Embedding inkjet-printed antennas into plywood structures for identification and sensing

The embedding of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags into plywood boards will enable the identification and tracking of individual plywood boards and end products of plywood. Even more benefits can be achieved by adding sensing functions into these tags. We present tags that are embeddable inside plywood by direct inkjet-printing on pure birch veneer. The use of passive UHF RFID technology in the plywood industry is discussed, two tag antenna designs for plywood are presented and the tag fabrication procedures are described. Furthermore, tag performance measurement results from various setups are presented to verify the concept of embedding RFID and sensor antennas into plywood structures. Measurements show that tags printed on veneer and embedded inside 2 mm thick plywood board exhibited theoretical read ranges from 7.9 meters to 10.3 meters. The read ranges obtained meet the demands of the plywood industry and offer reliable identification even in challenging environments.