automated and reliable solution to authenticate and track their equipment for repair, warranty and data collection.  Used internally to reduce supply chain costs or as a feature benefit for end customers, the Sentry-AST Worldwide is currently the only tag of its kind that functions across the frequency bands of countries around the world.

Vizinex RFID is featured in this white paper published by Oracle. It details the process Oracle underwent to begin using the Sentry-AST Worldwide on every Oracle hardware product. This paper also explains how RFID technology works, how best to us the Sentry-AST Worldwide from Vizinex, and how to improve your IT asset management using RFID tags.

What is an RFID tag?

RFID tags are tiny microchips, almost invisible to the naked eye, attached to a printed or plated antenna that is embedded in a card or other object. These devices listen for a radio query. When they sense one, they transmit a response. Many RFID tags are passive, meaning that they use the power from the querying radio signal to transmit their responses. Active tags have batteries, and can transmit a more powerful, longer range response. Each RFID tag has a unique identifier, usually a 64-bit to 128 bit number that can have thousands of trillions of possible values.

Who uses RFID tags?

RFID tags are used in a wide range of applications in industry, government, defense and healthcare. They are used to track and monitor inventory, monitor and locate valuable assets, provide secure identity cards or fobs for premisis access, to track disaster victims in an evacuations and for easy and secure contactless payment systems. The greatest advantage of RFID is that it greatly speeds the acquisition and processing of information, since line of site and close physical interaction between the tag and the reader is not necessary, as it is with bar codes and other identification technologies. The applications for RFID systems are continually expanding.

How are RFID systems implemented?

There are many ‘system integrators’ who have packages that provide tags, RFID readers and the software that collects and manages the information gathered by the RFID network. The system integrator provides a ‘soup to nuts’ implementation service for the customer. These systems can be cost effective for standard track and trace applications. Other firms prefer a more customized approach, because their business process does not fit a system integrator’s cookbook, or because they believe they can build a competitive advantage by designing and building the system themselves. That is, the RFID system becomes part of their ‘secret sauce’. In this approach, elements of the system will be customized to the unique requirements of the implementer. In these cases it is highly advantageous for the firm to engage with RFID specialists, who can ensure that the ‘physical layer’ of the system works as it should, i.e. that the readers and tags communicate reliably and consistently. RF engineering is complex, and having experience in deployment is crucial for rapid, successful implementations.

Though your business and process may be unique, RFID technology may help your company. RFID can help you understand in real time where your inventory or assets are, where your employees are, and if those assets and people are secure. If you already monitor this information, RFID can greatly reduce the time spent collecting it, reducing cost and improving accuracy.

RFID asset tags can allow for worldwide tracking as your product travels around the globe, simplifying manufacturing and distribution problems. RFID consultants can create the correct tag for your own company and help improve your business.

Many RFID consulting services can identify and solve RFID problems, while optimizing options just for you. As each business practice and product is unique, so are each business’s needs. Find out what a RFID consultant can do for you.