RFID FOR MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION WITH APPLICATIONS IN MANUFACTURING

摘要

An RFID tag system and method. An RFID tag is encapsulated within a protective material and formed as a ball. The RFID ball is then mixed with a material that is to be deposited on a particular work piece, such as a coating being deposited on a piece of sheet metal. The RFID ball can later be read when the work piece is in the production environment using a suitable RFID reader. In this manner, the RFID ball forms a permanent part of the work piece and is able to be interrogated at any occasion during the assembly of a product.