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RF Mapping for Packaging – Finding that “Sweet Spot”
Venture Research develops an automated RFID carton profiling system
By Mark Johnson, RFID Tribe
August 29, 2005 - Those familiar with RFID installations know about RF (radio frequency)
mapping for warehouse facilities - part of the facilities installation process in any RFID supply
chain implementation. Venture Research Inc., a Plano, Texas based systems integrator, has
taken RF mapping and applied it to packaging. Its RF mapping system eliminates human
movement of tags for finding the optimal placement of RFID tags on packaging.
RFID Tribe visited Venture Research’s Plano, Texas 15,000 square foot
facility and talked with John Baker, president of Venture Research, Inc.
about the firm's RF mapping application for packaging.
John Baker, President
at Venture Research
Venture Research, a systems integrator and manufacturer of RFID infrastructure hardware
and software announced that they have put into service the first fully automated RFID tag
placement optimization system to improve consistency and speed of performing tag placement
optimization. Known to the industry as “sweet spot” testing, the procedure for finding the most
cost effective tag and the associated tag placement area on a carton is time consuming. The
process requires manual positioning of tags and power measurement probes in order to “map”
the facings of the carton to determine best placement location for a tag on a particular carton.
The process requires a controlled environment and is labor intensive. Consistent and
accurate tag placement optimization processes are difficult to achieve and have often led to
results that were not repeatable.
The Venture Research tag placement optimization implementation ties a servo-controlled X-Y
positioning system to mapping software. The mapping software automatically guides the
capture of power and reading samples across the face of the carton with accuracy and
consistency. The resulting output is a complete map of all facings of a carton describing RF
characteristics associated with absorption, reflectivity, frequency response and tag read rate.
These RF characteristics affect the readability of a tag at a specific location.
Cutaway view of anechoic chamber with product under test
The carton handling controls are built inside a special anechoic chamber, an enclosure that is
isolated from electromagnetic radiation sources and prevents the reflection of wave
phenomena (reverberation). The anechoic chamber provides consistent RF energy at the
area under test and eliminates possibilities of external noise or other reader interference while
the tests are being performed. Venture Research’s anechoic chamber for tag placement
optimization on cartons is approximately eight feet wide by eight feet deep by seven feet high.
The inside dimensions are diminished by the foam wedges on its interior.
This allows many test systems to be in operation simultaneously in the same room without
interference from one another. “We have many customers that have SKU counts in the tens of
thousands that need RFID tag placement characterization so we developed a very rapid
method to categorize their products into “buckets” of varying RFID read difficulty.” said John
Baker, President at Venture Research.
“For the RF challenged products a high speed precision tool was required to process the
cartons and build a catalog of optimum tag placement locations for their SKU’s. Ideally, this
needed to be performed without human intervention to insure quality and consistency. Our
robot controlled automated profiling chambers now perform this function allowing us to
substantially reduce the costs to our customers for this type of service.” Baker continued. He
mentioned prices to optimize tag placement on cartons well below the $1,000 range per SKU.
These costs are a significant improvement on tag optimizations involving labor intensive
processes. They are a vast improvement over investing in so called “launch and learn”
internal pilot projects at consumer packaged goods firms where the IT and operations staffs
work packaging tag placements using “trial and error” methods.
Mapping Software Predicts the Best Tag and Location
Once the mapping of the carton is completed, and zones of opportunity are predicted for best
tag placement, the selected spot can be further refined related to specific packaging and
material handling constraints. The mapping software provides a free form method of
describing “constraint” zones on the carton to exclude areas that have logos, barcodes,
human readable information, poor adhesion zones and other areas where the tag should not
be placed. Material handling and supply chain constraints such as conveyability, applicator
placement accuracy, pallet tie high orientation and other attributes further contribute to the
final selection area of the “sweet spot”.
