Challenges in metal environments

Companies tracking assets and inventory in metal environments face challenges due to the physics of RF transmission. RFID readers emit energy that reflects off metal, causing interference in RFID tag antennas.

As a result, many RFID tags do not respond reliably in the presence of metal. To address this problem, engineering modifications have led to the development of higher-cost tags with specialised spacers or antennas. This allows the tracking of metallic goods with RFID, but at a higher price.

Trace-ID’s affordable solution

Trace-ID presents a cost-effective alternative with its new Metal Tags, designed for metal environments. The four models in this portfolio offer resistance to electromagnetic interference, longer read range and greater compatibility with a variety of applications.

Joan Mirò, CEO of Trace-ID, noted that these tags overcome the high cost of traditional metal tags.

Innovative antenna design

Spain-based Trace-ID manufactures RFID inlays and tags, including UHF RFID tags for food tracking, logistics and apparel inventory management.

The company’s Metaltrace RFID tag previously included a foam layer to separate the antenna from metal surfaces. However, the new Metal Tags use an innovative antenna design instead.

LR4515 Metal Tag: The new standard 50×50 mm metal tag can be attached directly to metal objects.

Additional models include:

• C5006 M7
• C3218 U9 (smaller for most use cases)
• C5030 U9

These tags integrate easily with existing RFID systems, allowing companies to track both metallic and non-metallic assets efficiently.

Asset management applications

Each Metal Tag variant achieves a read distance of 4-6 metres, even in metallic environments. The tag’s antenna design and circuit impedance contribute to the long-range transmission.

Industries implementing these tags include:

• Industrial and Oil/Gas: Tracking of tools, metal drums and equipment.
• Office: Laptop and office equipment management.
• Healthcare: Monitoring of surgical tools to ensure proper use and cleaning.

Cost and availability

Trace-ID aims to make RFID more affordable for metal product applications. Pricing ranges from $0.20 to $0.55 per tag, with longer-range versions possibly costing more.

The tags are not designed to be rugged, so industrial users may need protective housings. They incorporate Impinj Monza 7, Monza 8 or NXP Ucode 9 ICs and are already commercially available.

Gilberto Monasterios, CMO of Trace-ID, said: “We have ensured the compatibility of our tags with a wide range of existing systems, facilitating their integration into logistics and access control environments”.