RFID flag tags for high-temperature steel labelling News | News | 28.02.2023

Ensuring data integrity in the steel industry

Reliable identification of heavy steel products is a demanding task in day-to-day steel logistics. This is especially true for heavy plates, metal bundles and stacked steel products. Standard flat labels quickly reach their limits in this environment. Once plates are stacked in open-air storage, during internal transport or before dispatch, printed information can be covered by the material above it.

GRAPHIPLAST^® flag tags solve this problem with a protruding label section. The visible flag remains accessible from the side of the stack. Barcodes, batch data and identification numbers can therefore remain readable even when the material is stored in dense stacks. This keeps the logistics data chain intact and reduces the risk of mix-ups, manual searches and delayed bookings.

Why RFID needs distance from metal

The same flag principle also creates decisive advantages for RFID applications. Metal surfaces interfere with radio frequency signals. If an RFID transponder is mounted flat and directly on steel, the metal can absorb or distort the electromagnetic field. This reduces the read range and can make reliable data capture difficult.

With a flag tag, the RFID area is positioned away from the metal surface. The protruding section creates a defined physical distance between the transponder and the steel. This improves signal quality and allows RFID readers to capture the tag from a greater distance. Depending on the application, reader setup and transponder design, read ranges of up to 20 metres can be achieved.

Adhesive-free flag design for reliable RFID reading

The technical detail is critical. The protruding part of the flag must not stick to adjacent plates, coils or metal bundles. If adhesive surfaces were exposed in this area, the label could attach to neighbouring material during crane handling, transport or storage. This would increase the risk of tearing, data loss and process interruptions.

S+P Samson therefore uses precisely defined adhesive-free zones. The adhesive is applied only where it is needed for secure bonding to the steel surface. The RFID section remains free and can stand away from the metal at a controlled distance. This combines mechanical reliability with improved RFID performance.

Heat resistance up to 350 °C

For hot steel applications, the material construction must withstand more than mechanical stress. The new high-temperature GRAPHIPLAST® flag solution is designed for thermal loads of up to 350 °C. It combines a robust polyimide film with the special pure acrylate adhesive PA-130-201.
This makes the label suitable for early identification after heat treatment and for demanding processes in steel production. Products can be marked at an earlier stage, before mix-ups occur in internal logistics.

Strong adhesion on dusty and rough steel surfaces

Heavy plates often have rough, dusty or scaled surfaces. Standard adhesives cannot bond reliably under these conditions. For this reason, the material uses a thick adhesive layer of 130 g/m². The generous adhesive application helps the label grip rough steel surfaces securely.
This creates a durable identification solution for harsh industrial environments. The label remains attached, the printed data remains accessible and the RFID transponder can be read reliably from a distance.

Process reliability in steel logistics

RFID flag tags for hot steel combine three functions in one solution: visible barcode identification, reliable adhesion and digital RFID readability. This supports traceability in storage, crane transport, dispatch and intralogistics.

For steel producers, steel service centres and heavy plate processors, the result is a more stable identification process. Data can be captured earlier, products can be tracked more reliably and manual correction work can be reduced.