DNP Develops Metal Compatible UHF Band IC Tag Label

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) has developed a metal compatible UHF band IC tag label that not only maintains the lowest profile of any in the industry, but can also be issued on a serial basis using a label printer. The newly developed is set for a January 2011 sales launch.

UHF band IC tags are seeing increasing use in a variety of areas, beginning with the distribution industry, and low cost label type IC tags that are easy to attach to target objects are taking over the mainstream. However, current UHF band IC tags are challenged by the fact that it is virtually impossible to conduct communications when they are attached to a metallic object. There are products designed to reduce the impact of the metal by creating a gap between the IC tag and the metallic surface, including, resin mold products and products processed into thick, pre-cut labels. But, examples such as these pose their own challenges, including losing the ability to perform serial printing or data encoding, which is the original merit of the label type IC tag.

DNP has yet again risen to the challenge, and used its unique processing technology to develop a metal compatible UHF band IC tag, which at a thickness of just 0.5 mm achieves the lowest profile of any in the industry.

IC tag antennas lose their ability to efficiently capture radio waves when cohered to metal. So far, it has been possible to capture radio waves and conduct communication by creating a gap between the antenna and the metallic object. However, the resin mold products used to maintain the distance between the antenna and the metallic object come with expensive molds, and as thick, pre-cut labels are not suitable for high-speed processing it has been difficult to lower costs.

By layering electrical conducting material in a unique pattern inside the label, DNP has made it possible for the antenna to capture radio waves and communicate even when cohered to metallic objects. Also, the newly developed IC tag label reduces processing costs via the serial layering of thin materials, and it has been possible to achieve low costs of approximately half the price of currently available products. As the material is film, it maintains flexibility, and can also be attached to curved surfaces. And as it is possible to carry out serial issuance on a printer with a data encoder function for ICs, printing and data encoding tasks can be greatly reduced, and it has also been possible to achieve reduced issue costs.

DNP will market the metal compatible UHF band IC tag label to metal product manufacturers, tenders that handle metallic components and equipment, automobile and related manufacturers, and air companies.