Radio Frequency technology or RFID has become the preferred choice when it comes to data-capturing applications in various businesses. Companies that deal with huge inventory, the bulk of items coming in and going out of the warehouses where manual record keeping is not an effective choice are now turning to RFID. A survey report by Accenture suggests that 80% of the surveyed retailers said that they are actively considering RFID for retail store operations as well as inventory keeping. Only 5% of the retailers surveyed are not considering RFID.
The global RFID demand is skyrocketing pushing the global RFID market to 15.8B USD in 2023 and 40.9B USD by 2032. Given how accurate and efficient RFID automatic identification and data capture applications are, RFID has become the preferred choice for almost all businesses whether it is retail, healthcare, supply chain, logistics, or manufacturing. RFID also finds uses in education, corporate, and govt. sectors.
Now, since the need to capture data and information is not limited to indoor environments, we need to also consider how RFID fares in outdoor, extreme heat, and cold, environments. A major part of RFID systems are RFID antennas, apart from RFID tags and RFID readers. The deployment of these UHF RFID antennas outdoors and in extreme conditions is a challenge. So, let me guide you on choosing the right UHF RFID antennas for harsh environments.
UHF RFID Antennas for Outdoors and Harsh Environments
RFID antennas are designed to capture and transmit data, extending the coverage area in an RFID application. The UHF RFID antenna deployed with a UHF RFID Reader transmits the enquiring signal from the reader to the RFID Tags and then captures the RF signal coming from the tag. In essence, it radiates and receives radio frequency signals.
When it comes to outdoor deployments, and we are only talking about RFID antennas deployed with the reader here, we need to choose an antenna that can withstand extreme outdoor conditions and work well. One can choose from integrated RFID antennas that are designed with the reader as one product (Integrated RFID Reader) or get external antennas that can be connected with the reader externally through a cable. Some things to consider include:
1.The antenna design and antenna body material should be rugged enough to withstand extreme conditions.
2. The antenna sealing and IP rating as water and dust ingress should not enter the antenna.
3. The polarization of the UHF RFID antenna.
4. The range of the RFID antenna
5. UHF RFID antenna gain
6. UHF RFID antenna operating frequency, 860 MHz-960 MHz
7. UHF RFID antenna impedance
8. Antenna operating temperature
9. Antenna maximum power
A UHF RFID antenna should be able to withstand extreme temperatures, ranging between -40℃- 70℃(the more range, the better). In manufacturing as well as food storage, cold storage, and vaccine storage applications, the working temperatures can go to high highs and low lows and therefore you need to choose a UHF RFID antenna that matches those highs and lows in terms of operating temperature.
The Zebra AN510, AN520, and AN720 UHF RFID Antennas for Outdoors
The USA-based Zebra Technologies offers 3 models in its outdoor and industrial antenna catalog namely the Zebra AN510, AN520, and AN720 RFID antennas. These antennas are sleek enough for indoor uses but the rugged design supports outdoor and industrial uses as well.
The Zebra AN510 is a slimline antenna and supports various types of indoor and outdoor applications. The ultra-rugged, low profile design and 8.5 dBic gain, 3 Watts max. power, IP67 sealing, -30℃- 65℃ storage temperature range, etc. make it a suitable choice for outdoor shopping areas, dock doors, freezers and freezer trucks, access control systems, and baggage tracking solutions.
The AN520 UHF RFID antenna by Zebra is another popular RFID antenna for indoor and outdoor harsh conditions. This UHF RFID antenna also comes with 3-watt power, 5.5 dBic gain, 115-degree beam width in both planes and a -40℃- 65℃ storage temperature range. The ultra-rugged, slimline design makes it a great choice for retail point of sale, warehouse management, manufacturing lines, medicine cabinets as well as receiving dock doors, baggage tracking, and access control solutions.
The Zebra AN720 is another product in the AN series by Zebra Technologies. This UHF RFID antenna is also suitable for indoor and outdoor uses with its compact, rugged design. With its dB gain, 10 Watts power, and IP67 sealing, it is suitable for various retail, office, hospitality, and healthcare applications.
This UHF RFID antenna is also a great choice for indoors and outdoors due to its rugged design. With 9dBi gain and long read coverage area, it comes with an IP65 rating and polycarbonate body with plenum ratings offering fire resistance. It is suitable for asset management, warehouses and retail operations, and access control systems.
Times-7 Slimline A5010 Circular Polarized Antenna
The Times-7 A5010 circular polarized RFID antenna comes with a rugged design and IP67 rating for dust and water ingress. The antenna offers 3 Watts power, 8dBic gain, wide coverage area, and long read range.
It is suitable for applications such as inventory management, toll plaza automation, retail and healthcare uses, etc.
Times-7 SlimLine RTAS UHF RFID Race Timing Antenna
If you’re looking for a suitable antenna for indoor or outdoor races weathering harsh conditions, this is the perfect option. The Times-7 slimline RTAS race timing antenna works on UHF frequency and offers 10dBi gain and a sleek design for ground use. It offers a long read range and high performance in race timing applications. The RFID antenna can also be used on the floor at events and seminars to track the no. of people and ensure security at the premises.
UHF 9dBi Circular Polarized Antenna
The UHF 9dBi circular polarized antenna supports a rugged design and offers a long read range and wide coverage area with circular polarization. The antenna comes with a polycarbonate covering which is fire resistant and the IP65 rating prevents dust and water ingress.
This UHF RFID antenna is suitable for all kinds of indoor and outdoor applications including retail and supply chain, healthcare, and manufacturing uses.
To summarize, when choosing a UHF RFID antenna for harsh environments, we should choose the one with a great IP rating, rugged design, high gain, and power output for better coverage, long read range, etc. The Zebra RFID antennas such as AN510, AN520, and AN720 are some of the popular rugged antennas suitable for indoor applications as well as harsh outdoor conditions.
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