RFID - Things to consider for a RFID solution

As you might know the RFID solution consists of different hardware components such as the actual RFID tag, the antenna, RFID reader. Following are the things that we might need to consider for a RFID requirement. 

Frequency levels: 

• Low frequency: supports less distance such as up to 10 cm
• High Frequency: distance up to 30 cm
• Ultra-high frequency: more than 100 meters. 

The RFID TAG

Things you need to know before selecting an RFID tag: 

• Keep in mind on the environmental interferences 
• Water
• Metal
• Tag types
• RFID Wet Inlays: Have a adhesive backing, they are RFID stickers. 
• Embedded RFID tags:  designed to be embedded within assets, hence they are suited for asset tracking. http://www.atlasrfidstore.com/embeddable-rfid-tags/?sort=bestselling
• Metal mount RFID tags:  the metal will detune any passive RFID tag, non metal mount RFID tags. Metal mount RFID tags are typically rugged, difficult to damage, and easy to weld, screw or otherwise attach.
• Rugged UHF RFID tags
• Windshield RFID tags: to be applied on car windshield. 
• Laundry tags: on garments. 
• Questions to ask yourself: 
• What type of surface you will be tagging - metal, plastic, wood etc., 
• What is the read range you want. 
• How big you want the tag to be. 
• What is the climate in which you would operate, excessive heat, cold, moisture etc., 
• Method of attachment - adhesive, rivets / screws

RFID Antennas: 

• Are devices that uses power from the reader and generate a field that allows the reader to transmit and receive signals from RFID tags. 
• The powerful antenna will produce a larger field. 
• Questions to ask yourself for antennas: 

• where will the antenna be mounted: Indoor or outdoor
• Size limitations
• Do you need one antenna or more than one. 
• Polarization: Linear or circular

RFID Readers: 

• are devices that transmit and receive radio waves in order to communicate with the tag. 
• Types of readers: 
• Fixed readers: 
• in one location. 
• typically have multiple ports so that the reader can support multiple antennas
• Handheld readers: mobile and can be carried by the person. 
• Integrated reader: with a built-in antenna, but has additional port to have additional antenna, you can choose this if you want a low cost antenna 
• The readers may or may not have an ethernet cable. some may have wifi connection. 
• Some readers will also support bluetooth, barcode etc., 
• Questions to ask yourselves for Readers: 
• how do you want to power the reader - battery / AC power. 
• Will you be adding the reader to the network. 
• How many tags you might want to read at once. 
• How many readers you will need. 
• How quickly will the tag be moving. 

Cable that connects the Readers with the Antennas: 

• how long you need the cable
• connector type for the antenna and the reader.