RFID - Suggest an antenna location for an interrogator mounted on a fork lift?

Question

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of your selection. What type of connection would be utilized to communicate with the middleware application?

Answer 1

It should be located away from the metal forks of the forklift, both the horizontal and vertical portions of the forks.

I would locate the interrogator in the middle of the vertical portion of the lift, away from any metal.  The tags would then be located on the bundles, in the middle above the palletes, so as to line up with the middle of the vertical portion of the lift.

Advantage: passive RFID chips can be used.

Disadvantage: the tags must still be placed on the loads fairly precisely to line up with the interrogator.

Communications could be wired to a central box in the cab of the forklift, but wireless comm. from fork to cabin would be preferrable.

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