An RFID tag (or transponder) has two essential parts: a tiny chip that stores identifiers and data, and an antenna that receives the reader's signal and sends the reply. The two are usually mounted on a thin film called an inlay, which is then packaged as a label, a hard tag, a cable tie, a key fob or an on-metal tag.
Passive, active and battery-assisted
- Passive — no battery; powered by the reader. Cheap, small and long-lived. The standard for asset tagging.
- Active — has a battery and transmits on its own, giving long range at much higher cost and with batteries to replace.
- Battery-assisted passive (BAP) — a battery powers the chip, but it still replies by backscatter; improves sensitivity.
What is stored on a tag
A UHF tag holds an EPC (the writable ID your system uses), a TID (the chip's factory-set identity) and sometimes user memory. HF/NFC tags carry a UID. Best practice is to keep only an identifier on the tag and all the descriptive data in the asset register.
Choosing tags
Match the tag to the surface (metal, plastic, glass), the environment (heat, washing, outdoor UV), how it will be attached (adhesive, rivets, ties) and the read range you need. Pilot a few candidates on real assets before ordering in bulk.
In Asetavo
Asetavo links each tag to exactly one asset and supports decommissioning and reassigning tags, with clone detection using the TID.