Zebra's Industry Solutions can give your business a competitive advantage by connecting people, assets and data to help you make better decisions.
Scale and energise your retail strategy with a digital backbone that unifies your team, informs priorities and drives results with Zebra's retail technology solutions.
Zebra's healthcare technology solutions provide patient identity management, mobile health devices, and business intelligence data to improve efficiency.
Zebra’s manufacturing technology solutions enable manufacturers to become more agile, optimise plant floor performance and embrace market changes.
Zebra's market-leading solutions and products improve customer satisfaction with a lower cost per interaction by keeping service representatives connected with colleagues, customers, management and the tools they use to satisfy customers across the supply chain.
In today's world, the demands on transportation and logistics companies are higher than ever. Dedicated Warehouse, Fleet and Delivery, and Yard and Terminal solutions enable visibility to every aspect of your business and keep operations running flawlessly around the clock.
Zebra's hospitality technology solutions equip your hotel and restaurant staff to deliver superior customer and guest service through inventory tracking and more.
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Zebra’s mobile computing, scanning, and printing solutions connect each operational area in your warehouse to give you the agility to realize transformational gains.
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Zebra's desktop, mobile, industrial, and portable printers for barcode labels, receipts, RFID tags and cards give you smarter ways to track and manage assets.
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Make the most of every stage of your scanning journey from deployment to optimization. Zebra's barcode scanner software lets you keep devices current and adapt them to your business needs for a stronger ROI across the full lifecycle.
RFID development, demonstration and production software and utilities help you build and manage your RFID deployments more efficiently.
RFID development, demonstration and production software and utilities help you build and manage your RFID deployments more efficiently.
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Advance your digital transformation and execute your strategic plans with the help of the right location and tracking technology.
The Zebra Aurora suite of machine vision software enables users to solve their track-and-trace, vision inspection and industrial automation needs.
Zebra Aurora Focus brings a new level of simplicity to controlling enterprise-wide manufacturing and logistics automation solutions. With this powerful interface, it’s easy to set up, deploy and run Zebra’s Fixed Industrial Scanners and Machine Vision Smart Cameras, eliminating the need for different tools and reducing training and deployment time.
Aurora Imaging Library™, formerly Matrox Imaging Library, machine-vision software development kit (SDK) has a deep collection of tools for image capture, processing, analysis, annotation, display, and archiving. Code-level customization starts here.
Aurora Design Assistant™, formerly Matrox Design Assistant, integrated development environment (IDE) is a flowchart-based platform for building machine vision applications, with templates to speed up development and bring solutions online quicker.
Designed for experienced programmers proficient in vision applications, Aurora Vision Library provides the same sophisticated functionality as our Aurora Vision Studio software but presented in programming language.
Aurora Vision Studio, an image processing software for machine & computer vision engineers, allows quick creation, integration & monitoring of powerful OEM vision applications.
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RFID is experiencing quick growth and adoption across a wide range of applications within Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, and Healthcare. RFID labels represent a key component in the success of any RFID solution. So what are RFID labels?
An RFID label is a special type of label that contains a tiny computer chip and a small antenna. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, which means that these labels use radio waves to communicate information to other devices. When an RFID label is placed near a special reader device, the radio waves from the reader activate the chip in the label, allowing it to send information back to the reader. This information could include things like the product name, price, or even the location of the item.
RFID labels are often used in stores to keep track of inventory and make sure that the right products are in the right places. They can also be used in libraries to keep track of books, or in warehouses to keep track of shipments. RFID labels can be a way to allow businesses to communicate information wirelessly, which can be really helpful in a lot of different situations.
RFID labels are different than other labels because they have the ability to transmit data wirelessly through radio waves. Unlike traditional labels, which can only convey information that is printed on them, RFID labels can store and transmit dynamic information that can be updated in real-time. This makes them ideal for use in inventory management, asset tracking, and other applications where real-time data is important. Additionally, RFID labels can be read without line-of-sight, meaning that they can be read through materials and from a distance, making them highly versatile and effective in a wide range of settings.
RFID labels have different components. Each component in an RFID label has a specific function that allows the label to function properly.
1. Chip – This makes up an inlay along with the antenna. Microchips come with storage in the form of memory and this memory can store 3 types of information:
A. Data about the asset being tracked – This information is stored in the Electronic Power Code (EPC) memory bank. Common sizes for EPC are 96 and 128 bits but memory sizes can vary based on the microchip used
B. Data about the tag itself, such as the manufacturer.
C. Data that makes the tag work, such as access and kill passwords.
2. Antenna – This makes up an inlay along with the microchip. In essence, an antenna is what allows the RFID tag to communicate with the RFID reader. The antenna receives signals from an RFID reader and sends data back to the reader. Antennas come in many shapes and sizes with the designs being an important factor as it affects how the data is transmitted and read. Antennas are often designed for specific purposes because one size does not fit all, and different RFID applications require different sizes and shapes of the antenna. Optimal antenna design will depend on many factors, including the microchip in use, the material on which the inlay is applied, and the environment in which it will be used.
3. Inlay – Microchip connected to an antenna on a flexible substrate.
4. Carrier - The carrier of an RFID tag is what contains the inlay in whatever format is most appropriate for the application and item being tagged. Carriers can be labels or non-adhesive tags, that can vary in size and rigidity. At Zebra, we offer over 100 pre-tested materials that can be used as the carrier for your RIFD tag, providing you with many options to meet the specific requirements of your application.
Together, these components allow the RFID label to transmit information wirelessly and efficiently. If a component is missing in an RFID label, the label may not function properly or at all. For example, if the antenna is missing, the label will not be able to capture radio waves or transmit data wirelessly. Similarly, if the microchip is missing, the label will not be able to store or process data. The substrate material provides physical support and protection to the other components, so if it is missing, the antenna or microchip may be damaged or malfunction. In short, each component of an RFID label is essential for the label to function as intended, and if any component is missing, the label may not work properly.
RFID tags and RFID labels are not exactly the same, but they are often used interchangeably in many contexts.
An RFID tag typically refers to a small, electronic device that is attached to an object to identify and track it using radio waves. RFID tags can come in various shapes and sizes, and they typically consist of an antenna and a microchip that stores information about the object.
On the other hand, an RFID label refers to a label or tag that has an RFID chip and antenna embedded in it. RFID labels are often adhesive and can be easily attached to objects. They are commonly used for inventory management, asset tracking, and other applications where real-time data is important.
RFID tags can be designed to be embedded in objects, attached to surfaces, or worn by individuals. RFID labels, on the other hand, are typically designed to be attached to objects like product packaging or assets like equipment.
In short, while there are technical differences between RFID tags and labels, they are often used interchangeably in many industries to refer to devices that use radio waves to identify and track objects.
Zebra Technologies is a company that offers one of the largest selections of materials and inlays in the market. With our custom RFID manufacturing capabilities, we can put almost any inlay in any material to meet most RFID applications that may arise. With Zebra’s RFID and thermal labeling expertise, we can help you determine the perfect RFID tag for your application.
Explore Zebra's full range of RFID Label and Tag Solutions
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