860–960 MHz

UHF Metal RFID Cards

UHF metal RFID cards operate between 860 and 960 MHz under EPC Gen2 (ISO/IEC 18000-63) — the band used where reading needs distance rather than a deliberate tap. Metal is the hardest environment UHF works in: an ordinary UHF inlay laminated to a metal face can lose most of its range, so these cards use on-metal antenna construction, and honest range expectations are set by testing rather than by the inlay datasheet.

UHF RFID route brief

Frequency	860–960 MHz
Best use	Selected long-range identification, EPC-style data, asset flow, event experiments, and product authentication.
Chip route	EPC Gen2 (ISO/IEC 18000-63) inlay with on-metal antenna construction, selected around range, reader power, and orientation.
Phone behavior	Not smartphone NFC; it needs a UHF reader or scanner.
Encoding	EPC, TID or UID reference, asset ID, batch ID, or project-specific data.
Approval check	Test range, orientation, nearby materials, reader power, antenna position, and final metal finish stack.

Visual references

Brushed metal NFC card tapping a smartphone

Champagne-gold metal NFC card beside a smartphone

Gunmetal metal RFID card at a secure reader

Copper metal RFID credential on a contactless reader

Brushed metal RFID card on an LF reader test bench

Metal RFID card encoding and QA workstation

Exploded metal RFID card shielding and antenna stack

Expect metal to cost range — then measure what is left.

Free-air range figures on inlay datasheets do not survive a metal card body. Orientation, reader power, antenna position, and nearby materials all move the result. A UHF metal project therefore starts from the real read scenario — gate width, mounting, direction of travel — and is approved on measured performance in that setup, not on a theoretical number.

Approve a working sample in the real environment.

Test range, orientation, nearby materials, reader power, antenna position, and final metal finish stack.

Best uses

Selected long-range identification, EPC-style data, asset flow, event experiments, and product authentication.
Metal card programs that can validate a finished encoded sample on the target reader
Projects that need print, serial, QR, packaging, and data handling reconciled in one approved brief

Frequently asked questions

When does a metal card genuinely need UHF?

When reading must happen at a distance or in bulk — gates, asset flows, vehicle-adjacent identification — under EPC Gen2 infrastructure. For tap-range use, HF and NFC are the correct band; UHF is chosen for range, not prestige.

Can a phone read a UHF metal card?

No. Smartphone NFC is 13.56 MHz; UHF runs at 860–960 MHz and requires a dedicated UHF reader or scanner. Programs that need both add a printed QR zone or a dual-technology plan.

How far does a UHF metal card read?

It depends on the on-metal antenna build, reader power, orientation, and surroundings — metal costs range, and the honest figure comes from testing the finished card in the real scenario. Range is approved by measurement, not quoted from an inlay datasheet.

Specification

Format	CR80 85.6 x 54 mm by default; custom outlines after RF review
Thickness	0.3 mm to 0.8 mm depending on construction
Minimum order	None — single samples to production runs
Production time	About one week after artwork and sample approval
RF construction	Antenna, ferrite or hybrid shielding, chip, metal faces, and edge stack specified together
Chip routes	NFC tag, standard HF, high-security AES HF, LF compatibility, and selected UHF by reader test
Marking options	Laser etch, deep engraving, UV print, white ink, enamel fill, QR, serial, and controlled cut-through
Approval flow	Finish sample, encoded working sample, reader check, pre-production approval
Frequency	860–960 MHz
Chip route	EPC Gen2 (ISO/IEC 18000-63) inlay with on-metal antenna construction, selected around range, reader power, and orientation.
Phone behavior	Not smartphone NFC; it needs a UHF reader or scanner.
Encoding	EPC, TID or UID reference, asset ID, batch ID, or project-specific data.
Approval check	Test range, orientation, nearby materials, reader power, antenna position, and final metal finish stack.