Modular RFID System Features Built-in I/O Capabilities

Oct. 11, 2007

TURCK introduces BLident, the first modular RFID system with built-in I/O capabilities. With BLident, users may add additional I/O modules to the RFID system: up to eight channels of RFID, plus additional discrete or analog I/O comprise a single node on the network. Built on the ISO15693 13.56MHz HF standard, BLident can be integrated into existing platforms and supports PROFIBUS-DP, DeviceNet, Modbus-TCP, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP. Standard non-programmable gateways and CoDeSys programmable gateways are available with either IP 20 or IP 67 protection rating.

BLident data carriers are available in a variety of different shapes with read/write intervals between five and 500 millimeters. The data carriers use FRAM storage technology for a virtually unlimited number of write operations. TURCK's BLident system is also the first in the industry to introduce high temperature data carriers rated up to 210°C. Available in two space saving form factors, these data carriers require no cool down time for read or write operations. Additionally, TURCK's BLident RFID has the ability to read or write data simultaneously at 0.5 ms per byte, making BLident one of the fastest inductive RFID systems on the market. BLident is even capable of "on the fly" production speeds of 10 ms at distances up to 500 millimeters.

Online BLident configuration software accompanies the system and enables applications to be simulated online before specifying hardware for purchase. This allows issues, such as the distance between the data carriers and the read/write heads and the maximum speed of the tags past the heads, to be clarified without any complex calculations or hardware.