Generation 4 readers win "Best Product" Award 2025 at LogiMAT

Kathrein Solutions has won the LogiMAT Best Product 2025 award in the category "Identification, Packaging and Loading Technology, Load Securing" with its new fourth generation reader, which makes the implementation of RFID applications in intralogistics areas even easier and more secure. The prestigious prize is awarded to innovative products that make a significant contribution to rationalization, cost savings and increased productivity in internal logistics. The independent jury is made up of experts from science, business and the media. Every year, a winner is selected from a total of well over one hundred applicants in three categories.

 

Digitally switchable "phased-array" antenna system

The Gen4 readers come in two versions: an ARU (Antenna Reader Unit with integrated antenna and 3 outputs for external antenna) and RRU (Reader Unit with 4 outputs for external antenna). The digitally switchable "phased-array" antenna system of the ARU RFID devices allows the width and length of the reading areas in front of the ARU Gen4 to be changed digitally and precisely, enabling transponders to be read reliably. Additional detection of the transponders by an RFID gate is no longer necessary, which increases the efficiency of the process flow.

Improved performance in complex reading environments

The reception sensitivity of the new fourth generation of readers has been increased 10-fold compared to the old generation, which significantly improves performance in metallic environments and the detection of small and difficult-to-read RFID transponders in multi-tag arrangements. The environmental friendliness of the new devices was also an important aspect of the development. As the power consumption has been reduced by 40%, the fourth generation readers have lower operating costs. The footprint of the new devices has also been reduced by 50%, significantly reducing the demand for raw materials. The result is a cost-optimized device.

 

The participants of the award ceremony at LogiMAT: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fottner, Anton Kathrein,
Benedikt Weigand, Michael Kaiser and Exhibition Director Michael Ruchty (from left to right)

 

Real-time inventory of goods transported by forklift trucks

When the ARU Gen4 is positioned on a forklift truck, all transponders on a pallet can be read securely and specifically. A real-time inventory of the transponders attached to the pallet can be performed during movement and reported to the ERP system through the integrated wireless connectivity (WLAN and/or 5G) of the Kathrein Gen4 reader. When pallets are unloaded or loaded from a truck with forklifts, or pallets change their storage position, the RFID-tagged products are read and their movement registered. This enables new, cost-optimized, real-time recording processes.

Localization through integrated GNSS

The integrated GNSS receiver can be used to localize the moving and non-moving readers in the outdoor area. This means that the last known position of the parked pallets or pallet cages is available, which saves manual effort and enables further efficiency gains.

Real-time inventory of Kanban shelves

Gen4 readers can cascade up to eight antennas on each of the four external ports and read and switch transponders at a high speed of 35ms. This corresponds to a switching and reading time of approximately one second. In this way, a single reader and 32 cascaded Smart Shelf antennas are used for real-time inventory of a Kanban shelf. This is a very cost-optimized solution for many "just-in-sequence" processes.

Further information can be found in the Gen4 reader data sheets:

• Data sheet Gen4 ARU Reader | Download as PDF
• Datasheet Gen4 RRU Reader | Download as PDF