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Welcome to
Frequently
Asked Questions
Have a question not answered
here? Please
ask us!
What does it cost to get setup
with RFID Expediter?
It
costs nothing to get started.
Costs are incurred on a
per-order basis. There is no
cost or obligation with
registering. There are no
minimum quantities.
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How do I get started?
You must first
register and then download our
software. Next, install the
software and use the Label Wizard to
enter your label data. The
software has an Order option,
which sends you to our secure
checkout page. Purchase using
MasterCard, Visa or American
Express. We send the labels overnight. You apply the labels
to containers and pallets. We
send your Advance Shipping
Notice (ASN) to DoD WAWF via EDI.
NOTE - You must be
registered with Wide Area Work
Flow (WAWF) for us to send your ASN.
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How do I register for Wide Area
Work Flow?
Registration is a
fairly simple process for DoD
suppliers. You will need a valid
CAGE code registered in the
Central Contractor Registry (CCR),
your TPIN number
and an Internet connection.
Register at:
http://wawf.eb.mil
WAWF Toll Free
Support 1-866-618-5988
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When can I expect to get my RFID
labels?
Orders received
before Noon (Eastern Time) M-F are
processed and shipped via
overnight delivery the same day.
They should arrive at your
location the next business day.
Orders received after noon M-F will
be processed the next business
day and shipped via overnight
delivery for receipt the
following business day.
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Do I have shipping options?
Currently, we are
using only Federal Express
Overnight Delivery service.
We'll be happy to know your
suggestions for other
services to be included at a
later time.
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How are the labels packaged?
Orders for up to 25 labels are
placed in a static shielding bag,
then packaged in a cardboard
Federal Express envelope. Orders
greater than 25 labels are
flat-packed or rolled, placed in a static
shielding bag, wrapped in static
shielding bubble wrap and packed in a cardboard
box.
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How do I apply labels safely?
RFID labels are
sensitive to static electricity, so always use
static precautions when dealing
with RFID labels. External
containers of cardboard should
not introduce static,
though the person applying the
label very well may. It is good
practice to discharge by
touching a grounded frame or
device prior to taking labels
out of their static shielding
bags. Shrink wrap builds static
electricity, sometimes enough to blow out an RFID
label. If static is known to
exist, we suggest using a
slightly damp cloth to diffuse
the target area just prior to
application.
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Where should I apply labels for
best performance?
Certainly, you
must place the labels in
accordance with MilStd129P.
Further, radio waves, and
therefore RFID tags, are
affected by metals and liquids.
Metals reflect radio waves and liquids
absorb them. There are rules of
thumb that help to find the best
locations for read performance. Example - if
container is full of liquid
filled bottles, place the tag
high on container (nearest to
neck of bottles). Metal contents
are more complicated. Testing
needs to be done to define the
locations where a tag will
perform optimally. Testing is
done by sequential re-positions
and reads, at varying distances
(and/or power levels) and under
the 360 degree range of
orientations. Productivity by
RFID offers a Sweet SpotTM
service that performs
extensive testing to determine
the locations of optimal RFID
label performance. Areas are
mapped out to determine which
positions meet read range
criteria, as well as performance
relative to ideal (open air)
condition. Knowing your
positioning options offers
greater flexibility for direct
package labeling. Lastly, be
aware that Mil-Spec 129P details
margins where labels cannot
be placed.
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What is the performance criteria
RFID labels must achieve?
The US DoD RFID
Policy states "... the read
distance shall be at least 3
meters (3.3 yards), reading
passive RFID tags at 10 miles
per hour (e.g., forklift)."
There are also other
considerations that concern
durability. Labels provided by
RFID Expediter are fully
compliant with readability and durability
standards. We test labels at 14
feet to verify far-field
readability.
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Which Federal Supply Classes
require RFID labels?
For a listing of
affected classes and the year
the mandate commences for each
class, visit:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/Class_of_supply_lookup_tool.htm
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Which ship to locations
require RFID?
