The Siemens SIMATIC RF210R (6GT2821-1BC32) is the most compact cylindrical HF RFID reader in the SIMATIC RF200 portfolio, with an M18 x 83 mm form factor designed for flush mounting in tightly constrained machine fixtures, tool holders, and assembly stations. Its nickel-plated brass housing with integrated antenna provides up to 20 mm read range and full IP67 protection. The IO-Link V1.1 interface enables simple plug-and-play connection to IO-Link masters with seamless TIA Portal integration for PROFINET and PROFIBUS networks.

What Are the Key Physical Characteristics of the RF210R?

The RF210R features an M18 x 83 mm cylindrical housing made of nickel-plated brass with PBT end caps in silver and pastel turquoise. Weighing just 65 g, it is secured using two M18 x 1 nuts (included) with a maximum tightening torque of 20 N·m. The reader can be flush-mounted on metal surfaces with no minimum clearance, making it ideal for embedding into machine components where space is at a premium. A 3-color LED provides status indication for power, transponder presence, and error conditions. The M12 4-pin connector handles both IO-Link data and 24 V DC power.

How Does the IO-Link Interface Work on the RF210R?

IO-Link V1.1 provides point-to-point communication at 230 kbit/s (COM3) with 32 bytes of input and 32 bytes of output process data. Maximum cable length between the reader and the IO-Link master is 20 m. Power is supplied at 24 V DC (20.4-28.8 V) with 50 mA typical current consumption. The IO-Link master handles upstream PROFINET or PROFIBUS connectivity, with all engineering and diagnostics performed within TIA Portal.

What RFID Standards and Transponders Does the RF210R Support?

The RF210R operates at 13.56 MHz using ISO 15693 and ISO 18000-3 standards. It is compatible with the full range of Siemens SIMATIC RF200 transponders (MDS D100 through D528 series). Maximum RF data transfer rate is 26.5 kbit/s, with approximately 2.4 ms read access time and 3.3 ms write access time per byte. The RF210R processes one transponder at a time. Operating temperature range is -20 °C to +70 °C, with storage and transport rated from -25 °C to +80 °C. Shock resistance is 500 m/s², vibration resistance is 200 m/s², and MTBF is 505 years. Certifications include CE, FCC, cULus, R&TTE, EAC, KC, and CCC.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the RF210R differ from the RF220R?

The RF210R is the smaller M18 cylindrical variant (20 mm range, 65 g) designed for tight spaces with smaller mounting holes. The RF220R is the larger M30 variant (35 mm range, 140 g) with nearly double the detection distance. Choose the RF210R when the mounting space limits you to an 18 mm hole; choose the RF220R when you have a 30 mm hole available and need the longer read range.

What is the difference between the current BC32 variant and the older AC32 IO-Link version?

The current BC32 variant (6GT2821-1BC32) features IO-Link V1.1 with 32 bytes of I/O data at 230 kbit/s (COM3). The older AC32 variant used IO-Link V1.0 with 8 bytes of I/O at 38.4 kbit/s. The BC32 is the recommended current-generation product with significantly faster data throughput.