Dec 13, 2006This article was originally published by RFID Update.
December 13, 2006—A company called AdvantaPure that specializes in ultra-clean products for the pharmaceutical, biomedical, food, and cosmetic industries, has released the GammaTag, which it claims is the first and only RFID tag that can withstand sterilization by gamma irradiation.
Gamma irradiation is a sterilization or decontamination technique that kills bacteria by the emission of gamma rays, rays that would typically destroy an RFID tag in their path. The GammaTag, however, can withstand them, and is therefore usable in so-called "clean" applications that involve gamma irradiation. This is a major advancement, according to AdvantaPure, because tagging assets yields numerous advantages over traditional paper records and log books, allowing companies to electronically associate a tagged object with key data like certifications, installation instructions, warning notices, and disposal procedures.
Historically, says CEO Ken Baker, the application of RFID to sterilization processes was limited because of the technology's vulnerability to gamma rays. "GammaTag addresses that issue by being gamma irradiatable. It simplifies sterilization because a complete, single-use process system may be gamma radiation sterilized as a unit."
The read-writable GammaTag is a high frequency (HF) tag with two kilobytes of storage and a read range of 50 millimeters. It can be used with all sorts of industrial containers and components, including sample and production bags, tanks, filters, manifolds, tubing and hose, storage vessels, and complete single-use systems. It can be attached with silicone tape, watchband-style holders, pouches, and lamination. It handles gamma radiation up to 45 kilograys and temperatures from -20°C (-4°F) to 85°C (185°F).
The GammaTag is the most recent example of a tag designed specially for niche applications. As RFID adoption expands for closed-loop industrial environments, so too will the availability of tags catering to these environments' particularities.
