Embedded Enhanced RFID (RFIX) for Printed Circuit Board Manufacture and Added Value Life-cycle Tracking (INBOARD)

A printed circuit board can now carry its own history, with a radio tag embedded directly into the board during manufacture. The INBOARD project tackled a practical problem: electronics supply chains are opaque. Once a circuit board leaves a factory, information about its components, assembly, and manufacturing conditions is often lost. This makes it difficult to optimise production, track faulty parts, or recycle materials efficiently at end of life. The project embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags directly into printed circuit boards, creating a permanent, accessible record that travels with the product. If adopted, this technology could radically reduce lifecycle costs by increasing observability across the entire supply chain—from PCB fabrication through assembly, original equipment manufacturing, use, and recycling. Manufacturers could monitor and optimise processes in real time. Recyclers could read a board’s material composition and dismantle it more effectively. The impact falls squarely on industrial infrastructure: smarter manufacturing, less waste, and a more circular electronics economy. This is not a fundamental science project; it is an applied engineering demonstration, proven through a collaboration of UK electronics companies, a recycler, and Loughborough University.