RFID with network or field bus link

Given the stringent demands made on automated production lines coupled with ever growing quantities of data, RFID systems are gaining in significance all the time. These read/write units featuring inductive data transmission to transponders are being used increasingly in object detection applications. The new compact read/write unit RFM 32 from Leuze was designed specifically to cope with tough industrial applications and has accordingly been fitted with a number of special technical features.

The new system RFM 32 supports several standardized data protocols in accordance with ISO 15693 such as I-Code and Tag-It. It offers a reading range of up to 90 millimetres, a high data transfer rate and precise detection even at belt speeds of 6 m/sec. It is also insensitive to dirt accumulation and can operate at temperatures of between -25° and +60° Celsius. Unlike optical identification systems, a clear optical path to the transponder is not a necessity. The system is splash water protected in compliance with IP67, and fitted with a standard RS232 interface. The transponders are available in a wide range of variants, from a version with high storage capacity of 256 bytes through to a high temperature-resistant version capable of withstanding up to 200° Celsius.

One of the outstanding features of this system is its capacity for connection to different so-called modular interfacing units from Leuze. These not only simplify installation, but also permit adaptation to other interfaces, for example for network or field bus link-up. This route can also be used to permit parameterization of the reading unit. The application possibilities opened up by the RFID system RFM 32 are extremely varied, ranging from object detection in warehousing and handling applications through order picking systems and material flow control to production data acquisition.