Intelligent packaging refers to people incorporating new technologies into packaging through innovative thinking, so that they have both the basic functions of packaging and some special properties. The particularity of these packages can meet the special requirements and environmental conditions of commodities. It involves a variety of disciplines and technologies, such as computers, microelectronics, materials, chemistry, artificial intelligence, and microbial technology.
Intelligent packaging is roughly divided into three types: functional structure type, functional material type and information type. The information-based intelligent packaging technology is mainly a new technology mainly reflecting the contents of the package and its inherent quality and information on the transportation and sales process. Information-type intelligent packaging, also known as electronic information combined packaging, is generally composed of electronic chips, software and barcodes that record information. It is one of the most dynamic and promising packaging technologies.
At present, this type of information-based intelligent packaging has evolved from one-dimensional code and two-dimensional code recognition technology to multi-dimensional code, RFID, NFC, EPC technology, and is moving towards the advanced intelligent packaging stage, which is widely used in product traceability, intelligent logistics, and intelligent warehousing. , Ticket security, personnel management, mobile payment and other aspects of life, showing an upward trend year by year, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 2014 to 2025 smart label prediction map
RFID, NFC and EPC
Application of RFID technology
1. RFID technology application
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, commonly known as electronic tags. It is a non-contact data access technology through radio waves. This technology uses wireless communication and data access technology to connect the database system behind it to form a huge and serially connected system.
According to different energy supply methods, RFID tags are divided into three types: active, passive and semi-active; according to different operating frequencies, RFID tags are divided into low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and ultra high frequency (UHF) And microwave frequency band (MW) label. The current international RFID applications are mainly LF and HF tag products; UHF tags have been produced on a large scale. Due to their advantages of remote identification and low-cost manufacturing, UHF tags are expected to become mainstream in the next few years; MW tags are only available in some countries application.
China's HF chips have been industrialized, and UHF chips have also been developed. From the analysis of technical application, RFID tags are developing from single-chip electronic tags to multi-electronic tag reading, wireless readable and writable, long-range identification of passive electronic tags, and adapting to the RFID direction of high-speed moving objects. RFID is used more in production, logistics, tracking, and asset management. Specific application examples are as follows:
â‘ RFID tags are gradually developing from chip type to chipless type. Coreless RFID tags refer to radio frequency identification tags that do not contain silicon chips. Since silicon chips are expensive, even if the cost of silicon chips is not considered, the installation cost is equivalent to 95% of the cost of the bar code used. The main advantage of coreless labels is that they can be directly printed on products and packaging at a low cost, so they are very promising in specific applications. For example, air parcels, animals, hospitalized or guarded personnel, etc.
â‘¡New materials replace traditional RFID. For example, electronic tags made of graphene materials, traditional electronic tags generally use metal aluminum as a raw material, the manufacturing process is not environmentally friendly, and the service life is short. The electronic label made of graphene material only needs to be printed directly on ordinary white paper. The manufactured label not only has better performance, but also has a long life (about 3 times that of aluminum material), and the distance for receiving signals is longer. , And energy saving and environmental protection, soft texture, can be directly pasted on soft materials such as clothes. At present, the industrialization of graphene radio frequency tags has been realized. For example, graphene electronic tags and radio frequency antennas developed and manufactured by Andreo Heim realized large-scale production in Nanjing Dingteng Graphene Research Institute Co., Ltd. in October 2017.
Figure 2 Graphene electronic tags
2. NFC technology application
NFC (Near Field Communication), short-range wireless communication technology. It is a non-contact identification and interconnection technology that enables short-range wireless communication between mobile devices, consumer electronics, PCs, and smart control tools. NFC technology supports a variety of applications, including mobile payment and transactions, peer-to-peer communication, and mobile information access. Its specific characteristics are: NFC adopts a unique signal attenuation technology, which has the characteristics of short distance (NFC transmission range is smaller than RFID), high bandwidth and low energy consumption; NFC is compatible with existing contactless smart card technology, and has gradually become more and more The official standard supported by more and more major manufacturers; NFC is a short-range connection protocol that provides easy, safe, rapid and automatic communication between various devices. NFC plays an important role in the fields of public transport, access control, mobile payment, etc. Such as payment, electronic ticket, exchange and transmission of data, etc.
