New Battery-Free RFID Sensor Technology for New Applications
Sensor Tags
Omni-ID, founded in 2007 and part of HID Global since 2021, is focused on the development and production of RFID tags for harsh industrial environments. This includes the application of RFID tags on metal surfaces or the tagging of liquid containers. With the latest addition to its product portfolio, Omni-ID is opening up new application areas for RFID.
Battery-free RFID sensor tags
The Sense Passive series of battery-free RFID sensor tags measure liquid level, temperature and moisture. Use cases for the new tags include supply chain monitoring, industrial plant and server room monitoring, vaccine vial tagging, livestock monitoring and smart diaper applications.
New RFID Sensor Tag Use Cases
- Fill State:
Measurement of the filling level of liquid containers e.g. vaccine vials - Temperature:
Temperature measurement and control in industrial plants, server rooms, office spaces, livestock and cold chains - Moisture:
Moisture measurement in server rooms, automotive production, sensor technology in the construction industry and smart diapers.
Use Cases in the Industry
The use of sensor technology in automotive production enables the rapid detection of internal leaks in the vehicle.
AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR
Quality Control in Automotive Production
In automotive production, leak testing is required for quality assurance. Moisture leakage in the production process causes mold or damage to vehicle electronics and, according to estimates, causes average additional costs of 5,700 US dollars per leak. Despite manual inspections, three percent of all leaks are not detected. Even minimal leaks can cause serious damage. With a total production of 90 million vehicles per year, the automotive industry incurs annual costs of 15 billion dollars.
With the application of an on-metal RFID sensor tag to a vehicle's metal chassis, moisture leakage is detected early. Continuous and automatic moisture monitoring is ensured in the production process. The sensor of the tag continuously measures the moisture and transmits this data via RFID. The tags are read either with stationary RFID readers or RFID handhelds.
Predictive maintenance as well as immediate intervention to fix the leaks can be performed. The sensor solution increases reliability in leak detection by eliminating manual inspections and the associated errors.
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
Condition Monitoring in Industrial Applications
The monitoring of industrial plants places special demands on RFID tags. The harsh environment poses interference risks. At the same time, measurement points on various pumps, pipes, motor housings, ball bearings, assembly lines and switchgear are often difficult for employees to access. This complicates the use of active sensors that require regular battery changes or wiring. Continuous monitoring of industrial equipment is necessary to detect damage or overheating of components at an early stage and to minimize or completely prevent damage.
Battery-free Sensor Technology with RFID
The passive, battery-free RFID sensor tags are used for temperature measurement in industrial plants. The temperature is captured by the sensor and recorded together with the time of measurement. The data is read by RFID readers and transferred to a database. Monitoring operating temperatures in real time enables predictive maintenance processes.
If temperature limits are exceeded, a warning is shown on a display attached to the machine and a notification is sent to maintenance personnel. Damage and downtime to equipment are minimized. A one-time application at the measuring point is required to use the tags.
With the monitoring of industrial plants by means of sensor technology, damage as well as overheating of the machines are detected at an early stage.