When it comes to RFID tag manufacturers, quality and performance certification plays an important role. The retail giant Walmart has been incorporating RFID technology in its hundreds of retail stores across the globe for over a decade, which is still an ongoing process. The reason is that RFID has proven to be the best AIDC solution for inventory management and item-level tagging and tracking whether it is retail, supply chain, manufacturing, or any other business. The technology is proliferating and more and more businesses are adopting RFID.
In September 2022, Walmart issued an RFID Mandate, which requires its suppliers in home and furniture, sports, toys, electronics, etc. to tag their items and supply packages with RFID tags. RFID has significantly improved inventory management for not only Walmart but countless other retailers, improving their inventory accuracy and customer satisfaction across the board. However, businesses can’t verify the quality of their RFID tags themselves and that is where ARC Certification of RFID inlays and tags comes into play. For example, Walmart requires its suppliers to obtain ARC certification for their RFID tags to comply with Walmart's RFID mandate.
What is ARC Certification?
ARC stands for Auburn Renewal Center, which is the RFID Lab at Auburn University, Alabama, USA that verifies that RFID tags meet the quality and performance standards required by various use cases across market verticals. The RFID lab at ARC has been operational since 2009.
EnCstore offers ARC certified RFID tags and inlays designed and manufactured using high performance RFID chips from Impinj, NXP and Alien Technoogy, at competitive prices.
How does ARC Certification of RFID Tags Work?
The Auburn RFID lab’s ARC certification program compares the performance of the tag to the specifications. It has distinct certification codes for distinct types of RFID inlays and tags based on their use cases in retail, food retail, automotive, restaurants, etc. If the RFID tag meets the specifications, it's added to the approved tag list.
The ARC testing methodology is open and has been established through industry collaboration.
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RFID Tag ARC Certification for Various Market Verticals
As per Auburn RFID lab, here are the details of various certification codes used by ARC for distinct market verticals.
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ARC Spec
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Category
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Segment
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C2
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Home Decor
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Retail
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F
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Apparel/Home
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Retail (FCC)
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H
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High Density Apparel
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Retail
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I
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Apparel ETSI
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Retail (ETSI)
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L
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Intimates Apparel
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Retail
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O
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Books, Stationery, Crafts, Stationery, Sporting Goods, Art & Adult Craft, Fabric & Sewing
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Retail
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P
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Batteries
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Automotive
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Q
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Accessories
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Retail
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R
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Apparel, Footwear, Headwear, Accessories, Watches, Jewelry, Fabric & Sewing, Paint
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Retail (FCC)
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S
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Pharma
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Healthcare
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T
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Tires
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Automotive
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U
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Baggage
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Aviation
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Y2
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Electronics, Toys, Sporting Goods, Home Decor, Kitchen, Bath & Shower, Bedding, Furniture, Home Management, Media & Gaming, Cameras & Supplies, Wireless Devices, Stationery, Automotive, Hardware, Paint, Lawn & Garden, Art & Adult Craft, Fabric & Sewing, Floral
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Retail
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Z
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QSR (Food)
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Restaurants
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Z2
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QSR (non-Food)
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Restaurants
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W5
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Sunglasses, Accessories
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Retail
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W6
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Jewelry
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Retail
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New ARC Specs - Published as of 2024
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ARC Spec
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Category
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Segment
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B2
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Container Caps
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Retail
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C2
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Home Decor
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Retail
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E1
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On-metal FCC
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Retail
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E2
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On-metal ETSI
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Retail
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E3
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On-metal Industrial
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Industrial
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|
R
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Apparel, Footwear, Headwear, Accessories, Watches, Jewelry, Fabric & Sewing, Paint
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Retail (FCC)
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|
Y2
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Electronics, Toys, Sporting Goods, Home Decor, Kitchen, Bath & Shower, Bedding, Furniture, Home Management, Media & Gaming, Cameras & Supplies, Wireless Devices, Stationery, Automotive, Hardware, Paint, Lawn & Garden, Art & Adult Craft, Fabric & Sewing, Floral
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Retail
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|
Z
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QSR (Food)
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Restaurants
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Z2
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QSR (non-Food)
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Restaurants
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|
C6
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Tolling
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Aviation
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What are the benefits of ARC certification?
- 1. ARC certification ensures that RFID tags meet industry standards for accuracy and performance.
- 2. It also ensures that products move seamlessly through supply chains.
- 3. ARC certification guarantees that the RFID tags will perform consistently as required by the consumers.
To summarize, RFID technology is widely adopted by various industries for item-level tagging, inventory floor visibility asset management, etc. The technology is proliferating due to its great accuracy and efficiency in product identification and tracking. Given RFID tags are consumed in billions globally, it is important to ensure that RFID tag and inlay manufacturers create high-quality and high-performing RFID tags based on the use case. ARC certification ensures that manufacturers adhere to industry norms and produce the best RFID tags in every batch. ARC certification for RFID tags is issued by the RFID lab at Auburn University.
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