Toppan’s RFID Tag with Electronic Paper Display Drives Digital Transformation in Manufacturing

25 August 2020: Toppan Printing (Toppan) (TSE:7911), a global leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions, has today launched sales1 of Near cross® D 2.9, an RFID tag with a battery-free display that can enhance traceability, enable labor-saving, and drive paperless processes in manufacturing, distribution, and retail.

Near cross® D 2.9 uses HF band communication compliant with the widely-used ISO/IEC 15693 standard and is therefore compatible with existing reader/writers and RFID systems. The information on the screen can be changed in approximately three seconds, and the E Ink electronic paper display can be refreshed more than 100,000 times using just the power for wireless RFID communication, with no power required to maintain the information displayed. The absence of a battery eliminates the need for charging, replacement, or other maintenance and enables Near cross® D 2.9 to drive greater efficiency for product management by streamlining such processes as relabeling and instructions for logistics.

The electronic paper display needs no backlight and provides excellent visibility in ambient light conditions, therefore raising accuracy when scanning barcodes and QR codes2 with cameras or infrared light. Near cross® D 2.9 also makes it possible to display information in multiple languages to optimize communication among diverse workforces without the need to print or affix additional logistics labels or instructions.

“Near cross® D 2.9 rationalizes processes in manufacturing and other settings and helps to address such issues as the decline in Japan’s working population and the need to enhance environmental performance by saving resources and energy,” said Toru Yoshino, general manager of Device Development in Toppan’s Security Business Center. “It can be adopted on a standalone basis, but can also be combined with NAVINECT, Toppan’s end-to-end service for driving digital transformation in manufacturing, to leverage diverse data and achieve greater productivity, efficiency, and quality.”