October 14-16, 2008 • Donald E. Stephens Convention Center • Chicago, IL

General Session: RFID Basics
New to RFID? Here's your opportunity to gain a basic introduction to the fundamentals of RFID. The differences between the various classes of tags will be explained, including active and passive systems. The need for additional IT systems to build upon RFID in real-world applications will be highlighted. The session also includes a very brief overview of the EPCglobal Network, the future of ISO standards, ETSI reader regulations and the latest standardization efforts worldwide. Finally, the relationship between different standards in the area of RFID and EPC, including the latest EPC generation 2 standard, will be presented.

Speaker:

Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal

Preconference Seminars Break into Separate Rooms

The size of the RFID Market for Packaging and Label Converters
The opportunities for RFID in the packaging and labeling sector vary greatly depending on the angle one would want to enter the market from. In this session, hear about the latest market analysis in the industry, where unique opportunities lie and what potential customers really want.

Speaker:

Tom Wimmer, Practice Director, VDC Research Group, Inc.

Putting RFID Inside the Box
Integrating RFID transponders into packaging has been a challenge, but Domino Integrated Solutions Group offers an innovative technology called HIDE-Pack, designed to eliminate the need for a paper label by incorporating an RFID inlay within the packaging medium. A sustainable approach to RFID-enabled packaging, the HIDE-Pack solution consists of embedding an RFID inlay within the structure of a package, so that the inlay is not visible from either outside or inside the package. The inlay effectively becomes an integral part of the packaging medium. In this session, you’ll learn how packaging companies can use this technology to RFID-enable their packaging.

Speakers:

Paul de Blois, Vice President and General Manager, HIDE-Pack
B. Dwain Farley, CEO, Domino Integrated Solutions Group

Lunch

The RFID Label- and Package-Making Process
This session explains the step-by-step process for manufacturing RFID labels from scratch and for purchasing RFID inlays and converting them into RFID labels and smart packaging. The pros and cons of each approach are explained, including the costs and manufacturing challenges of each approach.

Speaker:

Max Golter, Vice President, Sales, bielomatik

Overcoming Symmetry Challenges in RFID Packaging
Most products have symmetry to them and are inherently uniform for not only aesthetic features but also for basic mechanical integrity, manufacturability and cost of the packaging. But adding singular features or foreign devices can induce asymmetry and present enormous challenges to packaging design. Ignoring the example of how a flat inlay label RFID impacts a shipping carton, the majority of applications of RFID are not trivial and generally pose a challenge to existing design rules.

Speaker:

Robb Clarke, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Refreshment Break

The Value of Laser Printers Encoding RFID Tags
Lexmark has developed the first laser printer to integrate an RFID encoder allowing companies to print and encode shipping labels while printing a packing slip on a single piece of paper. In this session, hear how companies of all sizes are discovering the benefits of using the multi-task printer for the deployment of RFID within their business processes.

Speaker:

Rick Kallop, RFID Business Development Manager, Lexmark

Preconference Seminar Concludes