High Volume RFID Labeling in DoD Compliant Environment

Since the Department of Defense (DoD) has put into effect its RFID mandate - DFARS Clause 252-211-7006 - many of the over 40,000 DoD suppliers have been concerned about meeting the mandate requirements. The first thing the DFARS Clause requires is that suppliers must use EPCglobal-compliant Gen 2 UHF RFID technology. The second requirement is that suppliers must use RFID data in Advanced Ship Notices (ASNs) submitted to a Wide Area Work Flow. Adding to the concerns is the fact that the DoD clause is a constantly evolving mandate.

The DoD's initial RFID policy rollout involved Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs). MREs are self-contained, individual field rations, precooked and moistened, in lightweight packaging. MREs are supplied to U.S. military personnel worldwide, in locations and under conditions where organized food facilities are not available. MREs have a shelf life of more than three years and contain a chemical element that can quickly heat the food.

All MREs exist in the same case and pallet format. The cases are constructed of heavy, unwaxed corrugated cardboard, designed to withstand the rigors of battlefield delivery and distribution, including parachute drops from 1,250 feet and non-parachute drops of 100 feet. Each case contains twelve individual MREs and weighs 30 and 40 pounds. Cases are shipped in pairs of two different menu categories, providing variety and choice to the warfighter. There are 48 cases of MREs per pallet.

Given the large number or MREs procured by DoD, tagging of MRE cases and pallets would become one of the single highest volume RFID label installations in any supply chain in the world. Of the three MRE suppliers, two selected IDentiTRAK Technologies (www.identitraktech.com) to achieve compliance to DoD's RFID policy. IDentiTrak is an integrator that focuses on DoD RFID implementations. For its MRE clients, it was critical that IDentiTRAK identify and qualify an RFID label converter capable of supplying a consistent volume of high-yielding RFID labels. IDentiTRAK chose Nashua Corporation (www.nashua.com), who manufactures pressure sensitive label products and specialty papers. Nashua converts RFID inlays into finished labels that not only can be adhesively bonded to cases and pallets but also can be thermally printed with human readable and barcode information. Nashua commenced shipping Gen 1 labels to IDentiTRAK and transitioned to Gen 2 labels well in advance of DoD's first sundown date of October 2006.

IDentiTRAK selected Avery Dennison's (www.rfidaverydennison.com) Class 1 Gen 1 AD-210 inlay, with the intention of upgrading to Avery's AD-220 Gen 2 inlay in advance of DoD's expected termination of Class 1 Gen 1 acceptability. IDentiTRAK chose Printronix SLPA 7000r print and apply label applicators and SL5000r MP2 desktop label printers (www.printronix.com) to print and encode MRE RFID labels.

Each contract between DoD and the MRE suppliers describes a baseline, yearly volume of MRE cases, though this volume can increase according to surges in DoD requirements. This means that the RFID label suppliers must be prepared to produce and ship increased quantities of labels with minimal advanced notice. A modest surge in the volume of MREs was experienced in Q406. Nashua Corporation was able to sustain a steady and uninterrupted flow of RFID labels to IDentiTRAK to accommodate both the MRE contract baseline and surge requirements while maintaining delivered yields approaching 100%.