Radio frequency identification technology, also known as radio frequency identification (RFID), is a kind of automatic identification technology. It carries out non-contact two-way data communication through radio frequency, and reads and writes recording media, so as to achieve the purpose of identification and data exchange.
RFID system usually consists of passive RFID tag, RFID reader/writer and application system. The passive RFID tag contains a chip, which is used to store the identification information of the object to be identified; The function of the reader / writer is to write the identification information of the object to be identified into the chip of the passive RFID tag (writing function), or read the information stored in the chip of the passive RFID tag by transmitting radio frequency signals within the reading range of the RFID reader / writer (reading function); The antenna is used to receive and transmit RF signals and is usually installed in the tag and RFID reader/writer.
(2) RFID technology features
Compared with traditional automatic identification technology such as bar code identification technology, RFID has obvious technical advantages: 1) large storage capacity, fast reading and writing speed and high security; 2) RFID adopts PET material, which is high temperature and corrosion resistant; 3) Smaller and more flexible; 4) Data encryption can be performed by software; 5) Multi object recognition is used repeatedly and has strong penetration.
(3) RFID technology classification
Passvie RFID tag is a kind of micro wireless transceiver. The tag stores the relevant information of the recognized object. The electronic tag is usually placed on the surface of the recognized object. The electronic tag can be regarded as the "transceiver" in the RFID system. When the passive RFID tag is recognized by the reader or the electronic tag actively sends a message to the reader, the object information in the tag will be read or rewritten. The electronic tag is mainly composed of a built-in antenna (coupling element) and a chip. RFID electronic tags usually require small, thin and implantable in a variety of materials.
According to the different requirements of electronic tags in the RFID system in different applications, the types of RFID electronic tags are also divided into different types. According to the working frequency, they can be divided into low frequency, high frequency, ultra-high frequency and microwave.
(4) Application of RFID Technology
RFID technology is applied in many fields. At present, it has been commercialized in various degrees in financial payment, logistics, retail, manufacturing, medical treatment, identity identification, anti-counterfeiting, asset management, transportation, food, animal identification, library, automobile, aviation, military and other industries.
(5) Production process of RFID antenna
In order to meet the application requirements of RFID antenna, researchers and technicians around the world have conducted a lot of research and development on the manufacturing process of RFID antenna.
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers
In the early days of RFID antenna, copper winding method and copper etching method were mainly used. After years of independent innovation, China Unicom has developed a process route for manufacturing RFID antenna on aluminum substrate by etching, and has obtained a series of invention patents. Aluminum etching RFID antenna has the advantages of low cost, high production speed and environmental friendliness, and has become the mainstream RFID antenna manufacturing method in the industry.
2. Industry development trend
(1) The development of Internet of things brings new opportunities for RFID
RFID is an important part of the perception layer of the Internet of things, and is the basis for each object to identify, communicate and interconnect in the Internet of things. Compared with other sensing technologies (two-dimensional code, bar code, etc.), RFID technology has the advantages of no contact, no visibility, and full automatic identification. It has relatively low restrictions on the use environment, reading distance, reading efficiency, and readability. Therefore, RFID technology stands out with its own advantages, accelerates the implementation of the Internet of things, and becomes the key technology for the construction of the Internet of things. In recent years, the development of the Internet of things has brought new opportunities to the RFID industry.
(2) UHF RFID will become the focus of industry development
In the Chinese market, the application of high-frequency RFID technology is still the mainstream trend of the industry development, and UHF is the future development trend. In China, RFID has formed a mature application mode in the fields of electronic tickets, access control, mobile phone payment and so on. Most of the applications in these fields are concentrated in the low and high frequency band. In terms of high-frequency applications, the chip design, manufacturing, ticket manufacturing process and packaging technology of domestic manufacturers have gradually highlighted their strong competitive strength and advantages. After several years of rapid development, the domestic RFID high-frequency industrial chain has been constantly improved and can be compared with the international level, becoming the backbone of this market. In the future, with the continuous breakthrough of China's RFID high-frequency technology, in response to the "the Belt and Road" policy, more and more RFID enterprises will successively go to sea to compete with overseas giant manufacturers and seize market share. In the field of UHF RFID, China's current market share is only at a low level. However, with the continuous popularization and development of UHF RFID in many fields, such as new retail of shoes and clothing, unmanned convenience stores, book management, medical health, aviation, logistics and transportation, UHF RFID will become a key breakthrough in the industry development in the future.
3. Basic risk characteristics of the industry
(1) Chip shortage risk
The unfavorable situation of global chip shortage, coupled with the impact of the complex international situation, has a great impact on Chinese enterprises. RFID tag chip suppliers are experiencing different degrees of delivery delay, which will also lead to some deployment delays related to the RFID industry chain. Some small-scale RFID packaging plants may have been unable to accept orders due to lack of chips, resulting in insufficient operation. Even some large-scale packaging plants have begun to fail to accept orders and insufficient operation.
(2) Macroeconomic environmental risk
In recent years, due to the impact of external economic environment, internal economic restructuring and industrial upgrading, China's macroeconomic growth has slowed down, with obvious downward pressure and prominent supply side problems. Affected by the macro-economy, the prosperity of the downstream industry targeted by RFID will decline, and the downstream demand for RFID may decrease, leading to the slowdown of RFID development.
