RFID Systems - Allied Automation, Inc.

When it comes to capacity, 2-D barcodes, such as DataMatrix have an enormous edge over the traditional linearbarcode symbologies (like UPC and Code 39). Whiletraditional barcode symbologies can only encode 10 to20 characters of information, 2-D symbologies encodeseveral thousand characters of machine-readable data. Ineffect, a portable database can travel with your product.Because the data content can be large, several traditionalbarcodes plus text can be included in one symbol. Thebeauty of this is that the cost of the labels is negligible.If you’re already printing a label on your boxes, addinganother printed symbol next to the product code won’tadd much to the cost.Data Matrix is a 2-D matrix code designed to pack a lot ofinformation in a very small space. The code has severalother interesting features. Since the information isencoded by absolute dot position rather than relative dotposition, it is not as susceptible to printing defects, as istraditional bar code. The coding scheme has a high levelof redundancy with the data "scattered" throughout thesymbol. This allows the symbol to be read correctly evenif part of it is missing or obscured.Data Matrix barcode imagers are useful when RFID istoo expensive and simple barcoding is too rudimentary.With built-in Reed Solomon error correction, mis-readsare negligible; and barcode imagers are unaffected bymetallic materials. In fact, the codes can be peened ontothe surface of a metal object mechanically or etchedonto many surfaces with a laser. Laser etching uses shortblasts of laser light to ablate the Data Matrix code onto asurface.Choosing The Correct TechnologyDevelopments in RFID technology continue to yield largermemory capacities, wider reading ranges, and fasterprocessing; and certainly RFID is gaining popularitywith other traditional Identification Technologies (e.g.,barcode). Each technology has advantages that arebest suited to the application at hand. We can look atthe relative importance and costs of several factors inchoosing between RFID and barcode technologies:Barcode Systems RFID SystemsIntegration Effort Low ModerateEase of Mounting/InstallationEasy to Medium Easy to MediumImplementation Costs Low Medium to HighMedia Associated Costs Low Medium to HighOn-the-fly Update No, Reprint YesLine of Sight Yes NoData Capacity Small to Medium Small to LargeNoise ImmunityVery HighDepends onEnvironmentPrivacy/Encryption,TamperproofNo (Possible w/2D) YesSuitable for Open Systems Very SomewhatWorldwide Headquarters USA Headquarters Asia Pacific Headquarters+49 621 776-0 330-486-0001 +65 67799091