Industrial RFID Solutions for Manufacturing and Logistics

Industrial RFID Questions

• How is RFID used in manufacturing and industrial automation? +

  Manufacturers use RFID to identify workpieces, carriers, tools, fixtures, containers, equipment, and operators at specific process points. A fixed or handheld reader captures the tag without requiring visual alignment, and the identifier can be passed to a PLC, production-control application, maintenance record, or inventory workflow.

• Can industrial RFID track work-in-process on a production line? +

  Yes. A tag stays with the workpiece or carrier while fixed readers identify it at assembly, inspection, paint, test, and quality checkpoints. The ARE i9 fixed RFID reader and ACM 9 PLC interface are designed for compact multi-station machine integration.

• Which RFID tags work for tools, fixtures, pallets, and industrial assets? +

  The correct tag depends on available space, mounting material, temperature, chemicals, impact, and read distance. The industrial disc-transponder family provides 13, 20, 30, and 50 mm LF or HF options for carriers, tooling, bins, equipment, and other limited-space assets.

• Will industrial RFID tags survive high temperatures or harsh environments? +

  Yes, when the tag is selected for the actual exposure. AEG ID disc transponders operate from −25 to +85 °C and allow time-limited storage exposure up to +200 °C. Chemical exposure, wash-down, vibration, mounting surface, and whether the tag must be read while hot must also be evaluated before selection.

• Can RFID tags be mounted directly on metal? +

  Only tags designed for metal should be used that way because metal changes antenna performance. For stainless kegs, barrels, containers, and vehicles, the ID 700 on-metal RFID transponder uses a qualified micro-welded mounting ring.

• How do industrial RFID readers connect to a PLC? +

  The ACM 9 RFID communication module connects up to four mixed LF and HF ARE i9 readers to EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or serial controls. This separates the compact read heads from the industrial-network interface.

• Which RFID frequency do I need—LF, HF, or UHF? +

  Frequency depends on the tag technology, read distance, read-zone size, material, environment, data requirements, and whether one item or many items must be read at once. UID supports LF, HF, and UHF and will match the frequency to the application rather than treating one band as universal.

• Do you meet semiconductor industry standards? +

  Yes. The catalog includes SEMI-compliant readers, glass tags, and multipage transponders, with ISO 18000-2 compatibility and legacy footprints available for retrofit into existing lines.

• Do you replace discontinued TI or Omron RFID parts? +

  Yes. The cross-reference above maps the discontinued TI RI-TRP glass transponders and Omron V640 CIDRW readers to our part numbers. Running something older that isn't listed? Send us the part number and we'll check it.

• Do you build custom industrial RFID solutions? +

  Yes. UID and AEG ID develop and manufacture transponders, readers, and antennas in-house. Custom form factors, frequencies, interfaces, housings, read zones, and replacement footprints can be scoped when the standard catalog does not fit the application.