RFID industry technical characteristics, classification, application, industry development trend and related risks
1. Industry development overview
(1) Introduction to RFID Technology
Radio frequency identification technology, also known as radio frequency identification (RFID), is a kind of automatic identification technology. It carries out non-contact two-way data communication through radio frequency, and reads and writes recording media, so as to achieve the purpose of identification and data exchange.
RFID system usually consists of passive RFID tag, RFID reader/writer and application system. The passive RFID tag contains a chip, which is used to store the identification information of the object to be identified; The function of the reader / writer is to write the identification information of the object to be identified into the chip of the passive RFID tag (writing function), or read the information stored in the chip of the passive RFID tag by transmitting radio frequency signals within the reading range of the RFID reader / writer (reading function); The antenna is used to receive and transmit RF signals and is usually installed in the tag and RFID reader/writer.
(2) RFID technology features
Compared with traditional automatic identification technology such as bar code identification technology, RFID has obvious technical advantages: 1) large storage capacity, fast reading and writing speed and high security; 2) RFID adopts PET material, which is high temperature and corrosion resistant; 3) Smaller and more flexible; 4) Data encryption can be performed by software; 5) Multi object recognition is used repeatedly and has strong penetration.
(3) RFID technology classification
Passvie RFID tag is a kind of micro wireless transceiver. The tag stores the relevant information of the recognized object. The electronic tag is usually placed on the surface of the recognized object. The electronic tag can be regarded as the "transceiver" in the RFID system. When the passive RFID tag is recognized by the reader or the electronic tag actively sends a message to the reader, the object information in the tag will be read or rewritten. The electronic tag is mainly composed of a built-in antenna (coupling element) and a chip. RFID electronic tags usually require small, thin and implantable in a variety of materials.
According to the different requirements of electronic tags in the RFID system in different applications, the types of RFID electronic tags are also divided into different types. According to the working frequency, they can be divided into low frequency, high frequency, ultra-high frequency and microwave.
(4) Application of RFID Technology
RFID technology is applied in many fields. At present, it has been commercialized in various degrees in financial payment, logistics, retail, manufacturing, medical treatment, identity identification, anti-counterfeiting, asset management, transportation, food, animal identification, library, automobile, aviation, military and other industries.
(5) Production process of RFID antenna
In order to meet the application requirements of RFID antenna, researchers and technicians around the world have conducted a lot of research and development on the manufacturing process of RFID antenna.
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers
In the early days of RFID antenna, copper winding method and copper etching method were mainly used. After years of independent innovation, China Unicom has developed a process route for manufacturing RFID antenna on aluminum substrate by etching, and has obtained a series of invention patents. Aluminum etching RFID antenna has the advantages of low cost, high production speed and environmental friendliness, and has become the mainstream RFID antenna manufacturing method in the industry.
2. Industry development trend
(1) The development of Internet of things brings new opportunities for RFID
RFID is an important part of the perception layer of the Internet of things, and is the basis for each object to identify, communicate and interconnect in the Internet of things. Compared with other sensing technologies (two-dimensional code, bar code, etc.), RFID technology has the advantages of no contact, no visibility, and full automatic identification. It has relatively low restrictions on the use environment, reading distance, reading efficiency, and readability. Therefore, RFID technology stands out with its own advantages, accelerates the implementation of the Internet of things, and becomes the key technology for the construction of the Internet of things. In recent years, the development of the Internet of things has brought new opportunities to the RFID industry.
(2) UHF RFID will become the focus of industry development
In the Chinese market, the application of high-frequency RFID technology is still the mainstream trend of the industry development, and UHF is the future development trend. In China, RFID has formed a mature application mode in the fields of electronic tickets, access control, mobile phone payment and so on. Most of the applications in these fields are concentrated in the low and high frequency band. In terms of high-frequency applications, the chip design, manufacturing, ticket manufacturing process and packaging technology of domestic manufacturers have gradually highlighted their strong competitive strength and advantages. After several years of rapid development, the domestic RFID high-frequency industrial chain has been constantly improved and can be compared with the international level, becoming the backbone of this market. In the future, with the continuous breakthrough of China's RFID high-frequency technology, in response to the "the Belt and Road" policy, more and more RFID enterprises will successively go to sea to compete with overseas giant manufacturers and seize market share. In the field of UHF RFID, China's current market share is only at a low level. However, with the continuous popularization and development of UHF RFID in many fields, such as new retail of shoes and clothing, unmanned convenience stores, book management, medical health, aviation, logistics and transportation, UHF RFID will become a key breakthrough in the industry development in the future.
3. Basic risk characteristics of the industry
(1) Chip shortage risk
The unfavorable situation of global chip shortage, coupled with the impact of the complex international situation, has a great impact on Chinese enterprises. RFID tag chip suppliers are experiencing different degrees of delivery delay, which will also lead to some deployment delays related to the RFID industry chain. Some small-scale RFID packaging plants may have been unable to accept orders due to lack of chips, resulting in insufficient operation. Even some large-scale packaging plants have begun to fail to accept orders and insufficient operation.
(2) Macroeconomic environmental risk
In recent years, due to the impact of external economic environment, internal economic restructuring and industrial upgrading, China's macroeconomic growth has slowed down, with obvious downward pressure and prominent supply side problems. Affected by the macro-economy, the prosperity of the downstream industry targeted by RFID will decline, and the downstream demand for RFID may decrease, leading to the slowdown of RFID development.