This article was published on 5/11/2023 and updated on 8/18/2026
RFID asset tracking labels and tags help identify, track, and manage items as they move through inventory, storage, distribution, or field use. These RFID-enabled products may be used on tools, equipment, files, containers, returnable assets, finished goods, pharmaceutical products, apparel, luggage, and other tracked items.
For converters, producing RFID asset-tracking labels requires accurate inlay placement, consistent registration, controlled web handling, and finished construction that matches the customer’s tracking application. The equipment workflow depends on the label or tag format, inlay type, print requirements, lane count, and whether encoding or verification is required before delivery.
What Is RFID Asset Tracking?
RFID asset tracking uses RFID labels or tags to identify physical items via radio-frequency technology. The RFID inlay inside the label or tag contains the antenna and chip that allow the item to communicate with an RFID reader.
Unlike barcode scanning, RFID does not require direct line-of-sight scanning. This can support faster identification when multiple items need to be read or when labels are not easily visible. The final tracking performance depends on the tag, reader, software, environment, and how the RFID label or tag is applied.
RFID asset tracking may be used for applications such as warehouse inventory, rental equipment, production tracking, document tracking, medical assets, logistics, apparel, and airline luggage. Each application may require a different label construction, inlay format, material, adhesive, print layout, or encoded data structure.
RFID Labels and Tags for Asset Tracking
RFID asset tracking labels and tags are built around the inlay. The inlay must be placed in the correct position within the construction so the finished product can perform as intended.
RFID labels are commonly produced with face stocks and adhesives selected for the end-use application. RFID tags and tickets may use different top and bottom plies, depending on the finished format. In either case, the RFID inlay needs to stay in register with the print, finished size, and converting requirements.
Asset tracking applications may include:
- Logistics and inventory labels
- Tool and equipment tracking labels
- File and document tracking labels
- Apparel labels and tags
- Airline luggage tags
- Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical labels
- Event, transportation, or access tickets
The production workflow depends on how the label, tag, or ticket is printed, inserted, finished, and verified.
Inline RFID Inlay Insertion for Asset Tracking Labels
Inline RFID insertion is used when the converter wants inlay placement to run as part of a flexo press workflow. The Tamarack MVW Inline RFID Inlay Insertion Equipment produces RFID labels, tickets, and tags in a single pass on a new or existing flexo press.
The equipment is typically installed after the press print stations and before the finishing section. This allows the converter to print, insert, and finish RFID asset-tracking labels or tags through a single connected workflow, depending on the press and equipment configuration.
Tamarack’s MVW Inline RFID equipment is servo-driven and designed for wet or dry inlay insertion. Operator-friendly controls, fast setup, and a simple web path support short-run jobs, trials, and high volume production work.
Inline production can be useful when RFID asset-tracking labels need to remain on the press during insertion and finishing. Job requirements, such as inlay size, repeat, lane count, registration, and finishing format, determine how the equipment should be configured.
Offline RFID Inlay Insertion for Pre-Printed or Blank Webs
Offline RFID insertion is used when inlay placement is handled on a separate platform after printing or when no printing is required on the final product. The Tamarack MVW Offline RFID Inlay Insertion Equipment is designed to insert RFID inlays into pre-printed or blank webs.
The offline platform includes re-registration to help place the inlay in register with the print. It can be configured for wet inlays, dry inlays, or both, and can support multiple lanes for higher-volume production.
Options include reader, marker, and encoder integration, multiple die-cut units in the finishing section, and roll-to-roll or roll-to-tag/ticket production. This workflow can fit converters that print on separate equipment, manage multiple SKUs, or need dedicated production time for RFID insertion.
Encoding and Testing RFID Asset Tracking Labels
Some RFID asset-tracking labels and tags require encoded data before delivery. Encoding writes the required data to the inlay so the finished label or tag can identify the correct item when it is read.
The Tamarack® EZ RFID Encode supports this secondary process. A roll of RFID labels, tickets, or tags is brought to the system, where the inlay can be encoded, tested, and locked if required. Labels that do not pass the testing protocol can be marked through communication with the reader/encoder and inkjet system. Additionally, variable data printers can be integrated to print a bar code with data to match the encoded chip. A camera system is the final step to make sure that the data in the chip matches the data in the bar code.
The label roll can then be slit, if multi-lane, and rewound into finished RFID-enabled labels. EZ RFID Encode can also be equipped for UHF and HF/NFC, with multi-lane configurations available.
Choosing the Right RFID Asset Tracking Production Workflow
The right production workflow depends on how the converter needs to print, insert, encode, verify, and finish the RFID asset tracking product. Inline RFID insertion keeps the inlay placement connected to the flexo press. Offline RFID insertion provides converters with a dedicated platform for blank or pre-printed webs. RFID encoding and testing support applications by verifying data before delivery.
Important production details include the inlay type, label or tag construction, print registration, lane count, finished roll or ticket format, encoding requirements, and available press capacity. These details affect whether the application is best suited for inline insertion, offline insertion, encoding as a secondary process, or a customized equipment configuration.
RFID Equipment for Asset Tracking Labels and Tags
RFID asset-tracking labels and tags require equipment that is compatible with the product, substrate, inlay, and production workflow. Tamarack® Products works with converters to configure RFID insertion and encoding equipment for inline press production, offline inlay insertion, and secondary encoding and verification. For applications that require a more specific approach to equipment, Tamarack also provides custom web-finishing equipment designed to the converter’s application and workflow demands.
Tamarack® Products engineers RFID insertion and encoding equipment for converters producing labels, tags, and tickets for asset tracking and other RFID applications. Tamarack provides inline, offline, encoding, and custom equipment solutions designed to support accurate inlay placement, controlled web handling, and flexible production workflows. Contact Tamarack today to discuss RFID asset tracking label and tag production requirements.
