CompTIA RFID+

This course is no longer offered. See all available CompTIA certifications.

Firebrand Training is an Authorized Partner of CompTIA. This means that you are guaranteed the highest level of instructor and course material, all of which is officially approved by CompTIA.

The goal of this four-day accelerated course is to teach students a base-line technical knowledge of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification technology) for different career roles. Successful students will have mastered the fundamental knowledge and skills required to work in a RFID using environment. These foundational skills include basic knowledge of interrogation zone basics, testing, troubleshooting and design selection.

Those holding CompTIA RFID+ certification can demonstrate knowledge and competency to perform installation, configuration and maintenance of RFID hardware and device software, site surveys/site analysis or tag selection, placement and testing.

Our CompTIA RFID+ Certification Program

• Allows you to achieve your certifications in a fraction of the time of 'traditional training' while delivering industry-leading exam passing percentages
• Helps students grasp complex technical concepts more easily by identifying and catering to individual student learning styles through a mixed visual, auditory and kinaesthetic-tactual delivery system
• Enhances retention by employing accelerated learning techniques focused on committing information to long-term memory

Having proof of your skills and knowledge gives you the edge over other candidates when applying for a job. Here are some additional benefits of earning CompTIA RFID+:

• Independent validation of achievement of a level of competency accepted and valued by the industry
• Proven understanding of fundamental RFID-related practices
• Increased knowledge, leading to increased job satisfaction
• Well-defined career path, leading to higher level certifications
• Proof of transferable skills and a solid credential, which make you more marketable
• Vendor neutral certification

What CompTIA RFID+ Can do for Your Company

Certification provides companies with skilled employees, leading to:

• Maximized efficiencies in recruiting, hiring, training and promoting employees
• Operational improvements and greater efficiencies organization-wide
• Creation of best practices and uniform RFID processes across all industries
• Increased productivity as certified professionals are able to perform at accepted industry standards

Who Should Earn a RFID+ Certification?

RFID job-role certification is important for all types of IT professionals, from career changers and business professionals to experienced and certified IT professionals who want to be involved in the latest technology for the shipping industry.

Career changers

RFID+ certification is an excellent way to enter the IT industry because vendor-neutral skill certifications address the roles and responsibilities of a specific position. RFID+ focuses on industry standards, and leading hardware and software technologies.

Business professionals

A RFID certification demonstrates knowledge of industry standards, best practices, and leading hardware and software technology. Taking the time to learn new IT concepts shows a commitment to keep pace with today's technology-driven economy, to better understand a customer's business, and to become more self-sufficient by better understanding the technology on which almost every professional relies.

Experienced and certified IT professionals

If an experienced IT professional does not already have a widely recognized certification, he or she should earn a certification to show current or potential employers a measurement of their skills and expertise. Those who hold certifications other than RFID+ can benefit from RFID+ certification by demonstrating an understanding of multiple and vendor-neutral skills, and knowledge of industry standards and best practices.

Course Materials

Students attending this blended-learning program will receive a robust set of course materials that caters to each of the three primary individual learning-intake styles (auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic-tactual) - critical for a successful accelerated learning experience.

Daily lectures, labs, and review sessions are supplemented by a combination of:

• Proprietary Lab Manual & Program Courseware - developed to address the unique demands of accelerated learners
• Self Test Testing Software

Firebrand Training has an aggressive educational schedule that thoroughly covers all essential elements necessary to attain the CompTIA RFID+ Certification during the program.

Module Descriptions

• RFID basics, Tags and Readers
• Testing & Troubleshooting of RFID Systems, RF in RFID
• RFID Systems Installation, Regulations, Standards and Mandates, Practice
• RFID+ Certification Exam

Course program in detail

Interrogation zone basics

• Describe interrogator functionality
• I/O capability
• Hand-held interrogators
• Vehicle mount interrogator
• LAN/Serial communications
• Firmware upgrades
• Software operation (GUIs)
• Describe configuration of interrogation zones
• Explain interrogator to interrogator interference
• Optimization
• System performance and tuning
• Travel speed and direction
• Bi-static / monostatic antennas
• Define anti-collision protocols (e.g., number of tags in the field/response time)
• Given a scenario, solve dense interrogator environment issues (domestic/international)
• Understand how a dense interrogator installation is going to affect network traffic
• Installation of multiple interrogators, (e.g., dock doors, synchronization of multiple interrogators, antenna footprints)

