Tagsys announces integrated RFID packaging approach

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Tagsys, provider of item-level RFID infrastructure, has introduced its The-Package-Is-The-Tag program and its accompanying Gen 2 UHF tag offering: the AK family of tags.


This concept incorporates two parts; an ultra-small low-cost and universal UHF ‘Kernel’ tag and an adaptive antenna that is customized to, and intrinsically incorporated within, the package of the item to be RFID-enabled. Taken together, these parts result in a cost-effective, tailored RFID packaging solution, matching RFID performance to individual product needs.


Tagsys’ Package-is-the-Tag is a new approach to item-level RFID that enables the integration of RFID technology into packaging strategies so that RFID becomes a component of the package. The approach is designed to increase the ability to authenticate and safeguard goods, enable real time inventory and item visibility, and automate labor intensive processes in industries such as packaged goods, fashion & apparel, and courier or luggage tracking.


In its first embodiment, the new and fully patented Adaptive Kernel family of tags (AK) forms the basis for the new approach. The AK family of tags incorporates the world’s most cost effective EPC Gen 2 universal module and a custom-designed antenna to meet specific client requirements. The world’s smallest Gen 2 tag, the AK module measures just 12mm x 8mm. Tagsys has both granted and pending patents.


The antenna allows the tag to become an integral part of the packaging and is fully customizable to customers’ packaging shapes, materials and sizes, nature of goods in the packaging, industrial environment, processes organization, reading distances and conditions, privacy requirements, and region of use. The result is a unique and flexible tag approach where the chip module is common across all applications. This provides economies of scale and lowered costs while allowing customers to deploy tags to meet their specific needs by using an antenna that is delivered in different form factors and using materials such as conductive ink, aluminum, or copper.


‘The-Package-is-the-Tag approach and the AK family of tags herald a new step forward for item-level RFID,’ said Elie Simon, CEO of Tagsys. ‘With EPCglobal’s ratification of Gen 2 standards, the industry is now able to leverage the innovation and advancements around UHF-based technologies for item-level applications. Through this new adaptable and flexible solution for item-level RFID, we believe that we will be able to offer our clients a completely customized, cost-efficient, reliable, accurate and secure RFID offering and will help drive the delivery of item-level RFID in new sectors.’


Based on Tagsys’ P3: e-Xecute RFID program, the industry’s first methodology to assist customers evaluate, design and deploy a scalable end-to-end item-level RFID infrastructure, the approach has been successfully tested on items such as courier envelopes and boxes, luggage tags, item boxes of various shapes and sizes, and fashion price tags.


‘The-Package-is-the-Tag approach shows the tremendous creativity of Tagsys R&D staff. Wherever the technology has to be customized to special or evolving conditions, this is an ideal solution to finely tune the best solution, whatever is the packaging,’ said Alain Svaux, RFID development manager at Paxar EMEA. ‘As part of our strategic partnership with Tagsys, we are currently testing the concept to our clients’ requirements, building on its technical flexibility.’


Unit prices for the Tagsys AK family of tags as inlays can be as low as 5 to 8 cents. The tags are currently available to select clients and partners for testing and deployment and will be available for large-volume orders during the second half of 2006. Testing kits are also available on request.


Tagsys is collaborating closely with Dow Corning to develop printed antennas and fully integrated material system solutions for RFID industries and packaging manufacturers


‘The-Package-is-the-Tag approach is an extraordinary step forward in the implementation of RFID in manufacturing and packaging,’ said Marie Eckstein, general manager of Advanced Technologies and Ventures at Dow Corning Corporation. ‘With this new approach, Tagsys is bringing to market an entirely new level of flexibility for deploying RFID. We’re delighted to be collaborating so closely with Tagsys on such an innovative solution and we will continue to bring to market new approaches that enable deeper degrees of integration between RFID and packaging.’