Reference
RFID glossary
64 terms used when choosing, testing and buying UHF RFID tags. A definition that states a standard names its source.
A
- Access and kill passwords
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Gen2 access and kill passwords serve different operations: access relates to secured access, while a successful kill makes the tag stop responding. They are not interchangeable with encryption or application permissions. Manage credentials and irreversible actions explicitly, and verify the chip's supported command behaviour before commissioning.
Source: EPC Gen2 UHF RFID Standard 3.0.1, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Active tag
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An active tag has its own radio transmitter, commonly powered by a battery. It is a different system choice from a passive backscatter tag. Do not treat an active location-system requirement as interchangeable with a passive UHF identification requirement when requesting samples or evaluating a read point.
Source: What is the difference between passive and active tags?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Autoclave
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An autoclave is equipment used for steam sterilisation under controlled conditions of steam, pressure, temperature and time. This is a separate exposure from a general laundry wash. No catalogue suitability for autoclaving is implied here; obtain evidence for the exact process before considering a tag for it.
Source: Steam Sterilization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, read October 1, 2026
B
- Backscatter
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Backscatter is communication through a controlled reflection of a radio signal. A passive UHF tag changes its antenna response to return data to the reader. The forward energy path and the returning signal both matter in a trial; a reader observation alone is not a calibrated tag-sensitivity measurement.
Source: ISO/IEC 18000-63:2021, ISO, read October 1, 2026
- Barcode
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A barcode is an optical data carrier read from a visible pattern. Its encoded value can identify an item or another business entity according to the chosen scheme. Decide how the operator will present it and maintain a visible fallback when comparing it with a radio identification workflow.
Source: What are the benefits of RAIN RFID technology?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Battery-assisted passive tag
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A battery-assisted passive tag uses a battery for circuitry or sensing while communicating by backscatter of the reader's signal. It differs from an active tag with its own transmitter. Include battery management and the supported protocol in a project brief; the passive catalogue here does not imply a battery-assisted offering.
Source: What is the difference between passive and active tags?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
C
- Ceramic tag
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A ceramic tag uses a ceramic element in its finished construction. The label does not specify one universal size, attachment or read distance. Check the individual model record and approved mounting area, including protrusion and handling, before considering it for a constrained asset location.
- Chip or IC
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The integrated circuit is the electronic part of a tag that implements its communication and memory functions. It works with an antenna and the finished construction. A chip name alone does not specify an attachment method or predict the read behaviour of a tag on your asset.
- Chip sensitivity
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Chip sensitivity describes the signal level required for a stated chip operation under specified conditions. It is a chip parameter, not a measured distance for a finished tag. Compare the same operation and test basis, then assess the complete tag and mounting arrangement in the intended reader setup.
D
- Dead zone or null
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A dead zone is a location or orientation where the intended read fails in a particular setup. It does not imply the tag is permanently defective. Mark the position and repeat the presentation while controlling reader and mounting variables, then document the correction or workflow limit.
- Detuning
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Detuning is a change in an antenna's intended electrical behaviour after its conditions change. Nearby material and mounting geometry are relevant trial variables. When investigating a missed read, compare controlled installations of the same candidate rather than attributing the result to chip choice alone.
E
- EIRP and ERP
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EIRP and ERP are radiated-power descriptions using different reference antennas: isotropic for EIRP and a dipole for ERP. They should not be compared as identical quantities. Keep the named power basis with a regulatory limit or supplier-stated range figure and distinguish it from the reader's output setting.
- Encapsulation
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Encapsulation is the material or enclosure surrounding the tag's electronic assembly. It is one part of a finished construction rather than a complete environmental rating. For a trial, inspect seams, edges and attachment as well as read response, and keep the actual process exposure with the record.
- EPC
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The Electronic Product Code provides encodings for identifiers, including GS1 identifiers, used with RFID. It is an identity representation rather than the whole business record. Agree the encoding scheme and item mapping before commissioning tags; a readable value is useful only when the receiving application interprets it consistently.
Source: What is an Electronic Product Code?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- EPC Gen2
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EPC Gen2 is GS1's UHF RFID air-interface standard defining communication between readers and tags. It concerns the radio protocol, inventory and access operations rather than a finished asset-management application. Check the supported revision and any optional commands on the actual chip and reader before relying on a feature.
Source: EPC Gen2 UHF RFID Standard 3.0.1, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- EPC memory bank
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The EPC memory bank is the Gen2 memory area associated with the item identifier and related protocol information. Its available identifier capacity depends on the chip. Match the proposed encoding to that capacity and verify the written value before putting a tag into the inventory workflow.