Testing and Troubleshooting

• Given a scenario, troubleshoot RF interrogation zones (e.g., root-cause analysis)
• Analyze less than required read rate
• Identify improperly tagged items
• Diagnose hardware
• Recognize need for firmware upgrades
• Equipment replacement procedures (e.g., antenna, cable, interrogator)
• Identify reasons for tag failure
• Failed tag management
• ESD issues
• Given a scenario, contrast actual tag data to expected tag data

Standards and Regulations

• Given a scenario, map user requirements to standards
• Regulations, standards that impact the design of a particular RFID solution
• Identify the differences between air interface protocols and tag data formats
• Recognize regulatory requirements globally and by region (keep at high level, not specific requirements -- may use scenarios)
• Recognize safety regulations/issues regarding human exposure

Tag Knowledge

• Classify tag types
• Select the RFID tag best suited for a specific use case.
• Pros and cons of tag types
• Tag performance
• Tag antenna to region/frequency
• Identify inductively coupled tags vs. back-scatter
• Identify the differences between active and passive
• Given a scenario, select the optimal locations for an RFID tag to be placed on an item.
• Evaluate media and adhesive selection for tags
• Tag orientation and location
• Tag stacking (shadowing)
• Package contents
• Packaging
• Items
• Tags
• Labels
• Inserts
• Liquids
• Metal
• Polarization

Design Selection

• Given a scenario, predict the performance of a given frequency and power (active/passive) as it relates to: read distance, write distance, tag response time, storage capacity
• Summarize how hardware selection affects performance (may use scenarios)
• Antenna type
• Equipment mounting and protection
• Cable length/loss
• Interference considerations
• Tag type (e.g., active, passive, frequency)

Installation

• Given a scenario, describe hardware installation using industry standard practices
• Identify grounding considerations (e.g., lightning, ground loops, ESD)
• Test installed equipment and connections (pre-install and post-install)
• Given a scenario, interpret a site diagram created by a RFID architect describing interrogation zone locations, cable drops, device mounting locations

Site Analysis (i.e., before, during and after installation)

• Given a scenario, demonstrate how to read blueprints (e.g., whole infrastructure)
• Determine sources of interference
• Use analysis equipment such as a spectrum analyzer, determine if there is any ambient noise in the frequency range that may conflict with the RFID system to be installed
• Given a scenario, analyze environmental conditions end-to-end

RF Physics

• Identify RF propagation/communication techniques
• Describe antenna field performance/characteristics as it relates to reflective and absorptive materials (may use scenarios)
• Given a scenario, calculate radiated power output from antenna based on antenna gains, cable type, cable length, interrogator transmit power (include formulas in scenario)

RFID Peripherals

• Describe installation and configuration of RFID printer (may use scenarios)
• Describe ancillary devices/concepts
• RFID printer encoder
• Automated label applicator
• Feedback systems (e.g., lights, horns)
• RTLS

You'll sit the following exam:

• RF0-101 RFID+ Exam

The exam breaks down into the following:

• Interrogation Zone Basics 13% of examination
• Testing and Troubleshooting 13% of examination
• Standards and Regulations 12% of examination
• Tag Knowledge 11% of examination
• Design Selection 11% of examination
• Installation 11% of examination
• Site Analysis (ie. Before, during and after installation) 11% of examination
• RF Physics 11% of examination
• RFID Peripherals 7% of examination

Students who are successful in the the CompTIA RFID+ Certification Firebrand Training should possess:

• 6-24 months of experience in the RFID industry
• Foundational RFID knowledge

Your accelerated course includes:

• Accommodation *
• Meals, unlimited snacks, beverages, tea and coffee *
• On-site exams **
• Exam vouchers **
• Practice tests **
• Certification Guarantee ***
• Courseware
• Up to 12 hours of instructor-led training each day
• 24-hour lab access
• Digital courseware **

* For residential training only. Accommodation is included from the night before the course starts. This doesn't apply to online courses.
** Some exceptions apply. Please refer to the Exam Track or speak with our experts.
*** Pass the first time or train again for free as many times as it takes, unlimited for 1 year. Just pay for accommodation, exams, and incidental costs.