Craig Harmon, QED Systems (Virginia Beach, Va.), Chair of AIM Global's RFID Experts Group, which created the labeling guidelines, offers this advice:
The best performance for RF tags will be experienced when deliberate consideration is given to the type of tag/antenna, the material onto which the tag/antenna is mounted (for example, a corrugated box), the content and geometry of the items inside the box, and the presence of reflective material between the tag and the box contents. Best performance
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may be quite difficult to achieve with 'slap and ship'.
Any system requires a "back-up." When asked what they intend to do if the RF tag cannot be read, the U.S. Air Force responds, "We will read the bar code." Current industry specifications do not include any recommendations for the key-entry of RFID (EPC) information. What happens if you need to key enter the EPC information? Do you key in 96 ones and zeroes? The REG recommendations are currently the only place where one can find 'back-up' information.
The REG's Proposed Guidelines for the Use of RFID-Enabled Labels in Military Logistics: Recommendations for Revision of MIL-STD-129 provides guidance for organizations implementing U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) requirements. The REG is producing a document that provides guidance for organizations implementing consumer goods retailer requirements. As these documents are incorporated into a proposed ISO document (ISO TR 24729-1), they will address a wide range of applications beyond DoD and retail.
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