XIUCHENG RFID
New Member
Hi everyone,
I’ve seen several discussions here about RFID tag selection, especially when deciding between HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF tags. I wanted to share a few practical lessons based on real deployments, as this is an area where projects often run into trouble.
1. Read range expectations are often misunderstood
HF RFID tags are typically chosen for short-range, controlled interactions (access control, NFC-based identification), while UHF tags are designed for longer-range inventory and logistics use. Problems usually occur when HF tags are expected to perform like UHF, or vice versa.
2. Environment matters more than chip type
In many cases, read failures are not caused by the chip itself but by the installation environment. Metal surfaces, liquids, and nearby electronics can dramatically affect performance. We’ve seen standard tags perform poorly simply because the material and mounting surface were not considered during selection.
3. “Higher security” is not always better
For some projects, engineers select high-security chips by default, even when the application only requires basic identification. This increases cost and system complexity without improving reliability.
4. Anti-metal tags are often required but underestimated
If tags are mounted on metal assets, anti-metal designs are usually necessary. Without proper isolation, HF and UHF tags can detune and become unreadable after installation.
I previously put together a technical overview summarizing how different RFID tag types, materials, and chips behave in real-world environments. It includes examples for HF, UHF, and NFC-based tags, and might be useful for anyone comparing options:
XIUCHENG RFID
(RFID tag technical overview – materials, frequencies, and chip considerations)
Curious to hear how others here approach HF vs UHF selection, especially in mixed environments.
I’ve seen several discussions here about RFID tag selection, especially when deciding between HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF tags. I wanted to share a few practical lessons based on real deployments, as this is an area where projects often run into trouble.
1. Read range expectations are often misunderstood
HF RFID tags are typically chosen for short-range, controlled interactions (access control, NFC-based identification), while UHF tags are designed for longer-range inventory and logistics use. Problems usually occur when HF tags are expected to perform like UHF, or vice versa.
2. Environment matters more than chip type
In many cases, read failures are not caused by the chip itself but by the installation environment. Metal surfaces, liquids, and nearby electronics can dramatically affect performance. We’ve seen standard tags perform poorly simply because the material and mounting surface were not considered during selection.
3. “Higher security” is not always better
For some projects, engineers select high-security chips by default, even when the application only requires basic identification. This increases cost and system complexity without improving reliability.
4. Anti-metal tags are often required but underestimated
If tags are mounted on metal assets, anti-metal designs are usually necessary. Without proper isolation, HF and UHF tags can detune and become unreadable after installation.
I previously put together a technical overview summarizing how different RFID tag types, materials, and chips behave in real-world environments. It includes examples for HF, UHF, and NFC-based tags, and might be useful for anyone comparing options:
XIUCHENG RFID
(RFID tag technical overview – materials, frequencies, and chip considerations)
Curious to hear how others here approach HF vs UHF selection, especially in mixed environments.