Intermec RFID Equipment awarded EPCglobal Gen 2 interoperability certification

ProScan Systems, a leading provider of supply chain, automated data collection and mobile computing solutions, announced today that Intermec RFID Gen 2 equipment  has been certified as interoperable with other devices certified by EPCglobal, a not-for-profit standards organisation driving global adoption of the Electronic Product Code (EPC).

The Intermec RFID Large Rigid Tag and the IM5 RFID radio module have earned Gen 2 hardware interoperability marks in independent testing by MET Laboratories in Baltimore, Maryland.

The interoperability programme is part of EPCglobal`s hardware certification programme, which verifies that EPC hardware products comply with EPCglobal standards. The EPCglobal hardware interoperability testing demonstrates the ability of different compliance-certified tags to work with different compliance-certified readers or printer/encoders.

"The EPCglobal community developed this programme to provide a neutral and authoritative source for testing hardware products and providing information regarding certified products and the vendors who manufacture them," said EPCglobal president Chris Adcock.

"The purpose of this programme is to enable end-users to be confident that the certified hardware products they implement will work in predictable ways as defined by EPCglobal standards, such as the UHF Gen 2 Air Interface Protocol Standard."

The Intermec RFID Large Rigid Tag is a reusable, rugged tag capable of withstanding temperature extremes and hazardous exposures common in manufacturing and material handling operations. It is available immediately for use worldwide and allows enterprises to take advantage of the capabilities of RFID to track materials through demanding industrial processes and global logistics operations. Its innovative broadband antenna design provides superior performance on a wide range of materials, including metal, plastic and wood.

Because the Intermec RFID LR Tag is reusable, each use of the tag costs only fractions of a cent. The tag can be rewritten thousands of times, providing lower cost-per-use on reusable assets than even disposable labels. And because of its ability to function in demanding industrial environments and to provide reliable performance on multiple materials, enterprises can use a single tag to identify and track items such as subassemblies, work-in-process components, finished goods, material handling equipment and logistics containers through production, supply chain and asset management operations.

The IM5 RFID radio module powers Intermec IF4, IF5 and IV7 RFID readers. The IF4 RFID reader is designed for applications with existing controller infrastructure. The IF5 reader monitors external sensors and controls audible/visual indicators without the expense, and potential point of failure, of a separate server required by other RFID scanning systems. The IV7 vehicle-mount RFID reader is built to withstand the rigours of harsh industrial environments and is sealed to IP65 ratings.

IM5 modules and the RFID equipment into which they`re incorporated are certified for FCC Part 15 operation and comply with European ETSI requirements for true global supply chain operation.