RFID Inlay Basics: LF, HF/NFC and UHF Explained

RFID inlays are at the heart of many contactless identification products. An inlay generally combines an RFID chip and antenna on a suitable substrate, creating the functional electronic component used inside cards, labels, tags and other RFID products.

One of the first decisions when selecting an RFID solution is the operating frequency.

LF — Low Frequency

Low-frequency RFID commonly operates around 125 kHz.

LF technologies are widely used in applications such as access control, identification and other short-range systems.

HF and NFC — High Frequency

High-frequency RFID commonly operates at 13.56 MHz.

This category includes many smart card and NFC technologies used in:

• Access control
• Identification
• Membership systems
• Transportation
• NFC applications
• Authentication
• Contactless smart cards

Different chips provide different memory capacities, security features and protocol support.

UHF — Ultra High Frequency

UHF RFID is commonly selected when longer reading distances and efficient identification of multiple items are required.

Typical applications include:

• Logistics
• Warehousing
• Asset tracking
• Inventory management
• Supply chain identification
• Industrial applications

Choosing the Right RFID Inlay

Frequency alone is not enough.

Buyers should also consider:

• Chip
• Protocol
• Antenna dimensions
• Read range
• Product dimensions
• Substrate
• Operating environment
• Inlay format
• Quantity
• Final application

RFIDock supplies LF, HF/NFC and UHF inlay solutions and supports customized chip, antenna, material and layout requirements.

Tell us your application, frequency, chip requirement and product dimensions, and we can help identify a suitable inlay solution.