Dan Williams, Avery Dennison Printer Systems

Consumer goods manufacturers, retailers and distribution centers should carefully balance application requirements and budget with the capabilities and costs of RFID technologies when planning in-house RFID labeling operations. Initial decisions typically involve selecting an RFID label inlay—the label part containing the RFID antenna and microchip—that best fits the application, determining the optimal label location on targeted items and selecting equipment to print and/or accurately apply the labels to cartons, pallets and packages. Speed and label placement accuracy are key criteria for RFID label print/apply equipment. Factors such as RFID signal power and distribution must also be weighed.

Consider partnering with an RFID technology supplier that offers research and testing services, and which can meet all of your label and label production requirements. A full service supplier can often simulate real-world RFID labeling environments to plot RFID label and label equipment performance at different pallet or container locations and at various distances from label readers.

Test results can confirm initial findings and identify possible problems before RFID implementation, simplifying your company’s decision-making process.