Just How Durable are Metalcraft RFID Tags? 

Durable – the term itself can be misleading. Many companies claim to have durable products, but what does that really mean to a customer? To show what Metalcraft means by durable labels, we had ours tested by Assured Testing Service, an accredited, independent materials testing laboratory, in a variety of demanding tests done to strict industry standards. The results for each test are summarized below.

1. Xenon Arc UV Weathering 
   GOV MIL-STD810h 2019 Method 505.7 Procedure II

Barcodes achieved passing grades after exposure to 56 cycles (1344 total hours) consisting of 20 exposure to Xenon arc light and 4 hours of no light, 50% relative humidity, 49°C (120°F) temperature

2. Humidity  
   GOV MIL-STD-810H 20196 Method 507.6 Cycle B1

Barcodes achieved passing grades plus tag materials and printed copy survived exposure to 95% relative humidity at 80°F for 45 days.

3. Abrasion after Desert and Cryogenic Conditioning 
   ASTM G 195-18 & D7932-14 Section 11.5

Barcodes achieved passing grades plus tag materials and printed copy survived being exposed to 140°F and -37°F for 24 hours prior to performing 500 cycles of abrasion using CS-10 wheels with 100g total load.

4. Rainfall 
   GOV MIL-STD-810H 2019 Method 506.6 Procedure II

Barcodes achieved passing grade plus tag materials and printed copy survived 40 minutes of exposure.

5. Chemical Immersion  
   GOV MIL-STD-810G 2014 Method 404.2 Procedure II

Barcodes achieved passing grades plus tag materials and printed copy survived 72 hours of exposure to Sodium Hypochlorite (5%) and Santimime 150 quaternary ammonium sanitizer 200 ppm in ambient room temperature conditions.

6. Pressure Wash/Wash Jet 
   Volvo STD 423-0015 2008

Barcodes achieved passing grade plus tag withstood exposure to 15 minutes of handheld high pressure 122°F water spray swept over samples at a rate of 1 wand sweep per second with a pressure of 1740 psig and a nominal flow rate of 4 GPM. Distance from nozzle to tag is 4” directed at a 90-degree angle.

So, what does all this testing mean? It means we literally put our money where our mouth is to show that extreme temperatures, chemicals and even abrasion are no match for Metalcraft RFID Tags. This makes Metalcraft RFID Tags the ideal solution for asset tracking applications like returnable containers, which are repeatedly exposed to environmental elements similar to what is described in the testing. We feel the RFID tags used to identify an asset should withstand these conditions as well as the assets themselves. Using Metalcraft RFID Tags in your asset tracking application will ensure asset visibility throughout the application as well as provide invaluable peace of mind!

About the Author: Aaron Hobert

Aaron Hobert is our Sales Support Engineer. Hobert joined Metalcraft in September of 1994 as a Litho Press Operator, became the Autograph Team Lead in 1998 and in April 2005 he became the RFID Sales Support Rep. He was named our RFID Technical Specialist in 2008 and then he became our Sales Support Engineer in 2024. Aaron lives outside Charles City with his wife Diane.

Mobile Phone: 641-330-2660
Office Phone: 641-423-9460
Email: [email protected]
Office: 3360 9th St. SW, Mason City, IA 50401