RFID SOAP Series | 4 RFID Tag Factors that Affect RFID Read Range

A subsection of our popular article, 6 Factors that Affect RFID Read Range, these videos will focus on specifically RFID tag factors that are key considerations when purchasing RFID tags and placing them on items/assets.

The acronym SOAP stands for Size, Orientation, Angle, and Placement and specifically refers to RFID tags. Each of these concepts are incredibly important when purchasing and attaching RFID tags to your items or assets.

RFID Tag Size

Welcome to this quick video where we show how RFID tag size correlates to read range. Today we will be using the  TSL 1153 UHF RFID Reader, one Xerafy Dot XS RFID tag, and one Xerafy Pico-On Plus RFID tag. Both tags are metal-mount tags and are designed for metal objects.

It’s important to note that this reader’s max transmit power is 25 dBm, so in this video we will not be getting as high of a read range as these tags could get with a higher-powered reader - but the difference in read range will still be apparent. I purposely chose two smaller tags, not too different in size to show how even a slightly bigger tag will be able to read much further because of the antenna size.

Here’s our  Pico-On Plus tag which is the larger of the two tags measuring at 12 x 7 x 3.2 mm (0.47 x 0.28 x 0.13 in). This tag has an average read range of 7 ft with a handheld reader. I have attached it to our aluminum plate via a reusable adhesive dot.

As you can see, I’m able to get about 2 to 2.5 feet in read distance with this tag and our lower-powered reader. I was able to measure this appropriately after reading.

Here’s our  Xerafy Dot XS tag which is our smaller tag of the two, measuring at Ø 6 x 2.5 mm (Ø 0.25 x 0.1 in) This tag has an average read range of 3 ft with a handheld reader. I have attached it to our aluminum plate via a reusable adhesive dot.

As you can see, I’m able to get a little less than a foot with this tag and our lower-powered reader. I was able to measure appropriately after reading.

You can see the size difference when they are next to each other, it’s not a very large difference, but it still makes an impact, in this case a little over a foot and a half read distance difference. But with a high-powered reader, possibly up to 4 feet of read distance difference.

Thanks so much for joining us for this super quick video about how RFID tag size correlates to read range. Remember to like this video and  subscribe to our channel for more RFID videos just like this one.

RFID Tag Orientation

Welcome to this quick video where we show how RFID tag orientation on an object correlates to a tag’s readability. Today I’m using the  Impinj R700 UHF RFID reader, a linear antenna - the Impinj Mini-Guardrail, Impinj’s Itemtest Software, two cardboard boxes, and two Impinj Monza R6-P tags. I have one RFID tag at a horizontal angle and one RFID tag at a vertical angle. Now I’ll start reading.

As you can see, when we hold the Mini-Guardrail in a horizontal position, we are only able to read the vertical tag - the tag ending in 10011

Now when we turn our linear antenna in a vertical position, we are now only able to read our horizontal tag - the tag ending in 10012.

Let’s flip it again to the horizontal position. Now we are back reading the vertical RFID tag.

As you can see from this example, when using a linear antenna, tag orientation is critical to application success.

Thanks so much for joining us for this super quick video about how RFID tag orientation on an object correlates to a tag’s readability. Remember to like this video and  subscribe to our channel for more RFID videos just like this one.

RFID Tag Angle

Welcome to this quick video where we show how RFID tag angle on an object correlates to a tag’s readability. Today I’m using the  TSL 1153 UHF RFID Reader, the compatible app - RFID Explorer, two cardboard boxes, and two Monza R6-P tags.

It’s important to note that this reader’s max transmit power is 25 dBm, so in this video we will not be getting as high of a read range as these tags could get with a higher-powered reader - but the difference that the tag angle makes will be apparent even at a shorter distance.

As you can see, we have on the right our 10012 tag at the correct angle, facing our RFID handheld, and on the left we have our 10013 tag at the less optimal angle, not facing our RFID tag. The EPC numbers on each of these tags correlates to the numbers shown on the front.

I’ll read these tags for a little under a minute and then show the results. I’ll keep the handheld reader at the same angle and distance to sort of emulate a fixed antenna or fixed system in general.

One thing I want to point out before we checkout the data is that this TSL app presents  RSSI as a percentage, not as a raw data number. The higher the percentage in this application, the better read you are receiving with the highest number being 100% when you are touching the reader to the RFID tag. I’ll explain more in the description below.

As you can see, there’s a pretty big difference between the two. For the box on the right at an optimal angle and facing the reader, we are able to get a much higher RSSI percentage - 71% and we were able to read it 101 times. Now compare that to the box on the left with the incorrect angle, that EPC number ended in 13 - we only received an RSSI percentage of 42% and were able to see it 62 times. It was still seen, which is great, but if we want to improve readability performance, the angle is very important as you can see from this experiment.

Thanks so much for joining us for this super quick video about how RFID tag angle on an object correlates to a tag’s readability. Remember to like this video and  subscribe to our channel for more RFID videos just like this one.

RFID Tag Placement

Welcome to this quick video where we show how RFID tag placement on an object correlates to a tag’s readability. Today I’m using the  Impinj R700 UHF RFID reader, a small RFID antenna - the Vulcan RFID S9025, Impinj’s Itemtest Software, one cardboard box, two Smartrac Belt UHF RFID tags, and two bottled drinks.

As you can see here, I have placed two tags on this cardboard box, one labeled “10” with the EPC number ending in the number 10, is going to be right in front of the Diet Coke bottles, where the  liquid is present. While the other RFID tag labeled “11” with the EPC number ending in the number 11, is going to be right at the top of the Diet Coke bottles, away from any liquid.

Both tags are the same Smartrac Belt, one is simply in front of the liquid in a liquid-filled item while the other is in a better place, away from the liquid in a liquid-filled item.

I have our transmit power set at 33 and receive sensitivity at -90 it’s max. I will point out that I do have a Gen 2 filter on so that I only read these two specific tags.

Now I’ll go ahead and read our tags.

As you can see, we can read both tags, but there’s a clear difference in the Read Count and the  RSSI values.

After we stop reading, you can see that the tag labeled “11” was able to be read about 2.5 times the tag labeled “10” and the RSSI value of tag “11” was much higher - averaging -52 while tag “11” averaged -72.

The only difference here is the placement of the tag in correlation to the liquids. The liquid in the bottles is absorbing the RF waves that are both transmitting to and coming from the number 10 tag. This is just one example of how tag placement on an object is key to improving readability.

Thank you so much for joining us for this video about SOAP, specifically about Tag Placement. For more information about tag placement contact us or comment below and remember to like this video and  subscribe to our channel for more RFID videos just like this one!

Conclusion

Thank you so much for watching all of our SOAP videos! To watch more of our YouTube videos,  visit our channel or read our articles at www.atlasrfidstore.com/rfid-insider/. If you have any questions, contact us anytime!