Electronics manufacturer Murata has developed a tiny RFID module, called MAGICSTRAP, designed to enable product life cycle tracking while minimizing the amount RF expertise required to implement an RFID solution.
The product is introduced at a time when the manufacturing industry is being asked to manage product life cycle more precisely and efficiently, in part due to legislation on the disposal of home electronic equipment.
MAGICSTRAP, also marketed as the LXMS31 series, is comprised of Murata’s low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate, plus RF IC and packaging. Murata has embedded all the necessary RF circuitry, including antenna filters, matching circuitry and 10kV ESD protection, within the substrate of the module. The RF IC is then mounted on top. The result is a product with the overall dimensions of 3.2 by 1.6 by 0.7mm.
Systems for tracking a product throughout its life cycle focus on reading and writing information such as production process history from an ID in or on the product. Bar codes are the current standard for individual product identification, but the inability to add information to a bar code has led the manufacturing industry to RFID technology. ![[end]](/resources/bullet/rfidnews-4.gif)