Many mobile phones now have built-in NFC chips, which can be used for payment, as well as for data exchange and collection. For example, Huawei, ZTE, Xiaomi, etc. have multiple NFC mobile phones. As shown in the phone interface of Figure 3, after enabling NFC, keep the distance between the two devices within 10cm. The system will start to connect, and then click what you want to send to the other party's device, you can also check the subway, bus card balance, etc.
Figure 3 Mobile phone with NFC function
3. EPC technology application
EPC (Electronic Product Code), that is, product electronic code technology, its carrier is an RFID electronic tag, and the use of the Internet to achieve information transmission. EPC aims to establish a global and open label standard for each single product, to achieve global tracking and tracing of single products, so as to effectively improve the level of supply chain management and reduce logistics costs.
The EPC label is composed of an electronic chip smaller than 1/5 rice grain and a soft antenna. The electronic label is as thin as paper and can be made into the size of a stamp or smaller. It can be read at a distance of 1 to 6 meters. The writer detected. EPC electronic tags are characterized by a unified global standard, the price is also very cheap, and the information exchange with the Internet.
Advanced Information Intelligence
Packaging technology application
With the continuous development and progress of science and technology, various high-tech: microelectronics, industrial robots, image sensing technology and new materials have been comprehensively applied in information-type intelligent packaging, and a variety of advanced information-type intelligent packaging technologies have been developed. Specific examples are as follows:
1. RFID tag with flexible paper battery as power source
Passive, active and semi-active electronic tags have their own shortcomings. For example, passive RFID tags do not require power, no life limit, but the reading distance is close; active RFID tags have built-in batteries, but the battery life is limited, and the reading distance It is far and costly; semi-active electronic tags have built-in batteries but the battery has a limited service life, the reading distance is close, and the cost is between active and passive. RFID tags with flexible paper batteries as power sources have appeared in the current market. Because the thickness of the paper battery is about 0.6mm, the shape and size can be customized as needed, the environmental protection is good, and it is easy to integrate with the RFID tag and other excellent characteristics, so the advantage of ultra-thin or small flexible tags is greater than that of traditional batteries. With the rapid development of the printed electronics industry in China, the price advantage of paper batteries is particularly prominent, and the available fields will be greatly increased.
2. RFID combined with sensor tags
New smart RFID combined with RFID and sensor technology has appeared in the market. RFID with smart sensors is an important part of wireless sensor networks. There are currently two RFID sensor tag systems: an RFID tag integrates a traditional battery-supported sensor on a silicon chip with an analog-to-digital converter; this technology is suitable for a variety of sensors, but the tag is large in size, costly, and long-lived Limited by battery capacity. The other is to integrate the sensor on the tag antenna, the tag size and cost are reduced, but how to design such a sensor element is difficult. For example, a flexible paper battery is used as a power source-a temperature-sensitive label has been born. It is a flexible electronic label that can record the temperature in real time.
3. Application of AR technology
AR (augmented reality) is a new technology that integrates real world information and virtual world information "seamlessly". Augmented reality technology includes new technologies and new methods such as multimedia, 3D modeling, real-time video display and control, multi-sensor fusion, real-time tracking and registration, and scene fusion.
This technology is gradually developed in the application of information-based intelligent packaging. It can combine traditional image recognition technology with variable information (barcode technology) to realize smart labels with variable AR information, and change the traditional unidirectional and single-point information design. The model is based on the big data platform and uses data mining and analysis technologies to establish multi-directional information interaction between product end users and production enterprises to achieve logistics traceability, multi-dimensional interaction, personalized services, precision marketing and intelligent anti-counterfeiting.
For example, DHL's Vision Picking picking system uses AR technology to help warehouse pickers efficiently pick. With this technology, the picker quickly reaches the location of the goods to be inspected through Google Glass's indoor navigation, and scans the barcode of the goods through Google Glass to see where the goods should be placed, and at the same time updates the number of goods in storage, as shown in Figure 4 .
Figure 4 Vision Pickinig (the upper right corner indicates the location and number of goods placed)
Conclusion
At present, intelligent packaging will face huge market and development opportunities in the packaging field. As one of intelligent packaging, information-based intelligent packaging, because of its computer and communication technology as the core, has more broad development prospects in the information age.
Information collation: Carton Street
Machine Blown Glass Candle Holder
Nantong Zhuoluo International Trading Co., Ltd , https://www.zlhomedecor.com