Source: EPC Gen2 UHF RFID Standard 3.0.1, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- ETSI EN 302 208
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ETSI EN 302 208 is a radio standard for RFID equipment in stated European frequency bands. It is distinct from a country's spectrum permission and the conformity evidence for equipment. Check the current standard, national allocation and reader documentation; a tag's ETSI-band description alone is not a compliance certificate.
Source: EN 302 208 V3.4.1, ETSI, read October 1, 2026
F
- FCC Part 15
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FCC Part 15 contains US rules for radio-frequency devices, including provisions relevant to reader operation. A catalogue's FCC-band variant is a frequency description, not a product approval claim. Check the applicable reader rule, equipment authorisation and configuration for the deployment rather than treating the tag label as permission to transmit.
Source: 47 CFR 15.247, US Federal Communications Commission, read October 1, 2026
- Ferrite
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Ferrite is a class of magnetic material that can be used in some RFID constructions. Its presence is a design detail, not a universal definition of an on-metal tag. Ask for the documented construction and installation requirements rather than assuming every metal-compatible tag uses the same material.
- Flatwork ironer
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A flatwork ironer finishes flat linen using a heated mechanical process. It is a distinct stage to record when evaluating tag placement and exposure. Ask the laundry team to review the proposed position and keep contact, dwell and process conditions separate from the washing-temperature entry.
- Flexible on-metal tag
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A flexible on-metal tag is a construction intended for metal mounting with some flexibility in its body. Flexible does not mean it tolerates any bend or installation shape. Confirm the model's placement and mounting requirements, then evaluate the exact surface and curvature proposed for the application.
- FR4 tag
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An FR4 tag uses a glass-reinforced epoxy board construction, often described as a PCB tag in a catalogue. The material name is not a distance or durability ranking. Compare the model's dimensions, stated mounting choices and documented limits, then assess it on the actual metal asset.
- Frequency hopping
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Frequency hopping changes the operating channel according to a defined sequence or configuration. It is a reader-system behaviour governed by the applicable regional rules. Use the reader's approved regional configuration and document it in the trial; do not create an arbitrary channel plan from a tag's frequency range.
Source: 47 CFR 15.247, US Federal Communications Commission, read October 1, 2026
G
- Ground plane
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A ground plane is a conductive reference surface used in an antenna arrangement. In a tag installation, the intended metal surface can be a design condition. Keep the asset geometry and mounting location in the trial record, since a material label alone does not describe that complete arrangement.
- GS1
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GS1 is the standards organisation behind identification and data-sharing standards, including EPC/RFID specifications. Mentioning its standard does not claim a commercial partnership or product approval. In a buying specification, name the actual standard and encoding required instead of using the organisation's name as a general compatibility label.
Source: Who is responsible for development of EPC/RFID standards?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
H
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A hard-button laundry tag has a rigid button-like construction for attachment to an item. Assess its dimensions, fastening and wearer or user contact at the intended position. The available laundry models are candidates for a process trial, with supplier-stated conditions that should be checked on the actual route.
I
- Incoterms
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Incoterms rules allocate specified delivery responsibilities, costs and risks between buyer and seller in a sale contract. State the chosen rule, named place and version in the commercial agreement. The tag unit price alone does not explain the complete shipping and import scope; ask for those terms separately.
Source: DDP and EXW Incoterms 2020 explained, ICC Academy, read October 1, 2026
- Inlay
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An inlay combines a tag chip and antenna on a carrier before or within the finished label or enclosure. The term does not establish protection from washing, heat or handling. Specify the finished construction and attachment when buying a tag for a working environment rather than relying on an inlay description.
- IP rating
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An IP code classifies enclosure protection under IEC 60529. It is a defined test description rather than a blanket statement about washing chemistry, attachment life or every process exposure. Request the relevant evidence and conditions for the finished construction, and evaluate the additional demands of the intended route separately.
Source: IEC 60529:1989, IP Code, IEC, read October 1, 2026
L
- Lead time
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Lead time is the interval agreed for completing a defined supply step. Clarify its start event and whether it includes artwork approval, production, dispatch or transit. A useful quote states those boundaries and the delivery basis rather than treating an unqualified number of days as an arrival promise.
- LF RFID
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Low-frequency RFID is a technology category using a lower radio-frequency band than UHF RFID. It requires equipment suited to its own protocol and tag design. A requirement for LF identification should be evaluated separately; the passive UHF catalogue should not be assumed compatible merely because both use the RFID name.
