The RC522 RFID Module is a device that reads and writes information using radio waves at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. It uses a special chip from NXP Organization called MFRC522. It’s a way of transferring data using radio waves. The RC522 RFID Reader/Writer Module can work with different types of RFID tags, such as cards and key fobs.

These tags have 1024 bytes of memory and work with a frequency of 13.56 MHz. The module is small, cheap, and doesn’t need a lot of power. It works with a communication protocol called SPI, which means it can easily connect to different microcontrollers like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and more.

Examples of RFID module

• Active tags: Some RFID tags have their power source and can send signals to the reader. It means they can work from far away, sometimes up to 100m or more, which is a lot more than regular smart card readers.

There are different types of RFID tags. One type, called BAP, has a power source letting it send a signal when an RFID reader is nearby.

RFID communication happens using different frequency ranges. Some are used to identify animals (120-150 kHz), while others are used for smart cards (13.56 MHz), and some can even be as high as the GHz range. 

NFC tags are small devices that use a specific frequency of 13.56 Mega Hertz. They can send information like credit card details, identification codes & other data. Some smartphones also have NFC technology built-in, so they can be used as either the sender or the receiver of the information. NFC tags allow phones with apps like Apple Pay to act like credit cards and enable “tap to transfer” facilities. This service connects two phones and then uses Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to transfer information. 

• Passive tags: NFC tags get their power/energy from the active transmitter and then use some point to return the signal. Because they are designed to be passive, the power from the reader must be much more potent than the signals the NFC tag sends. Typically, the range of transmission is only some centimeters. Passive tags are often utilized to track items, which is what most people think of when they hear about RFID. You can also use passive tags on animals. These tags can be placed inside the animal or attached to them. It helps to locate lost pets or keep track of livestock.

Reader Module of RFID

The RC522 is a device that can read or write information from an RFID tag. It has three main parts:  approximately 27 Mega Hertz Oscillator, an Antenna, and MFRC522 IC.

• MFRC522 Chip: It uses the Chip made by NXP Organization. This chip is to read RFID cards without needing to touch them, and it works using 13.56 Mega Hertz communication. The chip is a small, low budget, and uses little power to read & write information. The IC can work with different kinds of Tags, including MIFARE 4K, MIFARE 1K & MIFARE Mini, as well as other tags that use the ISO protocol. It can also communicate with Mifare series cards at high pace, more than 0.424 Mbps in both directions.
• 27.12 Mega Hertz Oscillator: The small rock called quartz is used to help the computer keep time. The quartz vibrates very fast, about 27 million times per second. It allows the computer to know when to do things. Another smaller pulse of time, approximately 13.5 million times per second, from the first one by cutting it in half. 
• Antenna: A tiny metal loop called the Coil is inside the small computer board. This loop sends out a particular energy wave that can make things happen. It works with other small things that don’t need their power.

Functioning Principle of RFID modules

• RFID is a method that helps identify products without needing to see them directly between a small chip in the product (called a transponder) and a device that reads it.
• RFID Structure always has two main parts. One is a small chip (transponder) that is attached to the product that needs to be identified. The other part is a device (called a reader) that reads information from the chip. The reader may only read or write a statement, depending on how the system is set up and what it’s meant to do. An RFID reader usually has four parts: an RF module, a control unit to set it up, a screen to show information, & an antenna to scan RFID tags. Some RFID readers can also send the information they collect to the other system, like a computer.
• Tags – The central part of an RFID system that carries information is usually made up of two things: an antenna and a small electronic chip. 

Ten ways RFID module help your business

Radio Frequency Identification is a beneficial technology that can be useful in many different ways in business. It can help with things such as managing how to make things or checking equipment for repairs.

RFID technology can help businesses, no matter how big or small, become more efficient and save money, and make better use of resources. It’s beneficial for managing assets. It is an essential part of the IoTs. Following are ten ways RFID can be helpful.

1. Tracking assets 

For many organizations, it’s hard to keep track of all their stuff – such as parts on a production line and products being shipped out. But RFID technology can help by quickly and reliably keeping track of things without counting each item one by one. 

Using RFID technology, you can easily find out how many of a particular product you have and where they are, or what stage of the process they’re in. You can keep track of things from when they arrive in the store to when they’re useful in manufacturing. So this makes it simple to manage stock, check stock levels, and prevent theft. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) can help you find lost things on the same site.

2. Saving time 

RFID technology can track the flow of goods automatically and send the information to financial management systems. It means you don’t have to fill out forms by hand or use old-fashioned spreadsheets. If you use fixed readers in essential places, it can save more time – for example, and it can eliminate the requirement for people to do things by hand. 

3. Improving data accuracy 

Since RFID technology collects and uploads data electronically, it avoids mistakes when people write things down, accidentally copy things twice, or forget to record items. When you use RFID to collect data on many items simultaneously, you can be sure you’re getting all the information you need. If you use cloud computing platforms, everyone in your organization can see the latest information about where things are or what’s happening to them. You can even share data with your customers. 

4. Enhancing health & safety

With RFID systems, companies can check when they last inspected equipment & vehicles and when they need to review them again. Tools like CheckedOK make it easy to manage reports & inspections and ensure that insurers and regulatory bodies are happy with the processes. 

5. Better control of production

RFID is great for production processes because it can identify individual items or parts. For example, it can ensure that specific molds are filled with the correct amount of liquids and cooked for the right amount of time or that certain parts end up in the right part of the production line. It can help cut down on waste and make things run more smoothly. 

6. Enhanced quality & traceability

RFID technology can ensure that things go through the correct checks & processes. It can ensure that a boiler is put together correctly, checked, and approved before it’s sent to the client. It can help make sure things are of good quality. Radio Frequency identification tagging can assist in keeping track of items from where they started to where they ended up. 

7. Increased revenues

By getting better at managing their inventory with RFID, organizations can offer services that make them stand out from the competition and make customers more satisfied. It can lead to more sales & better profits. 

8. More in-depth management information

RFID can collect data as it happens at various stages of an item’s life, which gives companies more information to help plan and make things run better. They can use this information to make things even more efficient.

9. Shorter processes

RFID can work together with other technologies used in manufacturing or supply chains, like automated systems for moving pallets and picking stock. RFID can make faster deliveries and shipments. 

10. Rapid payback time

RFID is an affordable technology. It saves money and extra income.

Applications of RFID module

Many different types of businesses also use Radio Frequency identification technology to do other jobs, such as

• Asset tracking
• Personnel tracking
• Inventory management
• ID badging
• Supply chain management
• Counterfeit forestalling

Radio Frequency identification technology has existed since World War 2, but the demand for Radio Frequency identification devices is increasing rapidly. It is due to the US Department of Defense & Walmart needing their givers to use RFID technology to track their products.

Radio Frequency identification technology is useful in various other things, such as:

• Unlocking car doors
• Automatic toll payment
• Building entry systems
• student Identification cards, Payment cards, and passports
• Wireless sensors and mesh networks

If there is a need for RFID technology, applications that currently use barcode technology. It is to use RFID or a combination of both technologies. RFID technology has several advantages over barcode technology. One significant advantage is that the Radio Frequency identification tag can store more information about a product than a bar code can. Furthermore, Radio Frequency Identification tags aren’t susceptible to the problems that may occur with Scannable labels, like damage or becoming unreadable.