Defense Depot Susquehanna
Pennsylvania (DDSP) W25G1U,
SW3124
Defense Depot San Joaquin
California (DDJC) W62G2T, SW3224
Defense Depot Norfolk Virginia (DDNV)
SW3117
Defense Depot San Diego
California (DDDC) SW3218
Defense Depot Jacksonville
Florida (DDJF) SW3122
Defense Depot Puget Washington (DDPW)
SW3216
Defense Depot Cherry Point North
Carolina (DDCN) SW3113
Defense Depot Columbus Ohio (DDCO)
SW0700
Defense Depot Richmond Virginia
(DDRV) SW0400
Defense Depot Red River (DDRT)
W45G19, SW3227
Defense Depot Corpus Christi
Texas (DDCT) W45H08, SW3222
Defense Depot Tobyhanna
Pennsylvania (DDTP) W25G1W,
SW3114
Defense Depot Anniston Alabama (DDAA)
W31G1Z, SW3120
Defense Depot Hill Utah (DDHU)
SW3210
Defense Depot Oklahoma City
Oklahoma (DDOO) SW3211
Defense Depot Warner Robins
Georgia (DDWG) SW3119
Defense Depot Barstow California
(DDBC) SW3215
Defense Depot Albany Georgia (DDAG)
SW3121
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What is the sunset provision for
Gen1?
One of the
virtues of using RFID Expediter
is that, by sourcing your RFID
labels, you won't be
stuck with obsolete hardware
when Gen1 or Gen2 is sunset. RFID
Expediter is already supplying Gen2
RFID labels, well in advance of
DoD's Gen1 sunset date,
currently set for February 2007.
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How is the US DoD mandate
affected by Gen2?
The DoD currently
is accepting Gen2
RFID tags. As a RFID Expediter
customer, you have no worries
about Gen1 or Gen2. We will
always provide compliant labels.
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What do I need to know about ASN
and WAWF?
Each shipment to
the DoD is required
to associate with an Advance
Shipping Notice (ASN) that is
sent electronically to Wide
Area Work Flow (WAWF). As a DoD
supplier, you must be registered
with WAWF (see
above). ASNs are sent
via WAWF web interface, FTP or EDI. With RFID
Expediter, we deliver ASN
data
for you. If you have questions
about WAWF, please visit
https://wawf.eb.mil or
contact the DISA Customer
Service Center (WAWF Help Desk)
at 1-866-618-5988 or
801-605-7095.
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How can I change my contact or
mailing information?
Labels are sent
to the person and address you
input
at registration.
This information can be updated
at any time by visiting the
My Account page.
Login is required to access your
account page.
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When will I need to verify RFID
labels in-house?
Under the DoD
RFID Policy,
read verification is
stipulated. The DoD currently
allows suppliers to outsource
this verification. With every RFID
label we produce, we include a
Certificate of Compliance. The cert
itemizes the various stages
that each RFID label had been
tested, in near-field and
far-field. Our cert is
universally accepted by QARs, although there may be instances
where on-site read verification is desirable or
required. Validation may be
driven by a Quality Assurance
procedure, a
business data collection rule,
business process trigger or QAR.
If you need a fixed or hand-held
reader for on-site verification,
please
contact us. We're
continually evaluating low-cost
options for RFID verification. We
can help you select the best
choices in hardware
that meets your connectivity,
functionality and environmental
needs.
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When will I need to print RFID
labels in-house?
There are two
factors that lead to in-house
printing of RFID labels. One is
the need for immediacy, when
next day delivery is not fast
enough. The other factor is
sheer quantity. For some
suppliers, as more of their
product shipments require RFID
labeling, the procurement,
installation, training,
operation and maintenance of
RFID hardware may become
justified. At this point, one
option is our
RFID Shipper -
Compliance Labeling System. It allows simple
transition to in-house printing
utilizing a compatible, expanded
version of the RFID Expediter
software that can be pre-loaded
with historical data, as
provided by the RFID Expediter
order history. Also, RFID
Expediter can serve as a
contingency plan should your
RFID printer malfunction or
exhaust its ribbon or label
stock.
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How can I apply my Fed-Ex
account number?
We are not
currently accepting destination
Fed-Ex numbers. We expect to do
so in the future, so please
contact us and let us know you
have one. We want to serve your
best interests. Your input will
help us to serve you better.
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