Precisia Presents Key RFID Developments at Intelligent Packaging USA; Packaging Supply Chains to Experience '(R)Evolution' of RFID

Published: February 04, 2004, By PRESS RELEASE

LAS VEGAS, NV, USA—Speaking late last month at the Intelligent and Smart Packaging USA conference in Las Vegas, Precisia LLC's Dan Lawrence presented "key developments in what he calls the '(R)Evolution' of RFID into the supply chain," explains a Precisia press release. Lawrence, Precisia’s director of technology and commercialization, discussed how RFID tags will be implemented in the supply chain at the event; in addition, he emphasized the critical role high-speed printing and printed electronics technology will play in the rapid adoption of RFID.

“Printing will become the preferred technology for producing RFID tags for smart labeling and packaging applications,” reports Lawrence. “Printing RFID antennas lowers costs, increases tag production speeds and provides greater tag design flexibility.”

According to Precisia, Lawrence’s presentation focused on four key areas:

• the relative strengths and weaknesses of RFID tag implementation strategies

• the use of high-speed printing processes to achieve low-cost antennas

• antenna design

• tag placement strategies

• .

Also during his presentation, Lawrence stressed the benefit of high-speed printing processes over screen processes for antenna application.

The production speed and unit cost of RFID tags are significant barriers to the widespread adoption of RFID technology for supply chain use. "For example, today, tag makers use slower screen processing applications to attach antennas to RFID tags, but that is about to change," says Lawrence.

“In laboratory tests, using high-speed printing processes and conductive inks to print antennas increases the speed of tag production—typically 20 to 60 feet per minute—to 50 to 2,000 feet per minute,” he explains. “That represents a significant reduction in processing time, and tremendous cost savings for RFID tag makers and their end-users.”

For more information about Lawrence's Intelligent and Smart Packaging USA presentation, visit flintink.com/precisia. For additional PFFC coverage about radio frequency identification technology and conductive inks, check out pffc-online.com's January 2004 Bonus Online Exclusive by clicking on: RFID and Conductive Inks: What You Need to Know.