- Listen before talk
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Listen before talk is a channel-access approach in which equipment checks channel activity before transmitting under the applicable requirements. Its presence and rules depend on the system and region. Verify the reader documentation and local spectrum conditions instead of assuming one access method applies in every country.
Source: ETSI EN 300 220-1 V3.1.1, terms and definitions, ETSI, read October 1, 2026
- Lock and permalock
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Lock operations control access to tag memory or passwords under the protocol. A permanent lock has consequences that cannot be reversed by a normal unlock operation. Confirm the target memory, supported operation and intended lifecycle before applying it; test the commissioning procedure on designated trial tags first.
Source: EPC Gen2 UHF RFID Standard 3.0.1, GS1, read October 1, 2026
M
- MOQ
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Minimum order quantity is the smallest order a supplier agrees to accept for a defined item and set of terms. It may differ for a standard model and a custom requirement. Request confirmation for the exact variant and scope; no numeric order minimum is published for this catalogue.
N
- NFC
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Near Field Communication is a contactless technology operating at a base frequency of 13.56 MHz. It is a different radio technology from the passive UHF tags in this catalogue. Specify the intended device and interaction when buying; a phone's NFC support does not establish UHF reader capability.
Source: What NFC Does, NFC Forum, read October 1, 2026
O
- OEM and ODM
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OEM expands to original equipment manufacturer; ODM expands to original design manufacturer. In sourcing discussions, they commonly distinguish supply to a specified design from a supplier-originated design arrangement. Usage varies, so write the actual design responsibility, ownership and change approval into the brief. These terms do not establish this brand's unconfirmed capabilities.
- Operating temperature
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Operating temperature is the stated temperature condition under which a device is intended to function. Keep its duration and other exposure conditions with the specification. A brief process peak and continuous operation are different questions; assess the entire route instead of substituting a storage limit for an operating limit.
P
- Passive tag
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A passive tag takes operating energy from the reader's radio signal and communicates by backscatter, without an independent transmitter. Battery absence does not establish physical service life. For selection, assess the complete tag, its attachment and the environment in which the reader must identify it.
Source: What is the difference between passive and active tags?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Polarization
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Polarization describes the orientation behaviour of a radio wave's electric field. Reader and tag orientation are therefore relevant setup details. Record the antenna type and item presentation during comparisons, and include the range of orientations that the operational read point must accommodate.
- Private label
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Private label describes supply under a buyer's chosen branding. It does not by itself define tooling, encoding, packaging or ownership of a design. List those deliverables separately in the quote request and confirm which are available before assuming a standard catalogue model includes custom work.
Q
- QR code
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A QR code is a two-dimensional optical code read from its printed or displayed pattern. The value and its application meaning depend on what was encoded. It is separate from a radio tag; choose it by the intended scanning workflow and preserve a readable reference for exception handling.
Source: Types of QR Code, DENSO WAVE, read October 1, 2026
R
- RAIN RFID
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RAIN RFID is the industry name for passive UHF RFID based on the GS1 UHF Gen2 or ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface. The name identifies a technology, not a guarantee about a particular installation. Specify the actual tag, reader, regional setup and business event for an assessment.
Source: What is RAIN RFID?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Read point
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A read point is a defined place where tag observations are collected for a purpose, such as receiving a linen load or returning a tool. State its intended boundary and expected item set. Include nearby outside items in the trial so unintended observations can be assessed alongside omissions.
- Read range
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Read range is a distance at which a defined read operation succeeds under stated conditions. It is incomplete without the reader, power basis, antenna arrangement, surface and success criterion. A catalogue figure is a comparison input; it should not be presented as a measured result for a different installation.
- Read rate
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Read rate describes observations or successful identifications over a defined time or trial set. State the denominator and whether repeated observations count. For inventory decisions, distinguish raw reader activity from unique expected items captured and from unintended identities outside the event boundary.
- Reader
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A reader is the equipment that communicates with tags and reports their observations to an application. Its antenna arrangement, configuration and connection to the business system belong in the test record. Distinguish a raw tag observation from the issue, return or inventory event the software creates.
- Reader antenna
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A reader antenna couples the reader's radio signal to the space where tags are presented. Its physical arrangement and radiation pattern help define a read zone. Record the antenna model, orientation and location during a pilot so that a later comparison does not silently change the setup.
Source: Choosing the right RAIN RFID reader antenna, Impinj, read October 1, 2026
- Regional band variant
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A regional band variant is a tag option specified for a particular operating-frequency range. It is separate from the reader's legal configuration and equipment authorisation. Identify the destination country and exact variant in the quote and pilot record rather than ordering a broad global description without conditions.
