RAMP Hardware

RAMP offer a selection of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags, readers, antennas and printers in order to provide a broad range of solutions including asset tracking, people tracking and vehicle tracking. 

Fixed readers are usually mounted permanently in a specific location. These include multi-port readers typically used with external antennas (linearly or circularly polarized) for doorway portals, and integrated single antenna readers typically mounted on equipment such as a forklift or a vehicle.

Handheld readers are used in mobile tag reading applications and include an in-built antenna and either include a mobile operating system on the device or communicate remotely with a host, for example via CF slot or Bluetooth.

UHF Passive RFID Antennas

RAMP RFID supply a range of mono-static antenna, meaning the same antenna is used for transmit and receive. The antenna connects to one coaxial cable that links it to an antenna port of a RFID reader via a coaxial connector.  Our antennas come with circular or linearly polarized to work in the 902 - 928 MHz frequency band. They provide best RFID reading performance and ruggedized operation.

Near-field UHF antenna are unique to CSL / Impinj and are a key enabling technology for UHF Gen2 Item-Level Tagging systems. Our near-field antennas are optimized to read all UHF Gen 2 tags, including those in close proximity to metals and liquids. Near field antennas are ideal for use in retail and pharmaceutical applications, library systems, WIP or document control, check-out counters and many other applications requiring a short and well defined read range.

RAMP have integrated RFID Printers into a number our inventory solutions.  RFID printers include an RFID reader/writer module allowing for simultaneous, quick and easy printing and encoding of RFID smart labels with a unique identifier or electronic product code (EPC) generated by a database.  The smart labels are attached to an item, case or pallet allowing for simple integration into existing operations.

 

UHF Gen 2 RID Printers are mostly used in inventory tracking and baggage tracking applications as well as asset tracking for items such as books and artworks.

RAMP RFID Solutions offer a large number of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Gen 2 Passive RFID Tags & Labels in order to provide a broad range of solutions for our clients.  Applications include asset tracking, inventory tracking, people tracking and vehicle tracking.

 

UHF RFID Tags & Labels operate on the global EPC Gen 2 standard at a global frequency range of between 860MHz and 960MHz or a regional subset such as 915MHz for USA, Australia and most of Asia or 868MHz for Europe, NZ and parts of Asia.

 

UHF RFID tags have a read range of between 1cm and more than 35m – depending on the specific tag and the environment in which it is being read.

An RFID smart label comprises an inlay, which is an RFID Chip or integrated circuit (IC) that has been mounted on a flexible PET or paper substrate, which has been pre-printed with conductive ink antenna pattern according to the particular antenna design. The resulting inlay is then converted between a printable label and its adhesive backing, yielding a smart label. The label can then be printed and encoded with a unique identifier called an electronic product code (EPC) and attached to an item, case or pallet.

 

RAMP RFID Solutions supply the full range of UHF RFID Inlays and standard size labels from the global leader in RFID Inlay and label manufacturing, UPM Raflatac. We also work with a wide range of label converters who use these inlays to make labels to suit any requirements.

 

UHF Gen 2 passive labels are mostly applied in inventory tracking and baggage tracking applications as well as asset tracking for items such as books and artworks.

There is high demand for specialized passive UHF RFID tags across several vertical markets. These “specialty” passive UHF RFID tags support applications for which standard RFID labels are not suitable, typically in harsh or challenging environments, such as in the presence of metals and/or liquids, changing temperatures, and mechanical stress.

 

Specialty passive UHF RFID tags are usually encapsulated in a hard or rigid casing and are available in a number of form factors as well as specialty labels suitable for use in high temperatures or on-metal. These tags are generally used in asset tracking applications and need to be durable and have a lifetime equivalent to the asset. Attachment methods include adhesive, cable tie or mechanical attachment using rivets or screws.

 

Standard UHF Gen 2 Passive RFID Tags won’t work when applied to metal due to the fact that the UHF signal is drastically attenuated by the metal surface. In recent years major advancements in tag design have enabled placement and high-performance on metal assets. These tags are generally designed to isolate the RF signal from the surrounding materials, resulting in tags that work on any surface as opposed to the traditional tag design of an antenna with a foam spacer to reduce the effects of metal.

 

Common applications for UHF Passive RFID technology on metal are asset tracking of IT assets and other industrial assets while our range of hard and specialty tags are used in many work in progress applications where heat proof tags/labels are required as well as other demanding asset tracking applications including returnable instruments, containers and heavy equipment.

Our BAP labels and encapsulated tags contain an integrated, thin and flexible battery which provides the energy to wake up the chip and provide the backscatter signal to the reader and resulting in performance levels that cannot be attained by  usual passive RFID.

 

Passive RFID labels and tags generally backscatter only 10-15% of the signal that reaches them but our BAP tags can backscatter about 90% of the energy that they receive. In addition the BAP tag’s antenna can be optimized to provide increased reliability and read rate even in the most challenging environments containing metal and liquid.

 

Another benefit is that the BAP labels are can be printed, allowing for easy integration into business processes. They are environmentally friendly and can be safely disposed as they do not contain elements such as lithium or alkaline.

 

The battery life is generally around 2.5 years if the tags are kept out of direct sunlight - but of course the tag will keep on functioning like a standard passive tag once the battery has died.

Common application areas included asset tracking of returnable instruments, work in progress tracking and people tracking.