As digital supply chain management becomes increasingly important, RFID (radio frequency identification) technology has been widely used in multiple industries due to its efficient and accurate tracking capabilities. However, for liquid products, the application of RFID technology has always faced many challenges. Recently, Goodwin Inc. has successfully broken this technical barrier with its innovative solution, opening up a new path for the application of RFID tags for liquid products such as automobiles and cleaning products.
Goodwin Inc., a century-old bottling service company, focuses on high-speed liquid filling and mixing. Its customers mainly produce liquid chemicals such as car care products and household cleaners. As retail giants such as Walmart require suppliers to attach RFID tags to goods to improve inventory management and tracking efficiency, Goodwin Inc. quickly responded and cooperated with Phoenix Label to jointly launch RFID tag solutions specifically for liquid products.
Traditionally, RFID technology is mostly used to track solid goods such as clothing and footwear, but when applied to liquid products, it encounters the problem that liquids and metal packaging reflect or absorb radio frequency transmissions, making it difficult for tags to be accurately read. To this end, Goodwin Inc. worked closely with Phoenix Label to develop a variety of innovative label designs and application methods.
First, Phoenix Label has designed a new type of UHF RFID tag, whose unique inner layer embedding technology effectively isolates the RFID chip and antenna from the liquid in the product container, thereby avoiding interference from radio frequency transmission. This tag not only has a multi-layer structure and perforated edges, but also resembles a coupon style, which is easy to attach to the front of the package.
Second, Goodwin Inc. provides a variety of flexible label attachment methods. In addition to extended logos or hanging tags, the company also recommends attaching RFID tags to non-liquid parts of the product, such as above the top of the bottle. To ensure reliable reading of the tag, this process requires extremely precise filling control to avoid liquid touching the tag attachment point. With its advanced bottling technology, Goodwin Inc. is able to always maintain precise control of the filling volume, thereby effectively ensuring the success rate of RFID tag reading.
In addition, Goodwin Inc. is also exploring the possibility of applying RFID technology to bottle caps. By installing a small RFID antenna and chip on the top of the bottle cap, radio frequency transmission can be performed without interference from liquids. Although this method has not yet been officially approved by the Auburn University RFID Laboratory, Goodwin Inc. is actively working with the laboratory to promote the research and development and application of this technology.
During the label production and application process, Goodwin Inc. strictly follows quality control standards. The company uses a handheld reader to test the readability of each batch of RFID tags and provides subsequent label reading verification after the product is bottled. These measures ensure the stable performance of RFID tags throughout the supply chain and provide customers with reliable tracking and management solutions.
Goodwin Inc.'s innovative practices have not only won the recognition of retailers such as Walmart, but also provided a model for other liquid product companies to learn from. As more retailers may issue instructions for the application of RFID technology, Goodwin Inc. expects this market to usher in a broader development prospect.
As a leader in the experimentation and application of RFID tags for liquid filling products, Goodwin Inc. is constantly promoting industry progress and technological innovation. In the future, the company will continue to work hand in hand with partners to contribute more wisdom and strength to the digital transformation of the liquid product industry.
This paper is from Ulink Media, Shenzhen, China, the organizer of IOTE EXPO (IoT Expo in China)
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