Once the final type and coordinates of the tag are known, the software directly links to
Print/Encode/Apply systems and provides the side and X-Y coordinates on the carton where
the tag should be placed using automatic servo-controlled applicators. “Our goal was to
develop a consistent methodology of static carton characterization, dynamic real world
validation and cataloging such that RFID attributes associated with a carton can be rapidly
characterized, validated and then fed directly to production equipment to perform automatic
tag application for a particular SKU.” continued Baker.
Mapping software output: Carton profile for one face of a boxed carton of Zesty Italian salad
dressing using an Alien Technologies squiggle tag
Changes for the Packaging Industry
Automation and scientific measurement in controlled processes yields vast improvement in
output and standardization. Think back to the “paint matching process” of days past.
Remember taking a dry paint sample to a hardware or paint store. A craftsman skilled in the
art of paint matching would perform some magic to match the paint to a color palette. The
customer would go home with a bucket of paint that was nearly the correct color, but never
quite matched the exact hue. Fast forward to modern times where consumers can walk into a
hardware store and have their paint sample matched via automated spectrum analyzer
machines with repeatable, measurable output.
Now, extend the paint matching example to today’s packaging tag placement optimizations.
Until now, the processes included human intervention from a “craftsman engineer” performing
tag placement optimization by trial and error. Enter the tag placement optimizer, eliminating
the labor intensive process with repeatable output from a machine-controlled environment.
Once the static tag placement optimization process is complete, the carton can be introduced
into a dynamic environment and tested in a warehouse environment.
Imagine the effect the automated paint matching process had on the paint industry -
standardization, repeatability and improved end-user satisfaction. Look for the same types of
effects that automated, machine controlled tag placement optimizations will have on the RFID
and packaging industries.
Preparing for the Future: Smart Packaging
As smart packaging becomes available that embeds the tag in the packaging material, the
results of the “sweet spot” analysis can be used to guide packaging suppliers to establish
locations for tags embedded in packaging. Accurate knowledge of the tag type and placement
is critical to insure tag readability of the embedded tag before the production run of the
packaging material is performed. Once the tag characterization is performed, the information
can be reused to predict performance of new tags on material or to define where logos and
other human readable information should be placed when packaging material is modified. Tag
characterization reduces the need for re-testing as new tags and materials are introduced.
Bulk Carton Characterization
Not all cartons require detailed RF analysis: the packaging material and the contents may be
“RF friendly”. Bulk carton characterization can rapidly establish the difference between “RF
friendly” and “RF unfriendly” packaging. Along with the detailed “sweet spot” robot, Venture
Research is refining the usage of a gross characteristics analysis tool to rapidly determine if
further “sweet spot” analysis is required. The gross characterization facility uses a special
near field RF platform that connects to a network analyzer that very rapidly gives a gross
characterization of the packaging and contents. “We are working on a portable design what
will allow us to move the tool out of the lab and be able to walk down aisles in a warehouse,
characterizing SKUs immediately as they are encountered” said Baker.
Bulk Characterization
Anechoic Chamber
Compatible with Emerging Standards
Venture Research is a contributor to the emerging Static, Dynamic Testing and Lab
certification program in development within EPCglobal. This certification program is defining
standards regarding carton and pallet characterization and their related optimum tag
placement. Many RFID test centers split testing and validation into a static test for accurate
tag placement analysis and dynamic testing where tagged cartons are placed in real world
material handling scenarios such as conveyors, fork lifts, dock doors, shrink wrapping
machines and in environments that vary temperature and humidity.
Static and dynamic testing is becoming the pre-requisite methodology of RFID test centers.
Venture Research has automated the static testing process and has the dynamic testing
equipment to verify the tag will perform through out the supply chain. “We have invested
heavily in the state of the art in tools, material handling equipment, software and personnel to
create a world class RFID testing center that is now further enhanced with the ability to scale
to high volume tag placement characterization,” stated Baker.
Firms offering tag placement characterization services such as Venture Research, ODIN
Technologies and Tyco participate in EPCglobal’s testing and lab certification program.
