According to a VDMA study from 2008 give 68?% Of the machine manufactuering firms to be affected by piracy directly. A patent protection extends generally not sufficient to effectively protect against piracy. Much more effective is the "technical copy protection" will be marked with the tamper-proof products.
Also seal products are affected by piracy and the resulting potential risk is high. Seals are adapted not only by their geometry, but in particular as regards the composition of the elastomer compounds on the application. Plagiarism never exactly matched with a mixture inevitably leads to premature failure of the system. Damage and downtime for the operator are significant and far exceed one thousand times the purchase price of a seal.
This is also the example of a machine manufacturing firms of bottling plants for the beverage industry. During maintenance, seals were used here, which could be later by elastomer analysis clearly identified as forged. These seals resulted not because of a suitable material for the application to the mix early, leckagebedingten failure of the bottling plant. When removing the seals showed, furthermore, that these were heavily polluted and contaminated with organic growth. The elastomer used here was "medium" and represents a danger for the image of the operator dar.
Certainty for manufacturers and operators
The new safe laser marking process stands for "secure adaptive freudenberg encryption". This provides safety signs with information on titles, style, size, elastomer material, production date and serial number
a unique product identification and traceability for secure against counterfeiting on the division. The safe-labeling can be due to two different forms customized to the product. In addition to a rectangular, flat and a curved laser coding laser product labeling, for example, O-rings is possible.
Other development requirements were:
- No negative influence on the sealing of any geometry change;
- No negative influence on the sealing of any material change;
- Mark is inextricably linked to the component;
- Unique product label ("Each part is unique");
- Flag is read out after use (resistance to mechanical, chemical and physical load);
- Mark dispensed additives that threaten the normal market shares or make it impossible to (FDA compliance, USP class VI,
- EC 1935/2004 ...);
- Mark can be applied to small components;
- Each selected component is to be documented in its own database;
- Technology is suitable for mass production in large quantities;
- The additional costs of the mark in relation to conflict with those of the underlying components.
The marker approach
During the marking process, the code with the help of a laser is applied to the seal. The relevant data are stored on a central server. In each selected component is a one-one number is assigned.
This code allows 1024 different combinations. This means that one? 000? Billion years, every year one? 000? Billion components could be marked up a number again should be used.
When reading the code on the seal using a special camera detected. With a decentralized computer information on the design and rubber gasket can be adjusted. The complete deciphering of the code is done with the data alignment on the central server.
Extensive tests demonstrate high robustness of the marker
This marker is so robust that the seal, which is charged generally mechanically and chemically, can also be read out even if up to 60?% Of the labeling, such as wear is destroyed. This can be either laminar destruction, caused for example by scratches, cracks or scratches, but also by a local destruction, for example, caused by chemical attack.
To investigate the readability of the code after improper chemical swelling O-rings were subjected to a strong swelling. In spite of strong sources, the components of the safe-coding were clearly traceable.
In a field trial safemarkierte gaskets in milk-bottling plants were built. After 1? 800? Hours of operation, through which a daily cleaning cycle with dilute sodium hydroxide and nitric acid at both 75? °? C was, was also almost all ->? 95?% - The built-in seals can be read reliably.
Hygiene
Another application engineering study was the cleanability of the marked seals. This was at the Research Center Weihenstephan review the cleanability of O-rings made of EPDM to a certified test (EHEDG 01). After the test were selected poems just as easily cleanable as a straight pipe very smooth (Ra 0.5 to 0.7? M). That is, the structure of the laser marking does not lead to increased food Verkeimungsproblem in filling plants.
Conclusion: With the presented safe technology made it possible elastomeric sealing components, the strong while their applications mechanical and chemical loads, tamper-proof to highlight and thus to ensure full traceability. Extensive application engineering studies have demonstrated the applicability of the technology in real applications.