On what factors does a tag’s lifespan depend?
—John
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John,
The lifespan of an RFID tag depends on many factors. If the antenna and chip are exposed to harsh chemicals or high levels of heat, it might not last for very long. But under normal conditions, most tags can function for 20 years or more. Chipmakers publish specification sheets indicating how many write cycles a particular tag will likely survive, as well as how long the tag will function under normal operating conditions. The spec sheet for Impinj’s Monza 5 chip, for example, claims it can be written to 100,000 times, and that is expected to last for 50 years.
Tags, of course, can be purchased with housings that will protect the chip and antenna from exposure to heat, corrosive chemicals, physical abuse and other issues. So you can probably find a tag that would easily last for 20 years for almost any application.
—Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal
