On-metal tags
Ceramic on-metal tags
Short answer
1.0Construction
How this family is built
The records for this family state a ceramic body and tape mounting. They do not describe the antenna or the layers, so this page makes no claim about them. As general background, ceramics used in UHF tags usually have a high dielectric constant, and that lets a small antenna resonate at UHF frequencies, which is why ceramic tags can be very small.
A ceramic body is hard, and hard materials are brittle. The supplier marks two of the five models as not rated for impact and gives no test figure for them, so the sensible reading is that impact behavior is unknown until you test it. Tape adhesion to your surface matters as much as the tag itself: test it on the finished metal, painted or bare, as it will be in service.
2.0Choosing
Choose this family, or look elsewhere
Choose this family for
- Small metal parts where a hard-bodied tag of 10 mm across up to 25 x 25 mm fits the flat area. Height is 1.8 to 3 mm.
- Cases that need user memory, since all five models list 512 bit of it next to 96 bit of EPC memory.
- Marked tags. The three rectangles list laser marking and logo printing, and the two discs list painting.
Look elsewhere when
- The 10 mm and 16 mm discs are marked by the supplier as not rated for impact, and the supplier notes they cannot be slammed. Do not pick them for parts that get struck or dropped without your own testing.
- Read distances are stated on two different footings inside the family, so a 25 x 25 mm figure and a 10 mm disc figure cannot be compared with each other. Compare only figures that share a footing.
- Tape is the only fixing listed, and no model states an operating temperature above 85 C.
Selection rules
- Compare read distance only within one footing. Three models state it at EIRP 4 W on metal, which is 1.5 m for the 10 mm disc, 1.8 m for 13 x 9 mm and 2.5 m for the 16 mm disc, all supplier-stated.
- The 25 x 25 mm and 25 x 9 mm models state their distances with a named reader at set transmit power and antenna gain, so those figures belong to a different footing.
- All five list one chip, Alien Higgs-3, so the chip does not separate the models. Size, shape and marking do.
3.0Models
The 5 ceramic on-metal tags
| Model | Size | Height | Chip options | Mounting | Bands | Stated read distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic on-metal tag 10 mm dia. MCE-D10-T | 10 mm diameter, 1.8 mm high | 1.8 mm | Alien Higgs-3 | Adhesive tape | FCC, ETSI | up to 1.5 m EIRP 4 W, on metal. Supplier-stated. |
| Ceramic on-metal tag 13 x 9 mm MCE-13x9-T | 13 x 9 x 3 mm | 3 mm | Alien Higgs-3 | Adhesive tape | FCC, ETSI | up to 1.8 m EIRP 4 W, on metal. Supplier-stated. |
| Ceramic on-metal tag 25 x 9 mm MCE-25x9-T | 25 x 9 x 3 mm | 3 mm | Alien Higgs-3 | Adhesive tape | FCC, ETSI | up to 2.5 m Impinj R100 at 30 dBm, 4 dBi antenna, on metal. Supplier-stated. |
| Ceramic on-metal tag 16 mm dia. MCE-D16-T | 16 mm diameter, 2 mm high | 2 mm | Alien Higgs-3 | Adhesive tape | FCC, ETSI | up to 2.5 m EIRP 4 W, on metal. Supplier-stated. |
| Ceramic on-metal tag 25 x 25 mm MCE-25x25-T | 25 x 25 x 3 mm | 3 mm | Alien Higgs-3 | Adhesive tape | FCC, ETSI | up to 4 m Impinj R100 at 30 dBm, 4 dBi antenna, on metal. Supplier-stated. |
How to read the distances in this table
Every distance is the supplier's upper figure, stated under the conditions in the last column, and TagBrio has not tested it. The models of this family state their leading distance on 2 different footings (EIRP 4 W, on metal and Impinj R100 at 30 dBm, 4 dBi antenna, on metal), so compare only figures that share one. A read on your own part with your own reader is the only reliable check.
4.0Compared
How it differs from a neighboring family
| Family | Models | Height | Fixing methods listed | Operating range | Storage range | Lists user memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic on-metal tags (this page) | 5 | 1.8 to 3 mm | Adhesive tape | -25 to +85 °C | -40 to +120 °C | 5 of 5 |
| FR4 on-metal tags | 19 | 1.6 to 3.4 mm | Adhesive tape, screw, rivet and glue | -25 to +85 °C | -40 to +180 °C | 11 of 19 |
5.0Questions
Questions about this family
Answers quoted from the records
How big are ceramic on-metal tags?
The 5 models range from 10 mm diameter (MCE-D10-T) to 25 x 25 mm (MCE-25x25-T) in footprint, and from 1.8 mm to 3 mm in height. The model page of each gives its full size.
How far can ceramic on-metal tags be read?
3 of the 5 models state a distance under one footing (EIRP 4 W, on metal), from 1.5 m to 2.5 m. All figures are supplier-stated and TagBrio has not tested them. A read on your own surface with your own reader is the only reliable check, and the request page offers a test kit.
How are ceramic on-metal tags attached?
Across the family the records list adhesive tape. The methods differ by model, so check the mounting row of the model you choose.
What temperatures do ceramic on-metal tags state?
The supplier states operating ranges within -25 to +85 °C and storage ranges within -40 to +120 °C across the models; individual models differ. Both are supplier-stated, and a storage range is not an operating range.
Can I compare the ceramic distances with each other?
Only within the same footing. The 5 ceramic records state their leading distance on 2 different footings (EIRP 4 W, on metal and Impinj R100 at 30 dBm, 4 dBi antenna, on metal), so compare only figures that share one.
Test it on your own surface
Samples are handled per request. The team confirms availability and terms by email.