Reel to Reel IoT Labels Designed for Sustainability

Published: January 29, 2025
  • Linxens is offering its smart labels with Sigfox OG and Wirepas protocols to transmit location in environments such as warehouses and industrial sites
  • With temperature sensors, they can transmit environmental conditions in real time

Offering an alternative for IoT-based supply chain and logistic management, Linxens has released a sustainable IoT smart label that can be printed, and transmits location data for tracking of inventory via Sigfox OG or Wirepas protocols.

Based in France, Linxens manufactures electronic components for smart card solutions used in payment and access applications as well as other tracking, authentication and end-user experiences.

This year the company has released new reel-to-reel IoT smart labels aimed at improving a user’s sustainability, to track and transmit sensor-based data in supply chains and logistics. The company said it is aiming to help customers meet regulatory requirements in the EU such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

The new labels, designed in collaboration with its Sigfox’s parent company UnaBiz and NXP Semiconductors, are five millimeters thick and 10-by-15 centimeters across, for integration into existing logistics processes and packaging. In addition to using Sigfox, the labels can communicate via Wirepas protocol, or by satellite, said Laurent Coussonnet, Linxens’ strategy and partnerships global director.

From Smart Cards to Sustainable IoT

“The smart label is derived from our expertise in smartcards. It allows us to apply our reel-to-reel industrial capacity to flexible electronics,” Coussonnet said. “This is a real revolution, as it allows us to produce billions of units at very aggressive costs, leveraging the production process that the company has used for its labels for over 40 years.”

In one version, the Sigfox Foxtracker label integrates its technology for geolocation, providing precision based on the Sigfox reader infrastructure in the area. Location can range from tens of meters in well-equipped areas to several kilometers in less-covered regions—which might be adequate for determining the presence of trucks or trains in a town.

The tag includes a temperature sensor for transmitting environmental data and is programmable via a 13.56 MHz NFC radio to optimize battery usage.

Activation and Short-Term Battery

The label supports two-way communication: receiving activation instructions and transmitting location and temperature data. Designed for short-term use, it automatically shuts down once its battery is depleted.

Additionally, the company is developing a Sigfox compatible-tracker using GPS for outdoor tracking and automatically switching to BLE and Sigfox for indoor tracking.

Toward the end of this year, Linxens intends to offer a battery-free, UHF RAIN RFID version of the label , according to Coussonnet.

Lowering Deployment Costs

Each label is encoded with a unique identity that is passively linked to its electronic components, but all data will be sent as messages and relayed to the cloud.

The reel-to-reel product makes the technology deployment lower cost, and easier for those with high volume of assets to manage.

“Our customers manage operations involving up to 45,000 pallets daily, demanding production solutions capable of meeting such high throughput,” Coussonnet said. “In this context, our cost-efficient reel-to-reel production capabilities uniquely position us as a key player, offering scalable solutions tailored to the evolving demands of the industry.”

Sustainable Production Process

The sustainability of the smart label is linked to the technology used to produce it: the printing of electronic components. The antenna contained in this label—traditionally copper or aluminum material—can be printed with specific inks containing conductive materials (nano ferrites) which are recyclable: the label can be thrown in the garbage can and recycled later.

This technology can be used to print not only antennas, but batteries, certain electronic components, and even a solar panel, which Coussonnet said makes the whole package much more environmentally friendly than what is available on the market today.”

That also means limiting the use of raw materials. “We are also working to develop new solutions based on recycled materials to further limit our impact,” he said.

Tracking Pallets in Warehouses and Industrial Sites

Linxens has a roadmap that addresses multiple business cases and models. The most common deployment involves ultra-low-cost tags for tracking pallets or boxes. Additionally, the technology is designed for sites where some standard, shorter-range technology might be less beneficial.

The combination of Sigfox and Wirepas is appropriate for tracking in industrial sites, with the possibility of reuse. The tags are programmed to transmit intermittently, while the frequency of the message transmissions has a direct impact on the capacity of the printed battery.

The tag’s battery is mainly manganese cobalt, making the unit recyclable.

The new tags will help open up the automatic ID market for logistics requiring large volumes, such as pallets or parcels, said Coussonnet. “Our goal is to reach €1 million by the end of this year.”

Connectivity that Suits Geography

Wirepas is a mesh-network based technology aimed at connecting millions of devices seamlessly across large industrial spaces. Unlike traditional networks that depend on centralized infrastructure, Wirepas Mesh enables direct communication between devices, using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio protocol.

Sigfox operates in the unlicensed ISM frequency bands. Different bands are available for Sigfox networks in different regions in the world. There are currently six such geographical regions for Sigfox: RC1 through RC6. This situation can change as new networks and countries are added.

Each region has a different set of parameters, related to frequency range, maximum radiated power, radio front end and other specifics.

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