This article was published on 4/11/2023 and updated on 8/11/2026
An RFID converting system includes the tag/label stock, inlay (with chip and antenna), insertion system, finishing elements such as die cutting, and inspection with reader, and software for capturing and managing data. For converters, producing RFID labels, tags, and tickets consistently and efficiently is critical. The inlay must be placed with repeatable precision during insertion to meet production and quality requirements.
RFID is used to identify and track products, assets, inventory, files, shipments, tickets, and other items without requiring direct line-of-sight scanning. The end user may rely on RFID for visibility, inventory control, shipment verification, security, or compliance. For the converter, that system starts with a finished RFID label, tag, or ticket produced with accurate inlay placement, consistent construction, and the right finishing or encoding process for the application.
What Is an RFID Tag System?
An RFID tag system uses radio frequency identification to communicate information between a tag and a reader. The tag is attached to the item being identified. The reader captures the tag information. Software connects that information to a business system, such as inventory management, asset tracking, shipment verification, access control, product authentication, or compliance documentation.
The RFID tag system includes both the physical RFID product and the equipment or software that reads and manages the data. The tag travels with the item. The reader captures the information. The software determines what the read means and how it should be used.
For label and tag converters, the focus is usually the RFID product itself: the label, tag, ticket, card, or specialty construction that carries the inlay.
Core Components of an RFID Tag System
Most RFID systems rely on a few core components: a tag or label, an antenna, a reader, and a host system or software platform. GS1 US identifies these as the main parts of an RFID system, with the inlay serving as the tag’s working component. Understanding these parts helps explain why the construction of the finished RFID label, tag, or ticket matters.
RFID Tag, Label, or Ticket
The finished product might be a pressure-sensitive label, apparel tag, luggage tag, file label, event ticket, transportation ticket, card, or specialty construction.
Different applications require different materials and formats. A logistics label, an apparel tag, a pharmaceutical label, a ski lift ticket, and an airline bag tag do not all use the same construction. Materials, adhesives, print layout, inlay type, and finishing all affect how the finished RFID product is produced.
The finished RFID tag or label contains an inlay, which enables it to communicate with a reader.
RFID Inlay
The RFID inlay is the functional RFID component inside the label, tag, or ticket. It contains the chip and antenna. Inlays may be wet or dry, and they may be selected for UHF, HF, or NFC/HF applications depending on the finished product and how it will be read.
For converters, inlay placement is one of the most important production details. The inlay must be positioned relative to the print, repeat, die-cut, or final product format. Poor placement can create issues during conversion or finishing, especially on jobs that require tight registration or multiple production lanes.
An RFID inlay may be inserted into a label construction, placed between tag plies, or built into another converted format. The correct approach depends on the product being produced and the customer’s application.
Chip or Integrated Circuit
The chip, also called an integrated circuit (IC), stores the identifying information carried by the RFID tag. That information may include an EPC, serial number, product identifier, shipment data, or other data required by the customer’s system.
When the tag is read, the chip communicates through the antenna. In passive RFID tags, the chip does not have its own power source. It is activated by energy from the reader.
Some applications require basic identification. Others require encoded data, user memory, locking, or additional security features. The chip must meet the job’s data and tracking requirements.
RFID Antenna
An RFID system uses antennas in multiple locations. The tag has an antenna integrated into the inlay. The reader system may also use one or more antennas to send and receive signals.
The tag antenna allows the chip to communicate with the reader. The reader antenna helps capture information from tags within range. Antenna design, tag orientation, item material, and the surrounding environment can all affect performance.
For converters, this reinforces the need to match the inlay and finished construction to the application. A tag used on a carton may not require the same construction as a label used on a bottle, asset, file, or ticket.
RFID Reader
The RFID reader captures information from RFID tags. Readers may be fixed in place at a dock door, doorway, conveyor, checkout area, or production point. They may also be handheld for inventory counts, asset tracking, or field use.
The reader is not usually part of the finished RFID label or tag. It belongs to the system used by the company that applies or reads the RFID-enabled item.
Some readers only capture data. Others can also write data to a tag, depending on the application and system configuration.
RFID Software and Data Systems
RFID software receives data from the reader and connects it to a useful workflow. A tag read on its own only captures information. The software connects to read inventory, shipment status, access control, product records, or other business data.
RFID software may support inventory management, asset tracking, shipment verification, product authentication, file tracking, order fulfillment, access control, or compliance documentation.
This is where RFID becomes valuable for the end user. The tag identifies the item, but the software makes the information usable.
Common RFID System Applications
RFID systems are used across many industries and applications. Common examples include inventory management, asset tracking, logistics and shipping, airline luggage tracking, apparel tagging, file and document tracking, healthcare identification, event ticketing, transportation ticketing, and product authentication.
These applications vary, but they share one basic requirement: the RFID label, tag, or ticket must be produced consistently. If the inlay is not placed correctly, or if the finished construction does not match the application, the system may not read the tag as expected.
RFID Production Equipment for Converters
Converters produce the RFID labels, tags, and tickets used in these systems. Depending on the job, production may involve inlay insertion, web control, registration, die-cutting, slitting, rewinding, encoding, testing, marking, or roll-to-tag/ticket output.
Inline RFID insertion is used when inlay placement is integrated into a flexo press workflow. Offline RFID insertion is used when inlays are inserted into pre-printed webs on a separate platform. Encoding and testing may be handled as a secondary process when finished RFID labels, tags, or tickets require verified data.
The production workflow should match the job. Some converters need RFID insertion directly on a new or existing flexo press. Others need an offline platform for pre-printed webs. Some jobs require encoded and tested labels before delivery.
Tamarack RFID Inlay Insertion and Encoding Equipment
Tamarack Products provides RFID inlay insertion and encoding equipment for converters producing RFID labels, tags, and tickets in inline and offline converting environments.
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 system is servo-driven, typically installed after the press print stations and before the finishing section, and supports dry inlay insertion, with wet inlay insertion also available.
The Tamarack MVW Offline RFID Inlay Insertion Equipment provides an offline platform for inserting RFID inlays into pre-printed webs. It includes re-registration to place the inlay in register with the print and can be configured for wet inlays, dry inlays, or both. It also supports multiple lanes, die-cutting options, and roll-to-roll or roll-to-tag/ticket production.
The Tamarack EZ RFID Encode supports offline encoding and variable data printing as a secondary process to inlay insertion. The system encodes, tests, locks inlays (if required), marks labels that do not pass the testing protocol, and slits and rewinds finished RFID-enabled labels when configured for multi-lane production. Optional variable data printing is also available to print a bar code on the label, matching the data in the bar code to the data encoded in the chip.
Reliable RFID Systems Start with Reliable Tags
An RFID tag system depends on several components working together: the tag, inlay, chip, antenna, reader, and software. For converters, the finished RFID label, tag, or ticket is the part they control. Accurate inlay placement, consistent construction, and the right encoding or finishing process help support the RFID system the customer will use.
Tamarack® Products engineers RFID inlay insertion and encoding equipment for converters producing RFID labels, tags, and tickets. Tamarack provides inline, offline, and encoding systems designed to support accurate inlay placement, reliable web handling, and flexible production workflows. Contact Tamarack today to discuss RFID inlay insertion and encoding equipment for your production requirements.
