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工程设计学报
Chin J Eng Design  2023, Vol. 30 Issue (3): 288-296    DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2023.00.041
Theory and Method of Mechanical Design     
Rapid manufacturing of RFID antennas based on multi-material 3D printing technology
Jun GUAN1(),Yihua DING1,Qingtao GE1,Shuai ZHAO1,Yang LU1,Jie ZHANG1,2()
1.School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
2.Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Technology and Equipment, Wuxi 214122, China
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Abstract  

In order to protect the RFID (radio frequency identification) antenna from oxidation and corrosion due to contact with the external environment, and to improve the anti-counterfeiting, integrity and aesthetics of the product, it is necessary to place the RFID antenna on the surface of the product structure or inside the product. In order to rapidly manufacture these products, a multi-material 3D printer integrating fused deposition modeling (FDM) and direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing technologies was built, with a printable area of 220 mm×190 mm. The influence of antenna structure and substrate structure on the radiation performance of RFID antennas was analyzed by ANSYS HFSS simulation software. Then, four types of RFID antennas were selected as 3D printing objects, and conductive silver paste and polylactic acid (PLA) were used as printing materials for the antenna and substrate, respectively. The measured and simulated curves of the return loss of the antenna print were compared. The results showed that the resonant frequencies of the four types of RFID antennas had shifted approximately 185 MHz in the low-frequency direction relative to their design frequency of 915 MHz. Based on the measurement results of the return loss of antenna prints, the antenna model was further optimized and an embedded RFID antenna with a substrate thickness of 3 mm and an antenna arm length of 55 mm was printed, which met the design requirements of resonant frequency of 915 MHz and bandwidth greater than 150 MHz at ?10 dB. The research results verify the feasibility of integrated printing of RFID antennas and product bodies by using multi-material 3D printing technology and provide a reference for the rapid manufacturing of RFID antennas. This process has broad application prospects.

Key words： multi-material      radio frequency identification antenna      fused deposition modeling      direct ink writing      rapid manufacturing     
Received: 29 November 2022      Published: 06 July 2023
CLC:  TH 122  
Corresponding Authors: Jie ZHANG     E-mail: 804768109@qq.com;jiezhang@jiangnan.edu.cn
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Jun GUAN
Yihua DING
Qingtao GE
Shuai ZHAO
Yang LU
Jie ZHANG
Cite this article:

Jun GUAN,Yihua DING,Qingtao GE,Shuai ZHAO,Yang LU,Jie ZHANG. Rapid manufacturing of RFID antennas based on multi-material 3D printing technology. Chin J Eng Design, 2023, 30(3): 288-296.

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https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2023.00.041     OR     https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/Y2023/V30/I3/288


基于多材料3D打印技术的RFID天线快速制造

为了保护RFID（radio frequency identification，射频识别）天线，避免其接触外部环境而氧化、腐蚀，以及为了提高产品的防伪性、一体性与美观性，需要将RFID天线放置在产品结构表面或产品内部。为了快速制造这类产品，搭建了一台集成熔融沉积成形（fused deposition modeling, FDM）和直写成形（direct ink writing, DIW）这2种3D打印技术的多材料3D打印机，其可打印面积为220 mm×190 mm。通过ANSYS HFSS仿真软件分析了天线结构与基板结构对RFID天线辐射性能的影响；然后，选取4种RFID天线作为3D打印对象，使用导电银浆和聚乳酸（polylactic acid, PLA）分别作为天线和基板的打印材料，并对天线打印件回波损耗的实测曲线与仿真曲线进行比较。结果显示，4种RFID天线的谐振频率相对于其设计频率915 MHz均向低频方向发生了约185 MHz的偏移。根据天线打印件回波损耗的测量结果，进一步优化天线模型，并打印了一款基板厚度为3 mm、天线臂长为55 mm的内嵌式RFID天线，其满足谐振频率为915 MHz且-10 dB下带宽大于150 MHz的设计要求。研究结果验证了利用多材料3D打印技术一体化打印RFID天线及产品本体的可行性，为RFID天线的快速制造提供了参考，该工艺具有广阔的应用前景。


关键词： 多材料,  射频识别天线,  熔融沉积成形,  直写成形,  快速制造 
Fig.1 RFID antenna integrated printing scheme
Fig.2 Multi-material 3D printer frame structure
Fig.3 FDM printing nozzle
Fig.4 DIW printing nozzle
Fig.5 MKS Monster8 control board and its circuit connection
参数FDM打印喷头DIW打印喷头
步进电机驱动器细分数1616
每圈所需脉冲数/个200200
齿轮齿数比5∶11∶1
转动距离/mm23.562
喷嘴直径/mm0.40.8
丝材（料筒）直径/mm1.754.7
Table 1 Parameter settings for printing nozzles
Fig.6 Parameter setting program for DIW printing nozzle in Klipper firmware
Fig.7 Multi-material 3D printer physical object and its printing accuracy test results
Fig.8 Two RFID antenna models
Fig.9 Influence of substrate thickness and antenna arm length on resonant frequency of RFID antennas
Fig.10 Comparison of return loss simulation curves of four types of RFID antennas
Fig.11 RFID antenna printing process
Fig.12 Four types of RFID antenna prints and X-ray transmission photos of some antennas
Fig.13 Measurement fixture and measurement site for RFID antenna
天线f0/MHzB/MHzBf0/％G/dBρ
天线1739.93144.6519.55-16.121.331
天线2736.46163.5822.21-18.761.323
天线3750.35134.6617.95-18.791.064
天线4740.96147.7519.94-29.661.025
Table 2 Radiation performance parameter measurement results of four types of RFID antennas
Fig.14 Comparison of measured and simulated curves of return loss of four types of RFID antennas
Fig.15 Optimized RFID antenna print and its return loss measurement curve
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