There are three production process for passive RFID Tag, the first process is RFID antenna production process, and then flip chip die bonding process to bond the RFID Chip onto antenna to be Inlay product, and the last process is to convert or laminate the Inlay to RFID Tag product. The production equipments for these production processes are normally roll-to-roll type, because the substrate is flexible material such as PET with thickness of 50um to 100um for purpose of cost-down and easy production, or paper material in some special case.

The traditional RFID antenna production process is Cu-etching or Al-etching with technical advantage of easy to achieve fine pitch. However, the etching production process will waste a lot of raw material and case environmental pollution. Therefore, the product quality and performance of RFID antenna with Cu-etching process is the best, but its cost is also highest and not competitive. The Al-etching antenna will save some cost due to Al material is chipper, but it is still not competitive enough.

The second RFID antenna production process is Ag Ink Printing, by using screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, ink-jet printing method to print the antenna pattern on the substrate such as PET with Ag Ink to be RFID antenna product. This production process will not waste material like etching process and the antenna production cost is more competitive than etching antenna, and it is supposed to replace the etching antenna theoretically, especially for antenna with smaller active area. However, due to the price of silver material rises around twice during the last several year, the antenna with Ag Ink process is not so competitive enough any more.

The third RFID antenna production process is Electroless Plating, by using screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, ink-jet printing method to print the antenna pattern on the substrate with catalyst ink, then to deposit Cu metal onto the catalytic layer by Electroless Plating equipment to be RFID antenna. This is an additive production process and will also not waste material, and the material cost of antenna with this production process is competitive. The disadvantage of this process is that the Electroless Plating speed is very slow, and it is normally need at least one hour to deposit Cu metal to enough thickness for RFID antenna. In this case, it is not easy to setup a RFID antenna mass production line with high production performance by using Electroless Plating process.

The last RFID antenna production process is Electro Plating, by using screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, ink-jet printing method to print the antenna pattern on the substrate with conductive ink, then to deposit Cu metal onto the conductive layer by Electro Plating equipment to be RFID antenna. Compared to the other three processes, this is the most competitive process.

Favite RFID has set up the roll-to roll mass production line for RFID antenna by Electro Plating process, with annual capacity of 600 million pcs of Antenna. In addition, the production line for Inlay products with capacity 60 million pcs, and Tag products with capacity of 300 million. It will be expanded to maximum capacity of 600 million pcs of Antenna/Inlay/Tag annually by end of 2008. Our production facilities include:

1. Antenna production process: Screen Print Equipment, UV & Heat Curing Equipment, Plating Equipment

2. Inlay production process: Flip Chip Bonding Equipment

3. Tag production process: Tag Converting Equipment