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RFID card and tag applications: adhesive questions by build
Cards, cartons, totes, garments, containers and tag mounting. Tell us the build and the line. Call 800-249-0337.
RFID cards, labels and tags go on cartons, totes, garments, containers and equipment, or are laminated into cards. The chip and antenna get the attention, but every build also has an adhesive question: what it bonds, what temperatures it sees, and how your line applies and dries it. Cattie offers a full line of adhesives for RFID cards, labels and tags, including water-based, pressure sensitive and hot melt.
Where adhesive shows up
- Layer lamination: the adhesive that holds the inlay and layers together
- Pressure sensitive layer: the PSA on a label liner
- Tag-mount tape: transfer or double-coated tape to fix a finished tag
- Converting: die-cutting, printing and line speed all lean on the adhesive
Adhesive questions by build
| Build | Questions to settle | What to send us |
|---|---|---|
| Printed adhesive, dried, nip-laminated (paper to metallized or aluminum-backed film) | Porous paper vs film, line speed, nip pressure and temperature, open time, dry-down | Both substrates, how you print or coat and dry, line speed |
| Carton, tote and pallet labels | Surface (corrugate, plastic), application temperature, cold-chain exposure | Face stock, liner, the surface, temperature range |
| Apparel and hang tags | Paper, film or fabric backing, permanent or removable | Backing material, target surface, wash or no wash |
| Containers and returnable assets | Plastic, glass or metal, low surface energy plastics, wet or curved surfaces | Container material and surface treatment, label size |
| Tag mounting with tape | Substrate roughness, low surface energy plastic or metal, temperature, dwell time | Tag back material, what it mounts to, thickness limits |
Cattie has not published RFID-specific qualification data. The table shows the questions we would ask, not results we claim.
How a trial runs
You send the build and substrates, we recommend one or two adhesives and send free samples, and you check bond on your line and run your own read check with your inlay supplier. If it fits, we talk about a coating run or line trial. What to send is also listed on the RFID card and label adhesives page.
Tell us your build, the substrates and your line. Call 800-249-0337 to confirm fit.
Further reading: understanding RFID labels, how to choose a label adhesive, laminating adhesives, water-based adhesive, bonding low surface energy substrates.
Request a free sample or line trial Request a quote Call 800-249-0337
Questions RFID converters ask
What layers does an RFID card or label usually have?
A typical build has face stock or card layers, an inlay (chip and antenna on a substrate), an adhesive layer and, for labels, a release liner. Exact builds vary, so send us yours.
Where does adhesive choice come up in the build?
At the lamination of the layers, in the pressure sensitive layer on a label liner, and in any tape used to mount a finished tag. Each has its own questions about substrate, temperature and line.
Will your adhesive change my read range?
We cannot say. Cattie has not published RFID-specific read-range or detuning data. Test with your inlay supplier and your own read check, and we will supply samples.
Can you help with printed-adhesive and nip-lamination builds?
Yes. Tell us the substrates (porous paper or film), line speed, nip pressure and temperature, open time and how the adhesive is dried. We will recommend water-based or other adhesives to trial.