Venture Research’s dynamic testing facility
Copyright © 2005 RFID Tribe. All rights reserved. www.rfidtribe.com
Venture Research develops an automated RFID carton profiling system
By Mark Johnson, RFID Tribe
August 29, 2005 - Those familiar with RFID installations know about RF (radio frequency)
mapping for warehouse facilities - part of the facilities installation process in any RFID supply
chain implementation. Venture Research Inc., a Plano, Texas based systems integrator, has
taken RF mapping and applied it to packaging. Its RF mapping system eliminates human
movement of tags for finding the optimal placement of RFID tags on packaging.
RFID Tribe visited Venture Research’s Plano, Texas 15,000 square foot
facility and talked with John Baker, president of Venture Research, Inc.
about the firm's RF mapping application for packaging.
John Baker, President
at Venture Research
Venture Research, a systems integrator and manufacturer of RFID infrastructure hardware
and software announced that they have put into service the first fully automated RFID tag
placement optimization system to improve consistency and speed of performing tag placement
optimization. Known to the industry as “sweet spot” testing, the procedure for finding the most
cost effective tag and the associated tag placement area on a carton is time consuming. The
process requires manual positioning of tags and power measurement probes in order to “map”
the facings of the carton to determine best placement location for a tag on a particular carton.
The process requires a controlled environment and is labor intensive. Consistent and
accurate tag placement optimization processes are difficult to achieve and have often led to
results that were not repeatable.
The Venture Research tag placement optimization implementation ties a servo-controlled X-Y
positioning system to mapping software. The mapping software automatically guides the
capture of power and reading samples across the face of the carton with accuracy and
consistency. The resulting output is a complete map of all facings of a carton describing RF
characteristics associated with absorption, reflectivity, frequency response and tag read rate.
These RF characteristics affect the readability of a tag at a specific location.
Cutaway view of anechoic chamber with product under test
The carton handling controls are built inside a special anechoic chamber, an enclosure that is
isolated from electromagnetic radiation sources and prevents the reflection of wave
phenomena (reverberation). The anechoic chamber provides consistent RF energy at the
area under test and eliminates possibilities of external noise or other reader interference while
the tests are being performed. Venture Research’s anechoic chamber for tag placement
optimization on cartons is approximately eight feet wide by eight feet deep by seven feet high.
The inside dimensions are diminished by the foam wedges on its interior.
This allows many test systems to be in operation simultaneously in the same room without
interference from one another. “We have many customers that have SKU counts in the tens of
thousands that need RFID tag placement characterization so we developed a very rapid
method to categorize their products into “buckets” of varying RFID read difficulty.” said John
Baker, President at Venture Research.
“For the RF challenged products a high speed precision tool was required to process the
cartons and build a catalog of optimum tag placement locations for their SKU’s. Ideally, this
needed to be performed without human intervention to insure quality and consistency. Our
robot controlled automated profiling chambers now perform this function allowing us to
substantially reduce the costs to our customers for this type of service.” Baker continued. He
mentioned prices to optimize tag placement on cartons well below the $1,000 range per SKU.
These costs are a significant improvement on tag optimizations involving labor intensive
processes. They are a vast improvement over investing in so called “launch and learn”
internal pilot projects at consumer packaged goods firms where the IT and operations staffs
work packaging tag placements using “trial and error” methods.
Mapping Software Predicts the Best Tag and Location
Once the mapping of the carton is completed, and zones of opportunity are predicted for best
tag placement, the selected spot can be further refined related to specific packaging and
material handling constraints. The mapping software provides a free form method of
describing “constraint” zones on the carton to exclude areas that have logos, barcodes,
human readable information, poor adhesion zones and other areas where the tag should not
be placed. Material handling and supply chain constraints such as conveyability, applicator
placement accuracy, pallet tie high orientation and other attributes further contribute to the
final selection area of the “sweet spot”.
