Texas Instruments and Smurfit-Stone demonstrate RFID strap breakthrough

Texas Instruments Incorporated and Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, the industry’s leading integrated manufacturer of paperboard and paper-based packaging, used the RFID World show to demonstrate the first EPC Generation 2 Gen 2 RFID strap-on-box applications. 

Until now, applying RFID printed labels with printed antenna to odd shaped packaging such as corrugated packaging has been difficult, if not impossible. Using TI’s Tag-it EPC Gen 2 strap, Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation has developed an innovative process for attaching Gen 2 straps to printed antennas directly on corrugated boxes for case and item level tagging.  The company is introducing its technology to consumer products goods (CPGs) manufacturers applying Gen 2 technology to cases for supply chain tracking applications.

‘TI’s Gen 2 straps are a key component in Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation’s   RFID development and testing program. We are committed to offering innovative RFID enabled packaging solutions to our CPG customers,’ said Dr Joseph LeBlanc, vice-president, research and development, Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation. 

‘Speed and flexibility continue to be crucial for RFID tag assembly and converting process technology in the supply chain,’ said Tony Sabetti, director of UHF/retail supply chain, Texas Instruments RFID Systems. ‘By staying focused on these two basic attributes for our strap technology, we’ll continue to introduce innovations for packaging and smart label solutions that provide automation and scalability for CPGs deploying Gen 2 implementations.’

Texas Instruments Tag-it EPC Gen 2 straps consist of an integrated circuit and two conducting pads, which are connected to a conductive antenna printed on packaging materials or on the face of an adhesive label. Available in a dense, continuous reel-to-reel format for integration into packaging and label conversion production processes, TI’s RFID Gen 2 straps provide increased flexibility and are designed for efficient high-speed, high-volume production.