Avery Dennison RFID releases testing information

Avery Dennison RFID has released a white paper disclosing its product testing methodologies to members of the EPC at the annual EPCglobal US Conference. The white paper was released simultaneously to the METRO Stores user group in Europe.

Driven by the goal of RFID tag “pedigree,” the white paper is entitled; “The Test Pyramid: A Framework for Consistent Evaluation of RFID tags From Design and Manufacture to End Use.” Avery Dennison hopes that release of the white paper will aid the establishment of industry standards for product testing, as well as helping accelerate adoption of RFID technology in the marketplace.

’It is becoming increasingly clear that tag “pedigree” is a critical piece of the RFID puzzle,’ said Tony Sloan, Avery Dennison RFID’s senior manager of communications. ‘Tag pedigree means ensuring tag performance (for its intended application) throughout the value chain.’ Avery Dennison RFID has honed a tag-testing framework that ensures end-to-end traceability of tag performance internally. This includes measures to drive consistency and repeatability of calibration and testing across sites and equipment platforms.

Added Sloan, ‘it's actually very fitting that the concept of tag pedigree is directly analogous to the promise of a totally transparent, integrated supply chain which is at the heart of RFID. In other words, it’s all about maximizing performance and efficiencies across every link in the chain.’

The white paper outlines a testing framework for RFID tags in the conceptual form of a pyramid, with the high precision of a “Primary Response Test System” at the top of the pyramid and based on precision laboratory grade equipment operated by highly skilled operators. Secondary systems, including inline test systems for manufacturing and a system known as the “test cube” can be based on standard readers.

The test cube ensures that all sites and equipment have common secondary test methodologies and reference levels. Tertiary test systems at the lower levels of the Pyramid Test, ultimately serve as a highly effective and inexpensive approach to applications testing, including “sweet spot” identification – a process that singles out the best location for tag positioning.

For a copy of the complete white paper, visit: http://www.rfid.averydennison.com/test