Patterned vacuum metallization for RFID tags?

At a recent conference in Cambridge UK one presenter stated that of the 1 billion ID tags to be produced this year of which more than 95% would be printed.

This figure is expected to increase with time.

If you take 5% of 1 billion and then divide again by something like 2,500 which is the number of 2cm x 2cm devices per sq m the answer is very few sq.m of vacuum coated film would be required.

If you do not have an oil printing system already fitted to your vacuum system and are considering fitting one you will be looking at potential markets.  Much has been spoken about RFID tag antenna as a possible market for simple metallised aluminium films for the ‘cheap & cheerful’ end of the market but in reality this market may already have disappeared.

If I were considering adding pattern metallizing capability I would not be including RFID tags as a possible product as I would regard it as chasing a diminishing market. 

What do you think?

Answer

You are correct in your thinking.

There are many designs of antenna and some of these are much larger than the 2cm x 2cm  and so the area required could be greater than you calculate but even so the area of metallized product would be low.

There is a lot of development work going into improving the conductivity of the printing inks.  The polymer matrix has been improved as well as the addition of conducting fillers have both increased the ink conductivity such that either higher conducting circuits can be made or thinner printing can be used for the same conductivity as earlier ink compositions.

This improvement of conductivity of the inks has further reduced the need for vacuum metallized RFID tags.    It is only where the very highest conductivity circuits are required such as for long distance interrogation of the tags which requires a high response signal that either metallized or metal foil laminate tags are required.  So even here metallized products are not the only product. Metal foils can be die stamped to make the circuits and for low volumes this is a competitive technology to vacuum metallization.

Similarly there are other circuits, such as solar cells, where circuits are needed that it has been suggested are suitable markets for metallized film but these too are now being integrated with printed conducting ink processes to eliminate this vacuum process from the manufacturing line.

Thus I would regard any printed circuit application as at best a temporary market opportunity and would hesitate to include this market in any investment application.