- Returnable transport item
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A returnable transport item is a reusable carrier, such as a tote, crate or trolley, that moves goods through a process. Its identity is separate from the identities of its contents. Decide which level the event concerns before accepting a carrier read as a shipment or inventory count.
- RFID
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Radio-frequency identification is a way to identify an object through a tag and a radio reader. It describes a technology family rather than one frequency or construction. For a buying brief, specify the intended workflow, tag type and reader system instead of asking for RFID alone.
Source: What are the benefits of RAIN RFID technology?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
S
- Silicone laundry tag
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A silicone laundry tag uses silicone in its enclosing construction. The material term does not establish wash life or process compatibility for a finished tag. The current catalogue contains textile and hard-button laundry families rather than silicone models; use the comparison guide as educational selection criteria.
- Spacer or standoff
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A spacer is a layer or separation between a tag and its mounting surface. It may be part of the intended tag design or an installation component. Treat any change in thickness or material as a new mounting condition to evaluate; do not assume added spacing automatically improves the result.
- SSCC
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The Serial Shipping Container Code is a GS1 identifier for a logistics unit, such as a grouped shipment. It represents that unit rather than automatically identifying every contained item. Decide whether a process needs a unit identity, individual item identities or both before choosing its data carrier and event rules.
Source: GS1 Identification Key Series: SSCC, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Survival and storage temperature
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A survival temperature describes a stated exposure and its recovery conditions. A storage temperature describes conditions for storing an item. The two labels are not interchangeable, and neither alone establishes operation during the exposure. Read the exact specification and duration before applying it to washing, drying or finishing.
T
- Tag antenna
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The tag antenna couples radio energy to the chip and supports the returning communication signal. Its geometry is part of the finished tag design. Do not infer two tags' installed behaviour from a shared chip name; compare the complete constructions on the actual asset and approved mounting location.
- Tag encoding
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Tag encoding is the process of writing an intended identifier or data representation into tag memory. Commissioning also needs an association with the physical item and a verification step. Record the scheme, written value and item reference so a replacement tag can preserve history without creating duplicate item records.
Source: EPC Tag Data Standard 2.3, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Textile laundry tag
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A textile laundry tag uses a fabric-oriented finished form intended for attachment to washable items. Attachment options vary by model. Choose the exact sewn or heat-seal candidate, document its position and evaluate both the read function and surrounding fabric through the proposed cleaning and finishing process.
- TID
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Tag Identification memory contains information about the tag chip, including its designer and model, with additional fields depending on the implementation. It has a different role from an item EPC. Check the documented TID structure and serialisation of the exact chip instead of assuming all existing tag generations have identical contents.
Source: EPC Tag Data Standard 2.3, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- Tumble dryer
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A tumble dryer removes moisture from items while they move within a drum. For a tag pilot, include the actual drying program and attachment inspection in the route record. A washing specification should not be treated as covering every drying condition without checking the model's documented limits.
- Tunnel washer
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A tunnel washer processes textile loads through a sequence of washing stages in a continuous laundry line. For tag selection, document the actual stages and subsequent extraction and finishing route. The equipment name alone does not describe the heat, chemistry or mechanical exposure of a complete cycle.
U
- UHF RFID
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UHF RFID uses radio communication in the ultra-high-frequency portion of the spectrum. Industrial passive tags commonly use a Gen2 air interface. A tag's broad frequency specification does not establish permission to transmit everywhere; match the reader configuration and tag variant to the deployment country.
Source: ISO/IEC 18000-63:2021, ISO, read October 1, 2026; What is RAIN RFID?, GS1, read October 1, 2026
- User memory
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User memory is a tag memory area for additional application data when the chip provides it. It is separate from EPC and TID. Decide whether data belongs on the tag or in the application database before specifying capacity, and check support on the exact chip rather than a family name.
Source: EPC Tag Data Standard 2.3, GS1, read October 1, 2026
W
- Wash cycle
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A wash cycle is one defined processing sequence in a lifecycle record. Its meaning depends on what stages and conditions the record includes. Specify washing, extraction, drying, finishing and rewash treatment in a trial log so that a cycle count has an identifiable process basis.
- Washer-extractor
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A washer-extractor combines washing and mechanical extraction of water in a laundry process. The selected program belongs in the tag trial record, along with the stages that follow. Avoid treating a successful read before processing as evidence for the attachment and identification function after the full route.
Test it on your own surface
Samples are handled per request. The team confirms availability and terms by email.