March 31, 2020
In many brand, retail, supply chain, RTI (Returnable Transport Items) and industrial applications, RFID products face environmental stresses that challenge conventional inlays and tags but don’t justify the use of industrial-grade hard tags. Now, Smartrac has the answer: its new Dura range, and Dogbone® Dura in particular.
What is better than a single extra-durable product? A new, ruggedized delivery format that will be available for a multitude of inlays and tags. That is why Smartrac is introducing its Dogbone Dura inlays and tags as the first of their kind.
Dogbone Dura: robustness and performance in demanding applications
Like all Dura products, Dogbone Dura boasts outstanding robustness and water resistance in addition to its existing properties, making it ideal for use in harsh environments. Hence, the new product is an excellent choice for demanding global supply chain, industrial and waterproof applications.
Smartrac’s Dura delivery format is characterized by thick, semi-stiff thermosetting layers attached to both sides of the antenna/IC structure. This encasement provides effective protection against mechanical and environmental stresses without affecting the overall performance of the underlying inlay design.
"Dura inlays and tags provide a feasible alternative in application areas where extra robustness and water resistance is needed, but the environment does not call for the ultimate survivability of hard tags,” — Dr. Juha Virtanen, Vice President Hardware Development at Smartrac.
Dura versions of most inlays and tags to be available soon
The Dura delivery format is applicable to a large portion of Smartrac’s RAIN-RFID (UHF), HF and NFC inlays and tags with the exception of few large-footprint products, and will be introduced gradually, with Belt Dura and a revised Circus Dura to follow in the coming months. Compared to the original single Circus Dura tag from 2017, all new Dura designated products feature improved materials, offering significantly improved environmental and chemical compliance and resistance.
While retaining the cost, flexibility (reel format available) and weight advantages of conventional inlays and tags, all Dura products provide robustness and water resistance close to hard tag levels, with encasements that provide IP68 ratings and are ATEX compatible. Each product can be certified for ATEX upon request. To further support that claim to robustness, Dogbone Dura has been tested to EN60068-2-27 (mechanical shock) and EN60068-2-6 (vibration) standards.
Dogbone Dura is available with the Impinj Monza R6-P IC that comes with an Autotune feature, which helps the Dogbone product to work at peak efficiency, even in rapidly changing environments. Dogbone Dura’s IC enables pre-serialized EPC and offers unique TID as well as other features.
Dogbone Dura has a white printable face material and can be delivered in wet and dry formats. Wet format tags come with water-resistant high-strength adhesive, while dry format tags have extensions to allow a punch hole for attachment.
Feasible alternative to hard tags for less than extreme environments
“By introducing a new delivery format that turns our tried and trusted inlays and tags into ruggedized products, Smartrac once again is demonstrating its ability to listen to customer demands and to break new ground. Dura inlays and tags provide a feasible alternative in application areas where extra robustness and water resistance is needed, but the environment does not call for the ultimate survivability of hard tags,” said Dr. Juha Virtanen, Vice President Hardware Development at Smartrac.
In many brand, retail, supply chain, RTI (Returnable Transport Items) and industrial applications, RFID products face environmental stresses that challenge conventional inlays and tags but don’t justify the use of industrial-grade hard tags. Now, Smartrac has the answer: its new Dura range, and Dogbone® Dura in particular.
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