Pragmatic plastic NFC chip for all products

Pragmatic Semiconductor has introduced its latest innovation in the form of a low-cost plastic chip designed for near field communications (NFC), making it affordable to tag a wide range of consumer products. The Pragmatic PR1301 NFC Connect is manufactured on a 300mm polyimide substrate at the Pragmatic fab in the UK, with plans for high-volume production later this year. This plastic chip offers a more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional silicon NFC chips, and its flexibility allows for easy embedding on products to establish a connection with mobile phones.

James Davey, the Senior Vice President of Sales, Business Development, and Product Management at Pragmatic Semiconductor, highlighted some key advantages of the PR1301 NFC Connect. Despite being larger in size at 3 x 2mm compared to silicon NFC chips, its design offers benefits for antenna design by acting as a bridge for a single-sided layout. This innovative approach opens up possibilities for various applications, such as embedding plastic NFC tags in reusable packaging and enabling new design possibilities.

One of the primary focuses for Pragmatic Semiconductor is catering to the needs of its customers, particularly in providing solutions like paper inlays with copper coils. These coils, fitting inside the top of plastic bottles, offer a reliable tracking mechanism. Davey emphasized that Pragmatic aims to be a leading supplier of NFC chips on a large scale, serving billions of units to meet the growing demand across different industries.

David Moore, the CEO of Pragmatic, expressed optimism about the market demand for their FlexICs, especially in fast-moving consumer goods sectors like food and beverage, apparel, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The applications of these NFC chips are expanding rapidly into areas such as smart health devices, toys, games, and food freshness detection. The use of ISO15693 Type 5 protocol in FlexICs, along with LPROM laser programming, enhances the efficiency and compatibility of the NFC tags with various devices.

Pragmatic Semiconductor has already secured partnerships with industry giants like Avery Dennison, Tageos, Ginger Packaging, and Amkor, showcasing the widespread adoption of their innovative NFC technology. With plans to ramp up production in the coming months, Pragmatic is poised to meet the increasing demand for NFC solutions in a variety of sectors. The introduction of the PR1301 NFC Connect product line marks a significant milestone for Pragmatic Semiconductor, offering initial volume samples to showcase the capabilities of their cutting-edge NFC technology.