Zebra Technologies R110Xi, R170Xi Transponder Placement, ZPL Commands for RFID Applications

RFID Guidelines

Overview

Overview

The R110Xi/R170Xi RFID label printers/encoders serve as dynamic tools for both printing and encoding RFID labels, tickets, and tags. The printer encodes information on ultra-thin UHF RFID transponders that are embedded in “smart” labels. It then immediately verifies proper encoding and prints bar codes, graphics, and/or text on the label’s surface. For more information about RFID media, see Table 4, Types of Media on page 14.

How well that an encoded RFID label functions depends on factors such as where the label is placed on an item as well as on the contents of the item (such as metals or liquids). Contact the supplier of your RFID transponders for assistance with these types of issues.

Transponder Placement

The RFID transponder, which is sometimes called the RFID tag, is usually comprised of an antenna that is bonded to an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The IC chip contains the RF circuit, coders, decoders, and memory. If you hold an RFID label up to the light, you can see the transponder’s antenna embedded within the label, and you can feel a bump in the label where the IC chip is located.

Communication between the RFID label and the printer is established when the label’s transponder lines up with the printer’s antenna. The optimal transponder programming position varies with the transponder size, its configuration, and the type of RFID IC chip used.

Print quality may be affected by printing directly over the transponder. In particular, there is an area on each label immediately around the location of the IC chip where the printer may print with low quality. Design your printed label around the location of the chip in the type of approved RFID label that you select.

Important • It is important to use transponders that have been specifically approved for use in this RFID printer. Failure to do so may result in the inability to read or write to the embedded RFID tags. As new transponders become commercially available, Zebra will evaluate them for compatibility with this printer. To order labels with transponders that are approved for your specific RFID printer, contact your authorized Zebra reseller.

ZPL Commands for RFID Applications

Each RFID label has memory that can be read and most have memory that can be written to through Zebra Programming Language (ZPL) commands. Use ZPL to read and encode (write to) RFID labels just as you would use ZPL to print data on the labels. You can use serialized fields, field variables, and any other ZPL features (such as the command ^HV on page 80 to return the results to a host computer).

The RFID-specific ZPL commands for this printer are described in ZPL II Commands for RFID on page 77. For examples of how you may use the ZPL commands, see Creating Basic RFID Label Formats on page 69.

For more information about non-RFID ZPL commands and how to use them, refer to the ZPL II Programming Guide (part number 46530L). A copy is available on the R110Xi/R170Xi User CD (part number 23062-003) and online at http://www.zebra.com/manuals.

66 R110Xi/R170Xi User Guide 12/6/04 23063L-003 Rev. 1