Unique and sustainable surface refinement of products with innovative thin films: Ara Authentic R. Domnick, Ara-Authentic GmbH 1
Introduction - About us - Piracy of products a growing problem - Protection of goods: Status quo and current need Ara Authentic : An innovative method against forgeries and plagiarism - Our Motivation - Basics and optical features of Ara Authentic - Uniqueness - Authentication of goods - Production and applications Summary Overview 2
About us: The company Company: Ara-Authentic GmbH Location: Gundstrasse 13, Erlangen, Germany Industry: Anti counterfeiting / forgery proof solutions Business area: Development, customization, production and distribution of forgery proof thin film systems Partner: Ara-Coatings GmbH & Co. KG, Erlangen 3
General process About us: The business model - Face-to-face meeting: Evaluation of a potential cooperation - Determination of aims and requirements - Cooperation: Customized project: phase 1: Proof of concept (= physical feasibility ) phase 2: Commercial and technical feasibility phase 3: Process transfer and Production Characteristics - Corporate Identity of the partner persists - Cost efficient, exclusive and taylored implementation of Ara Authentic - Success depending license agreement 4
Piracy of products a growing problem A photo of counterfeit products from the consumer report website Almost every branch is being affected Counterfeiters are creative and / or user are poorly sensitized 5
Status quo Protection of goods - A lot of different systems and concepts are available on the market - Most of the solutions enable the forensic proof (= security level 3 ) - Some of the solutions enable the authentication with specific tools, e.g. fluorescent lamp, detector pins,... (= security level 2 ) - Only a few solutions enable the visible authentication (= security level 1 ) Current need - Unique marking, impossible to fake - Compatible markings (with products and specifications) - Capable of being integrated into a given design - A visible difference between the original product and fakes - An simple, fast and reliable method to proof for originality for everyone 6
Our approach Ara Authentic - An unique forgery proof marking based on micro- and nanoscaled features - Clearly visible for consumers as well as for manufacturers and suppliers - Fast, simple and reliable proof for originality with everyones smartphone - Applicable for a large variety of different products - Suitable for mass production (cost efficient production) Ara Authentic : Coatings, which appear smooth and rough simultaneously 7
Basics and optical features of Ara Authentic ordinary behaviour of surfaces smooth or rough SEM: micrograph smooth rough behaviour of Ara Authentic surfaces AFM: micrograph smooth and rough smooth = rough Ara Authentic Coatings, which appear smooth and rough simultaneously 8
Uniqueness of Ara Authentic Difference between ordinary and Ara Authentic surfaces Reflected spot on a wall Ara Authentic surface Ara Authentic surface ordinary surface ordinary surface 9
Uniqueness of Ara Authentic A lot of different color combinations can be adjusted direct reflection scattered light illumination with pocket lamps 10
Uniqueness of Ara Authentic Explanation for the high barrier against counterfeiting 1. Production: 2. Physics: 3. Authentication: - More than 10 independent process parameters ( set screws ) - Re-engineering is not possible - Ara Authentic is customized with regard to product surfaces - Vacuum process needed for production ( technological barrier ) - Combination of macroscopic and nano scaled characteristics - Creation of an unique nano-morphology - Significant influence of the product surface ( fingerprint ) - Visual, with smartphones, phorensic proof with spectroscopy - Product and / or application depending testing procedure - Customized App s for exclusive color codes, combinable with identification features (e.g. QR-matrix, barcode,...) 11
Ara Authentic : Authentication of goods Identification with the bare eye (= security level one ) ordinary surface Ara Authentic surface Strong and significant, illumination depending color change easy visible 12
Ara Authentic : Authentication of goods Identification with the own smartphone (= security level two ) > Authentication: 1, Download Ara Authentic app from app store 2, Start app, put label into focus, press shutter 3, The label will be scanned with and without flash. The resulting color values will be compared to internal references Scan without flash 4, Display shows : Original Ara-Authentic Scan with flash Always Everywhere Fast Scanning of every other surface results in Not Ara-Authentic Result within seconds Reliable 13
Ara Authentic : Authentication of goods Video to demonstrate the Identification with the own smartphone 14
Reflectey intensity [%] Reflectey intensity [%] Ara Authentic : Authentication of goods Forensic proof with reflection spectroscopy* (= security level three ) Standard surface Ara Authentic surface Spatial reflection + scattering Spatial reflection + scattering Spatial reflection Spatial reflection Wavelength [nm] Wavelength [nm] *: Illumination of the surface with two light sources and detection of reflected intensity Ara Authentic shows a reflected intensity > 100 % (with regard to one light source) 15
Ara Authentic : Production with PVD Application- or product-specific coating solutions Batch Inline Roll-to-Roll Characteristics of Physical Vapor Deposition technology (= PVD ): Established since decades, worldwide use of standard production equipment Vacuum coatings No free Nano particles! Coating technology as well as coating materials are environmentally friendly 16
Ara Authentic : Applications Examples Ara Authentic labels Direct coatings on products 17
Ara Authentic : Applications Example: Ara Authentic on the back of perfume bottles Liquid level The visible color is a result of the Ara Authentic coating and the perfume itself! 18
Fields of application Ara Authentic : Applications Spare parts Packaging Sports accessoires Bottles Consumables Toys Jewelry Watches Mobile phones Tools Machinery Electronic devices Pharmaceuticals Glasses Further options Combinable with identification features (e.g. QR-Matrix, Barcode, ) Processing possible (printing, laser marking, ) Customized app s Corporate Identity 19
Summary Ara Authentic coatings offer a very high protection against counterfeiting. The production technology itself as well as the materials used for Ara Authentic are environmentally friendly. The proof for originality can be done by everyone: either with the bare eye or simple, fast and reliable with the own smartphone. The forensic proof is done with reflection spectroscopy. Capable of being integrated into a given design Corporate Identity. Ara Authentic coatings can be applied onto different product surfaces, either directly or as labels. Ara Authentic allows protection against plagiarism and protection of surface simultaneously. 20
Thanks very much for your attention! Ara-Authentic GmbH Gundstr. 13 91056 Erlangen, Germany Tel.: +49 9131 9089500 Fax: +49 9131 90895050 E-Mail: info@ara-authentic.de 21