Apr 01, 2005

ASTM International Committee D10 on Packaging has formed a new task group to investigate the possibilities of radio frequency identification (RFID) as a means of tracking packages. The task group is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D10.18 on Miscellaneous Packaging.

The purpose of the task group is to develop standards to evaluate the performance of RFID tags used on packaging and palletized loads under various conditions, such as the physical/climatic distribution environment, as well as the manufacturing and packaging environments.

"With the standards we hope to develop, companies will be able to test and evaluate performance of new tags and RFID equipment and validate if the tags can be read correctly," says Paul Singh, chair of the new task group and a professor at Michigan State University. Singh also says that, by using the task group’s proposed standards, potential RFID users will be able to determine the effects of various environments on RFID systems before investing in RFID technology.

To find out more about the RFID task group, enter WK7660 into the site search box on the home page of ASTM International’s Web site (www.astm.org). The task group met in April and encourages interested parties to participate in upcoming meetings.

For further technical information, contact Paul Singh, director, Consortium of Distribution Packaging Research, Michigan State University (phone: 517/355-7614; singh@msu.edu). Committee D10 meets Oct. 16-18, in Dallas, Texas. For membership or meeting details, contact Tom O’Toole, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9739; totoole@astm.org).

Release #7131