Product overview and engineering role
The SimtoLink UHF RFID on-metal tag tunes the antenna and the housing for a strongly reflecting surface such as a metal rack, a fixture, or a cabinet. With a fixed reader or a portal it reports EPC and User memory steadily, and vibration and other sensing fields can be added (see the table).
SimtoLink can write TID and EPC in a batch, and can supply tamper-evident adhesive and a screw-hole drawing. A LoRaWAN backhaul or an encryption policy follows the hardware specification and the order code.
Reliability and field fit
The industrial molded shell sits on metal and still takes mechanical abuse. Wide-temperature life and battery life follow the nameplate and the derating curve.
Do not let a metal plate fully shield the tag, and do not press it flat against a large grounded plane or it will detune. Sample the read range and compare polarization at the real workstation before the tags go on in volume.
Key hardware parameters
The table is a typical build of this tag, for selection and for a technical clause in a tender. A custom band, housing, or volume UID is quoted separately; ask SimtoLink for the hardware specification and the installation and commissioning guide. Order codes in the family can differ slightly. The nameplate and the papers shipped with the tag govern.
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Band | 470 MHz LoRa | Region code |
| Read range | 0～12 m | Depends on the antenna |
| Memory | User 512 bit | Write lock |
| Ingress | Industrial molding | On-metal construction |
| Battery | CR2032 replaceable | Life 3～5 years |
| Sensing | Vibration | Sample period can be set |
| Communications | LoRaWAN | Encryption |
| Mounting | Screw / adhesive | Metal surface |
| Operating temperature | -31～73 ℃ | Cold chain optional |
| Standard | ISO 18000-6C | Interoperability |
Typical applications
Four forms this tag usually takes, for design and for judging the return:
Forklifts and dock portals
A portal reader takes pallets and totes in a batch, so the handover is shorter.
Metal fixtures
The on-metal build cuts missed reads, and the MES can trace the operation.
High-bay assets
A handheld or a drone fills in the reads, for a count of spares and molds.
Cabinets and distribution boxes
Screws hold the tag against a peel-off, and the vibration field raises an alarm if the box is moved.
Installation, grounding, and maintenance
- Clean the metal, then press the adhesive on, or torque the screws. A void under the tag drops the read range sharply.
- Set reader polarization, power, and VSWR for the local RF environment, and stay inside the local spectrum rules.
- Prove the User-memory write-lock in the lab before go-live, so a mistaken lock cannot be undone.
- Sample battery voltage and read range on a schedule. Outdoors, watch condensation and corrosion.
- Put LoRaWAN join keys and DevAddr assignments on the platform asset register.
Ordering, documentation, and support
SimtoLink can supply the hardware specification, outline drawings, a wiring table, and an example project for this tag. Volume orders can include a sample review and inspection at the factory. Warranty and calibration follow the contract and the papers shipped with the tag.
Further reading
Other asset-tag hardware: