27/05/2026
Inventory recording used to take time, patience, and concentration - or just a quick walk-through. In Armin Bader and Marc Biedermann’s lab, RFID tags with built-in chips have recently made inventory recording over 75 percent faster, reduced errors, and noticeably simplified day-to-day operations.
RFID technology itself is not new, but its use in this area at BASF is. The principle is simple: a small radio tag with an integrated chip is affixed to every piece of laboratory equipment to be inventoried. The chip, including the radio antenna, is embedded as an ultra-thin layer beneath the printable surface of the adhesive label, whose print layout can be freely configured. This so-called transponder transmits its information contactlessly to a mobile reader.
A walk through the lab is all it takes, and the reader automatically detects all devices with an RFID chip within range, even if they are inside cabinets. The result: less effort in daily operations, greater speed, and a better overview.
And that's exactly what digitalization should be like, don't you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.
