Alpha Dot is the outer case-coding specialists in the UK and are a wholly owned subsidiary of Domino Printing Sciences.

Domino Printing Sciences are RFID (Radio Frequency) Solution Providers
EPCglobal Subscribers
Systems Integration

For RFID enquires contact;

Julian Alden
RFID Project Co-ordinator
Email: rfidcommon@domino-uk.com

Tagging solution is made to measure

As brand owners grapple with the costs and complexities associated with adding RFID tags to their products in transit, Domino and Omron have linked up to offer a ‘similer’ cost-effective solution to address these issues.

RFID tagging has become the buzzword of the supply chain, with the major supermarkets investigating the various system on offer - and some looking to implement is sooner rather than later. It is, however, a technology that is not without problems. All over the world suppliers to retail environments must examine ways to deliver RFID cost efficiently. And this is where the latest launch from Domino print sciences and Omron Electronics comes in.

A strategic alliance between the companies combine their global reach and expertise in bar-coding and RFID solutions and claims to provide customers with a flexible and cost effective method of linking bar-coding and radio frequency identification.

The companies acknowledge that RFID systems can be an expensive and complex business, but their new Product traceability system (PTS) is described as a ‘seamless system approach’, which can overcome many of these problems. The alliance will study the needs of individual customers to provide customised features that go beyond retailer requirements and create a total solution for factory management, offering cost savings an providing a ‘comfort zone’ for customers.

‘The solution will provide payback; it is not just an on-cost for customers. Every customers is different and we will provide custom-made systems that create real flexibility and options in deploying RFID that can be linked to quality, productivity, automation, and track and tracing systems throughout the factory’, explained Simon King, Domino’s outer case coding director, ‘For example the system assures 100% product compliance through the elimination of bad RF tag and barcode reads.’

The non–contact RF tag apply and in-line digital print system ensures integrity of the bar code and the RFID tag by offering in-line human readable bar coding and RFID in combination, Domino says ‘It is the separation of the RF tag from the bar coded data and the human readable information combined with non contact application that is the key differentiator.’

The RFID tag is not embedded in a bar-coded label, which means that both can be read independently and the tag placed in the position of choice.

The separate RF tag application ensures flexibility in placement, an essential feature for automated systems to ensure tag readability for different types of products. ‘Contact systems may cause degradation of the RFID tag or thermal print face used to apply the bar code and human readable data.

‘PTS’ avoids such issues and, because the system design is modular, customers can start with the cost benefits of in-line digital printing of bar codes, and add RFID capability retrospectively when required. There is no need to change print engines or deal with large, potentially expensive labels with embedded RF tags’, said King.

The system is said to be easy to integrate into existing lines to provide bar coding and RFID encoding and validation in just over one metre of conveyor length. And although the RFID tags and each bar code are validated as part of the coding process it is possible to provide different levels of information in each.

This meets the different requirements of the bar-coding standard governed by coding Standard EAN.UCC and the information required by the RFID Mandate being introduced by major retailers. RFID still poses several challenges for retailers and suppliers, not least in the quality and consistency of data required to make the whole process work. Domino says PTS can bring the benefits of flexibility to the party and help organisations still daunted by e RFID implementation to go forward with assurance.

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http://www.domino-printing.com Domino Printing Sciences is a world leader in ink jet and laser technologies offering total coding and printing solutions. Variable data such as bar codes and traceability codes are printed on to products in industries such as food, beverage and pharmaceutical. Systems solutions have been developed to print addresses and numbering on products in binding and finishing, newspaper and games management industries and many more.