The ID-1540-U8 is the RFID tag Identium lists for test tubes and vials: a 15 × 40 mm passive UHF label on the NXP UCODE 8 chip, on a flexible thin substrate that bends round a curved tube. Identium, an RFID manufacturer in New Delhi, offers two small-format alternatives, the ID-1027-R6 and ID-1540EC. Range is much shorter on a liquid-filled tube, so test on your own filled tubes first.
Small-format UHF tags for tubes, vials and packs
The ID-1540-U8 is the one listed for this job: a 15 × 40 mm label on the NXP UCODE 8 chip, sized for test tubes, vials and small sample containers. The ID-1027-R6, a wet inlay on the Impinj Monza R6 chip, is listed for medicine packs and pharma cartons. The ID-1540EC, a 15 × 40 mm PET sticker on the Alien Higgs EC chip, is listed for books, bottles, archive files, clinical sample packs and compact product packaging. No tube or vial use is stated for it, so treat it as a same-size alternative to test.
All three are passive EPC Gen2 tags (ISO/IEC 18000-63, formerly 18000-6C), so one reader can read several samples in a pass rather than scanning barcodes one by one; whether every tube in a filled rack answers has to be tested (see below).
What each listing states, side by side
| Listing | ID-1540-U8 | ID-1027-R6 | ID-1540EC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Flexible thin substrate for curved surfaces (test tube listing); a printable-face version is listed separately | Wet inlay, flexible thin substrate | PET-face sticker, permanent acrylic adhesive |
| Size | 15 × 40 mm | Not stated | 15 × 40 mm |
| Chip | NXP UCODE 8 | Impinj Monza R6 | Alien Higgs EC |
| EPC memory | 128 bits | Not stated | 128 bits |
| Frequency | 860–960 MHz; covers India’s band | 860–960 MHz; covers India’s band | Listed for India (865–868 MHz) |
| Listed use | Test tubes, vials, small sample containers | Medicine packs, hospital consumables, pharma cartons | Library books, wine and spirits bottles, archive files, clinical sample packs |
| Read range as listed | Up to 8 m (test tube listing) or 6 m (printable listing); much shorter on liquid-filled tubes | Up to 6 m, depending on antenna and environment | Up to 5 m, reader dependent |
| Stated temperature | Not stated | Not stated | Operating −20 °C to +70 °C; no storage figure |
Read ranges are listing maxima that depend on reader, antenna and environment, not results on a filled tube. India’s licence-exempt UHF RFID band is 865–868 MHz under G.S.R. 853(E) of 10 December 2021; 860–960 MHz is the chip’s tuning span, not a licence.
Fitting a label to a curved, filled tube
The ID-1540-U8’s flexible thin substrate is made to follow a curved surface, the first requirement on a tube. The second is the contents: liquid absorbs UHF energy, so on a filled tube range falls well below the listed maximum, as the ID-1540-U8 listing itself notes.
- Where the tube allows, try the label above the fill line.
- Test on a full tray of real filled tubes, in the orientation they sit in the rack, not on one empty tube.
- On narrow tubes, try the 40 mm length along the tube’s axis as well as round it, keeping the antenna ends from overlapping, and compare both.
- Metal racks and metal storage boxes detune standard labels: tag the rack or box with an on-metal RFID tag and track at that level, or test the tube labels inside it.
For larger bottles, cans and drums, see anti-liquid RFID tags.
Printing and encoding with the Desktop Reader 103
The ID-1540-U8’s printable-face version can be printed and encoded in one pass on a UHF RFID printer, and the ID-1027-R6 serialised on standard ones. Identium supplies Zebra, TSC and Honeywell RFID printers; confirm your model handles a 15 × 40 mm label before ordering, and see the store’s RFID printer price guide for costs.
For smaller batches, encode at the UHF Desktop Reader 103. It reads and writes ISO 18000-6C, the air interface all three labels use. It is USB-powered and needs no driver, and its HID keyboard output types each tag ID into the field that has focus, such as a LIMS sample-ID box. Its short, adjustable read zone (up to 30 cm, typical for a tag in free air and shorter on a filled tube) helps keep stray tags on the bench out of the field.
A write needs more power at the chip than a read, so a label that reads can still fail to write. Keep each label flat and centred on the pad rather than raising power, and present labels singly, off the reel, so only the label on the pad is in the field. Read the EPC back after every write, and settle numbering and lock policy before the first tube is encoded.
Reading a tray or a rack
The 103 reads small multi-tag batches, enough to check a tray at the bench. Whether a full rack answers in one pass depends on fill level, tube spacing, rack material and orientation; no listing gives a figure, so prove it on your own rack before committing volume. For shelves and drawers, use a UHF handheld reader and test it the same way.
Cold storage: what the listings cover
Apart from the ID-1540EC’s operating range in the table, no listing gives a temperature, freezer, liquid-nitrogen, autoclave or chemical-resistance rating, so treat those conditions as untested.
Condensation absorbs UHF energy, a frost layer detunes the label, metal racking reflects the signal, and label adhesives behave differently at −20 °C. Test the tagged tube at its real storage temperature, where it will actually be read. A passive label carries identity, not temperature history; our guide to RFID cold-chain monitoring explains where loggers and sensor tags fit.
UHF, not NFC: when a vial needs HF
A phone’s NFC cannot read these UHF tags, and the 103 cannot read 13.56 MHz HF/NFC or 125/134.2 kHz LF tags. For single-vial reads at a few centimetres, HF/NFC tags are the alternative; UHF suits rack- or box-level counts. Our RFID sample management solutions page covers band choice, LIMS integration and system design.
Pharma packs and approvals
The ID-1027-R6 is listed for packs and cartons, not vials, so test it on your own vial and ask for its datasheet.
Where Indian rules require pack marking, the printed code is the regulated carrier. Exported drug formulations carry GS1 barcodes under DGFT’s track-and-trace procedure (DGFT Public Notice 21, 10 January 2011). Formulations listed in Schedule H2 to the Drugs Rules, 1945 must carry a bar code or QR code under G.S.R. 823(E) of 17 November 2022 (CDSCO FAQ). RFID can sit alongside that code but does not replace it, and no vendor can certify your regulatory compliance. Confirm the current scope with CDSCO; RFID for pharma serialisation and track-and-trace in India covers where RFID fits.
Identium is a BIS and WPC approved RFID manufacturer. Ask for the SKU’s material-compliance declaration in writing.
Choosing an RFID tag for test tubes and vials
Start with the ID-1540-U8 test tube listing. The same model is also listed as a printable asset label; that listing warns it does not read reliably over liquid, so use it only for print-and-encode trials on your own filled tubes. Consider the ID-1027-R6 for packs and consumables, and trial the ID-1540EC alongside them. The wider range is on our UHF RFID inlays and labels page. Pricing is quoted against specification; see each store listing. Custom tag orders typically turn around in 5–10 days.
When you contact us, send:
- tube or vial type and material;
- fill level and contents;
- storage temperature;
- rack or box material;
- the reader or printer you plan to use;
- approximate quantities.