Koenig & Bauer has taken the wraps off a brace of anti counterfeiting technologies developed within its vision and protection division allied to its currency printing presses.
These add to a product that is already available and widely used to check the validity of currency. That uses an app to recognise some of the unique fingerprints of a printed product, in this case a euro note printed using intaglio technology. This leave a distinctive signature that can be checked in seconds by the ValiCash app and is used bv retailers and others handling printed currency.
This is already in use. The Aegis and Athenaeum applications are new and exploit a hidden image that is printed on a standard press and which are revealed under a can by a smartphone. These fall under Koenig & Bauer’s Stegano (from the Greek for hidden) portfolio.
The Aegis tool is a image file that is used to create an image on plate used to apply a varnish. This is associated with the product and details logged in the cloud. Koenig & Bauer supplies the plate for this.
Atheneum is a more covert application, invisible to the eye until scanned by a smartphone with the correct app. This is created by embedding a digital image within the standard file that can only be done by Koenig & Bauer. The file is returned to the printer which produces plates and then a carton in the conventional way.
The hidden element can be part of a logo, product image, almost anywhere on the artwork. It will appeal to printers producing packaging for high value products, say expensive wine and spirits, auto and aircraft parts, which can attract counterfeiters.
A third level of security will apply an individual identity to a high value limited edition product. This can associate the individual product to a purchaser for a full provenance should it be needed. Limited edition artworks would suit the technology.
Koenig & Bauer will advise on the most suitable technology to use for each application. Writing on LinkedIn, Vision & Protection CEO Julian Schubert says: “The offerings from Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection extend beyond just preventing counterfeiting. By integrating hidden data and enabling verification via mobile apps, they enhance connectivity between products, brands, and consumers. This opens up opportunities for consumer engagement, tracking, and building greater trust by allowing customers to easily verify the authenticity of their purchases.”