Once the final type and coordinates of the tag are known, the software directly links to
Print/Encode/Apply systems and provides the side and X-Y coordinates on the carton where
the tag should be placed using automatic servo-controlled applicators. “Our goal was to
develop a consistent methodology of static carton characterization, dynamic real world
validation and cataloging such that RFID attributes associated with a carton can be rapidly
characterized, validated and then fed directly to production equipment to perform automatic
tag application for a particular SKU.” continued Baker.
Mapping software output: Carton profile for one face of a boxed carton of Zesty Italian salad
dressing using an Alien Technologies squiggle tag
Changes for the Packaging Industry
Automation and scientific measurement in controlled processes yields vast improvement in
output and standardization. Think back to the “paint matching process” of days past.
Remember taking a dry paint sample to a hardware or paint store. A craftsman skilled in the
art of paint matching would perform some magic to match the paint to a color palette. The
customer would go home with a bucket of paint that was nearly the correct color, but never
quite matched the exact hue. Fast forward to modern times where consumers can walk into a
hardware store and have their paint sample matched via automated spectrum analyzer
machines with repeatable, measurable output.
Now, extend the paint matching example to today’s packaging tag placement optimizations.
Until now, the processes included human intervention from a “craftsman engineer” performing
tag placement optimization by trial and error. Enter the tag placement optimizer, eliminating
the labor intensive process with repeatable output from a machine-controlled environment.
Once the static tag placement optimization process is complete, the carton can be introduced
into a dynamic environment and tested in a warehouse environment.
Imagine the effect the automated paint matching process had on the paint industry -
standardization, repeatability and improved end-user satisfaction. Look for the same types of
effects that automated, machine controlled tag placement optimizations will have on the RFID
and packaging industries.
Preparing for the Future: Smart Packaging
As smart packaging becomes available that embeds the tag in the packaging material, the
results of the “sweet spot” analysis can be used to guide packaging suppliers to establish
locations for tags embedded in packaging. Accurate knowledge of the tag type and placement
is critical to insure tag readability of the embedded tag before the production run of the
packaging material is performed. Once the tag characterization is performed, the information
can be reused to predict performance of new tags on material or to define where logos and
other human readable information should be placed when packaging material is modified. Tag
characterization reduces the need for re-testing as new tags and materials are introduced.
Bulk Carton Characterization
Not all cartons require detailed RF analysis: the packaging material and the contents may be
“RF friendly”. Bulk carton characterization can rapidly establish the difference between “RF
friendly” and “RF unfriendly” packaging. Along with the detailed “sweet spot” robot, Venture
Research is refining the usage of a gross characteristics analysis tool to rapidly determine if
further “sweet spot” analysis is required. The gross characterization facility uses a special
near field RF platform that connects to a network analyzer that very rapidly gives a gross
characterization of the packaging and contents. “We are working on a portable design what
will allow us to move the tool out of the lab and be able to walk down aisles in a warehouse,
characterizing SKUs immediately as they are encountered” said Baker.
Bulk Characterization
Anechoic Chamber
Compatible with Emerging Standards
Venture Research is a contributor to the emerging Static, Dynamic Testing and Lab
certification program in development within EPCglobal. This certification program is defining
standards regarding carton and pallet characterization and their related optimum tag
placement. Many RFID test centers split testing and validation into a static test for accurate
tag placement analysis and dynamic testing where tagged cartons are placed in real world
material handling scenarios such as conveyors, fork lifts, dock doors, shrink wrapping
machines and in environments that vary temperature and humidity.
Static and dynamic testing is becoming the pre-requisite methodology of RFID test centers.
Venture Research has automated the static testing process and has the dynamic testing
equipment to verify the tag will perform through out the supply chain. “We have invested
heavily in the state of the art in tools, material handling equipment, software and personnel to
create a world class RFID testing center that is now further enhanced with the ability to scale
to high volume tag placement characterization,” stated Baker.
Firms offering tag placement characterization services such as Venture Research, ODIN
Technologies and Tyco participate in EPCglobal’s testing and lab certification program.
Venture Research’s dynamic testing facility
Copyright © 2005 RFID Tribe. All rights reserved. www.rfidtribe.com
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