Send us your controller model, card type and install environment. We'll shortlist compatible hardware and quote within 24 hours.
Plan RFID for warehouse management: fixed readers and circular antennas at dock doors, conveyor tunnels, handheld cycle counts and on-metal asset tags.
A warehouse RFID system puts EPC Gen2 UHF tags on pallets, cartons and returnable equipment, then reads them automatically at dock doors, conveyor tunnels and portals. Handheld readers cover the gaps between fixed read points. The hardware core is a multi-port fixed reader driving circularly polarized antennas at each choke point and sending tag reads to your WMS over TCP/IP.
Barcode workflows need line of sight and one scan per label, which is why receiving, shipping and cycle counts take so much labor and still miss items. A UHF reader inventories many tags in one pass without pointing at each one, so a pallet can be checked as it crosses the dock threshold.
The building makes this harder than a bench test. Racking, trailers and metal cages reflect RF energy, and liquids in cartons absorb it. Adjacent dock doors sit only a few meters apart, so a reader aimed at one door can pick up loads staged at the next. Reliable results come from the right tags, controlled read zones and reads triggered only when a load is moving.
Every read point follows the same chain: tag → antenna → reader → software.
Handhelds handle cycle counts and exceptions, while USB desktop reader/writers encode and verify tags before they go into circulation.
Antenna count follows the opening, the load height and how loads move through. Use these starting points, then confirm with loaded pallets at operating speed:
Most fixed readers switch between ports, so every added antenna shares the same read time. Two adjacent two-antenna doors can share a 4-port reader, and two four-antenna doors can share an 8-port reader. Fast-moving forklifts then get fewer read cycles per antenna, so test before committing to shared readers. Because the reader reports the port for each read, software can still assign every tag to the correct door.
Dense-reader sites. When many readers share a building, one reader’s carrier can drown out the weak tag replies another is listening for. Where the reader offers a dense-reader profile, enable it: tags reply on a Miller-encoded subcarrier that sits away from neighboring carriers. Also trigger each reader from a photo-eye or motion sensor on its GPI, and set the lowest power that reads reliably.
Regional power limits. Readers ship in FCC (902–928 MHz) or ETSI (865–868 MHz) versions, so order the one for the installation country; our UHF frequency guide by country lists other bands. Set conducted power so the radiated power after antenna gain and cable loss stays within the local limit: 4 W EIRP under FCC Part 15, 2 W ERP under ETSI EN 302 208. A reader’s maximum setting is not automatically compliant with a high-gain antenna.
| Location | Recommended hardware type | Key spec to check |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving and shipping dock doors | 4- or 8-port fixed reader with circularly polarized panel antennas | Port count, adjustable RF power, GPI/GPO, TCP/IP |
| Conveyor tunnel or sortation line | 8-port fixed reader with compact antennas in a shielded tunnel | Tags per second, antenna count, cable length |
| Doorways between zones | 4-port fixed reader with two antennas | Read-zone control, direction logic in software |
| Aisles, racking and cycle counts | Android UHF handheld with barcode imager | Band version, read range, hot-swap battery, Android version |
| Tag commissioning and exception desk | USB desktop UHF reader/writer | EPC and User memory write, lock support, short read range |
| Returnable cages, roll containers, metal bins | On-metal tags or cable-tie tags | Mounting surface, band tuning, fixing method |
Compare gain, beamwidth, connector and IP rating on our UHF antennas page, and read circular vs linear polarized antennas before choosing between them.
Work through this checklist before you order:
For a site with several dock doors, a conveyor tunnel and a cycle-count team:
Warehouse projects stall when parts from different sellers disagree: a reader in the wrong band, antennas with the wrong connector, tags tuned for another region. When readers, antennas, cables, handhelds, desktop writers and on-metal tags come from one supplier, the whole order is checked as a set.
Send your door count and dimensions, pallet heights, conveyor speed, installation country and the WMS or middleware you use. We will propose a reader and antenna layout, shortlist tags to sample and quote within 24 hours.
IP66 integrated UHF reader that identifies vehicle tags at up to 12 m (9 dBi) or 30 m (12 dBi), with Wiegand 26/34, RS485, USB and optional TCP/IP.
IP66 all-in-one UHF reader and access controller: stores 5,000 users, controls the gate lock, opens by Bluetooth and reads tags at up to 10 m or 20 m.
445 mm IP66 integrated UHF reader with a 12 dBi linear antenna that reads vehicle tags at 10–20 m and reports over Wiegand, RS485 or optional TCP/IP.
309 mm integrated UHF reader that reads EPC Gen2 cards and tags at 2–10 m, with Wiegand and RS485 output, IP66 housing and a TCP/IP plus Bluetooth option.
Lower-cost integrated UHF reader for parking lanes: up to 10 m (9 dBi) or 15–20 m (12 dBi), with Wiegand 26/34, RS485, USB and optional TCP/IP.
220 × 220 × 40 mm EPC Gen2 UHF reader with a 5 m read range for parking and gate lanes, Wiegand, USB and RS485 output, and an optional RJ45 TCP/IP version.
Compact 128 × 128 × 40 mm UHF reader with a 3 m read range, metal rear shell and IP65 rating, outputting Wiegand, USB and RS485, with an optional TCP/IP version.
Four-antenna fixed UHF RFID reader for dock doors, portals and cabinets, with Impinj R2000 chip, 20–33 dBm output, RS232, TCP/IP and 2-in/2-out GPIO.
Two antennas, one on each side of the frame, is the usual starting point for a standard dock door with single-height pallets. Plan four, two per side at low and high positions, for tall or mixed pallets, wide doors or loads containing liquids or metal, then confirm the count with loaded pallets on site.
Use a fixed reader with external antennas. An integrated reader has one built-in antenna and suits a single lane such as a vehicle gate, while a dock door needs antennas on both sides of the opening, which only a multi-port reader can drive.
Trigger reading only when a photo-eye or motion sensor detects a load, reduce RF power to what the zone needs, aim antennas across the opening rather than along the dock, and fit RF-absorbing or metal panels between doors where stray reads persist. Software can then filter reads by antenna port and signal strength.
It depends on the country of installation. The US and Canada use 902–928 MHz under FCC and ISED rules, the EU uses 865–868 MHz under ETSI EN 302 208, and other countries use their own sub-bands. Order readers for the installation country and use tags tuned for that band or specified for 860–960 MHz.
Yes, with the right tags and placement. Metal cages and roll containers need on-metal or tie-on tags, and cartons of liquid should carry the tag on a face away from the liquid, ideally with a small air gap. Always test with the actual loads.
Compare UHF RFID reader bands by country, including US, EU, UK, China, India and Japan. Understand ERP, EIRP, channel conditions and radio approvals.
Wire a UHF reader's D0, D1 and ground to your controller, match 26/34-bit Wiegand, size 12 V power and trigger the barrier by relay. Diagrams included.
Yes, RFID works on metal with tags built for it. See why metal detunes standard tags, compare ABS, PCB, ceramic and label tags, and test read range properly.
Send your card type, interface and quantity. You get a quote, lead time and compatibility notes within 24 hours — samples available for most items.
