Maximum load for A5530 / RTAS RFID race timing - chip timing ground mat antenna is No Problem!
Posted by Michael Crudele on
We at Arcadian Inc. are in the business of selling RFID antennas, and over the years we have sold MANY of the Times-7 A5530 rugged RFID mat antennas, and it's sister - the Race Timing Antenna System (RTAS). This model is a high-gain (10 dBiL) linearly polarized RFID antenna embedded in a blue, molded polyurethane "mat." It has come to be the preferred choice of RFID antenna for our client's building chip timing, or RFID race timing systems.
Why? Because it is simply the fastest and easiest to deploy on race day. In addition, we also have many clients who use these mats in conjunction with RFID systems used to track event or trade show attendees. Well known to be extremely durable, with customer deployments growing rapidly since its debut in 2007, the Times-7’s A5530 / RTAS is a proven endurance performer.
However, we have had MANY clients ask us... "can this antenna survive foot traffic, bike traffic, car traffic? What about fire trucks, ambulances and 18 wheel tractor-trailer trucks running over the antennas?"
Well, until this year, Times-7 hadn’t attempted to measure and document the weight bearing characteristics of this RFID mat antenna. So, recently they set out to do exactly that using an external specialist with equipment to validate what customers were already telling us...namely that this antenna can survive just about anything!
**Click Photo for RFID mat antenna datasheet**
Working with a technical university in their home country of New Zealand, the research team used a hydraulic press to emulate vehicle load. The Times-7 ultra-low profile ground mat RFID antenna was compressed with a 10,000 lb. point load. The A5530 / RTAS mat withstood more than 600psi. By contrast, the maximum contact surface pressure of a 42,000 lb tandem axle garbage truck is 215psi.
In conclusion, I am happy to report that we can now say with confidence that the weight bearing properties for the A5530 / RTAS RFID ground mat antenna are in excess of any typical heavy commercial vehicle.
For information on using this antenna for your RFID race timing, or chip timing system, or in your trade show or event tracking system, please contact me or a member of the Arcadian Inc. team for assistance. We are the antenna experts, and we are happy to help!
-Mike Crudele, Arcadian Inc. 1-888-925-5967 mikec@arcadianinc.com
To keep updated with our promos and events follow us and like us on Facebook!