Part 1; RFID tags, we need some...

“We have been a Walmart supplier for 20 years, now we must meet their new requirement, RFID tagging.   OK, this should be simple, buy some tags and stick them on EVERY SINGLE UNIT GOING OUT THE DOOR.” 

It's a statement I’ve heard more than once in my career. Installing an RFID tagging system in your production facility is not quite the same as putting in a carton sealer, conveyor belt or heat shrink tunnel. You can source RFID tags, negotiate your price, time your deliveries to meet your production and you’re on your way. 

Wait, just a couple questions first: 

• What size, spec, substrate for the inlay? 

• Are they going to be pre-programmed? If so, we will need some product specific information 

  
  

• Serialization needs and data tracking? (more on this in a later post...) 

• Will there be a label? If so, what size, color, material, are you having any printed information? 

• What delivery format do you want, rolls or sheets? 

• How are you applying these tags to your product? 

The process of introducing RFID into your facility has many steps and we are only talking about the “tag” or Inlay, and a little bit about the labeling so far. These questions are only a starting point; they can be answered easily but effect other decisions down the line. Challenges arise at every stage; it can be complicated and confusing at times with many companies providing information needing to be absorbed and prioritized by your internal team.