The RFID Shop Newsletter – April 2019

New in The RFID Shop – April 2019

The RFID Shop offers a range of ATEX certified tags

What is ATEX?

• ATEX can be described as the European Regulatory Framework for Manufacture, Installation and Use of Equipment in Explosive Atmospheres.
• Typical industrial environments prone to explosive atmospheres include offshore drilling platforms, petrochemical plants, mines, flourmills and other process industries in which there is a mixture of gases, vapours, mists or dust in the air that can ignite at specific temperatures or under certain operating conditions.
• ATEX certification of RFID tags ensures that the tags will not act as an ignition source in potentially explosive environments and that they perform while maintaining surface temperatures low enough to prevent the risk of ignition.
• ATEX certification of RFID tags also simplifies re-certification of an installation at customer site that involves RFID tags.

Our range of ATEX certified tags include:

HID Glass Tags

VERSATILE LOW AND HIGH FREQUENCY ASSET TAGS WITH EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY

• Unsurpassed quality – fully automated manufacturing and direct-bonding technology ensure tag reliability
• Comprehensive portfolio – choose from a broad range of standard sizes and integrated chips, or customize to fit any application
• Rugged reliability – high resistance to chemicals, thermal fluctuation, and immersion into liquid

HID IN Tags

ROBUST LOW, HIGH AND ULTRAHIGH FREQUENCY RFID TAGS THAT PERFORM IN TOUGH CONDITIONS

• Durable – built to withstand the rigors of industrial processing, transportation and outdoor use
• Versatile – mounts anywhere without compromising performance: glass, plastic, or wood, with options for on metal mounting
• Diverse selection – broad spectrum of available frequencies, memory sizes and diameters with multiple fixation methods

HID Logi Tags 

DISCREET RFID TAGS THAT WITHSTAND LIQUID IMMERSION, HIGH PRESSURE CONDITIONS AND EXTREME TEMPERATURES

• Inconspicuous – Compact form factors conceal easily in textile assets, hand tools or small equipment.
• Durable – Resistant to extreme temperature, chemicals, fluids, industrial detergents and high pressure.
• Powerful– Rapid, accurate asset identification and data storage, with anti-collision functionality for simultaneous processing of multiple items.

 

TECTUS ATEX Certified 34mm on-metal tags in LF, HF and UHF

Tectus is a German company that specialises in the design of ATEX certified tags. All their tags are specifically created to withstand harsh conditions and perform reliably in difficult environments. ATEX certification makes sure that the tags can be safely employed in potentially explosive environments.

Features:

• Diameter: 34mm
• Thickness: 6mm
• Hole: 4.5mm
• Material: Polyamide
• IC available: EM4200,  ICODE SLI or Alien Higgs 3
• Operating temperature: -45° to +60°C
• Environmental rating: IP67
• EX Rating: BVS 05 ATEX E092

Please remember:

The RFID Shop offers tags at conveniently low order quantities for smaller projects or for initial test applications. Large order quantities attract price reductions. Any questions? Contact us:

www.therfidshop.com email: sales@rfip.eu phone: 01865 339 600

Understanding ATEX – What is it and what does it do?

Ever wondered what ATEX certified means? Ever tried to decipher something along the lines of: II 1G Ex ia IIC T4 Ga? Read our in-depth guide here:

What is ATEX?

ATEX comes from the French ‘ATmosphères EXplosibles.’

It is the name commonly given to the two European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres, ATEX Workplace Directive and ATEX Equipment Directive.

Explosive atmospheres can be caused by flammable gases, mists or vapours or by combustible dusts. If there is enough of the substance, mixed with air, the slightest source of ignition can cause an explosion.

Explosions can cause loss of life and serious injuries as well as significant damage.

What does ATEX equipment certification certify?

ATEX defines and certifies a range of Elements:

• The device group:

I = can be used in mining
II = can be used in all other explosive areas (but not in mining)

• A category that defines the zones the equipment can operate in.

Employers must classify areas where hazardous explosive atmospheres may occur       into zones. The classification differentiates between gas and dust-based fuels, the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere occurring and its persistence if it does:

•  Which Atmosphere the equipment can be used in

G = Gas
D = Dust

• Explosion Protection

Ex = ATEX certified

• Ignition protection class:

What method the equipment uses to achieve safety. These include for example separation, special mechanical construction or limitation of energy.

Examples:

o =    Equipment components are completely submerged in oil
q =    Equipment components are completely covered with a layer of Sand, powder or quartz
p =    Equipment is pressurised to a positive pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere           with air or an inert gas, thus the surrounding ignitable atmosphere cannot come in contact with energized parts of the apparatus. The overpressure is monitored, maintained and controlled
ia =    intrinsic safety, The development of inadmissibly high temperatures, ignition sparks and arcs are avoided due to the restriction of energy in the circuit

• Explosion Group (data only for devices used in areas rendered potentially explosive by gas). Group I needs the most amount of energy to ignite, group IIC the least, so equipment designed for use in e.g. gas group IIB is also safe to use in IIA.:

• Temperature Class

The maximum surface temperature of a device must be less than the minimum ignition temperature of the atmosphere it is operating in. For this reason, the maximum surface temperature of equipment for use with inflammable gases, vapors or mists is specified in temperature classes. Here are the classes of the maximum permitted housing or component temperature of the operating devices:

T1 = 450°C
T2 = 300°C
T3 = 200°C
T4 = 135°C
T5 = 100°C
T6 = 85°C

• Equipment Protection Level

Equipment Protection Levels (EPL’s) have been introduced to indicate the inherent ignition risk of equipment irrespective of the type of protection being used.

The EPL is defined by the intended use in the specified zones.

How to decipher the ATEX designation

Soo. What does the certification actually tell you? Here is an example:

Our partner HID Global have certified their Glass and IN Tags in the following way:

What does it mean?

Here is our breakdown: