Packaging

Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics Brands Combat Counterfeiting with Track & Trace Module

Tuesday 23. November 2010 - Pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers can now strike back against the counterfeiters thanks to Atlantic Zeiser Group, a leading supplier of technology, modules and system solutions for industrial digital printing.

The company’s Track & Trace module empowers brand owners by enabling them to counter the burgeoning counterfeiting threat and protect their brand reputation and revenue.
The urgent need for anti-counterfeiting solutions
A 2009 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimated that pirate products worldwide cost companies EUR184 billion – a 53 per cent rise on 2007’s figure.
Pirate products pose a particularly high risk in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. This is because they often use ineffective filling agents instead of genuine, more expensive medical substances; and cheap ingredients instead of high-quality cosmetic agents.
How does Track & Trace work?
Track & Trace integrates easily into a new or existing print packaging production line. Users can include all standard product tracking codes on the packaging. The codes include GS1, all types of numeric codes, and 1-D and 2-D barcodes, which are used to check the legitimacy of the packaging and product online
Track & Trace also includes an optical checking system. In just one fast step cameras automatically read and verify the selected layout and check the digits.
And the solution affords users maximum flexibility when it comes to late-stage customisation. If the check code does not match the reference data, the module rejects the packaging following the check. The assigned Track & Trace code can then be added to the packaging in a subsequent print run.
Ralf Hipp, Vice President Digital Printing and Coding Solutions Atlantic Zeiser, comments: “Track & Trace hands the power back to manufacturers and brand owners. Its seamless product tracking enables them to strike a meaningful blow against counterfeiters. And, crucially, Track & Trace is highly automated and cost effective – it slots effortlessly into an existing packaging production set-up and isn’t a drain on resources or revenue.”
VERICAM – unprecedented data verification and quality control
VERICAM is the high-speed camera system that makes 100% data verification and print quality control easier than ever.
The plug-in combines Atlantic Zeiser’s unrivalled camera algorithms with the most advanced user interface on the market. The solution couldn’t be easier to use – job set-up is via drag-and-drop touch-screen technology, with no mouse or additional keyboard required.
Minimal operator intervention ensures super-fast job change-over, helping users take productivity and profitability of variable data printing applications to new levels.
Typical applications include:
· Quality control of any font – VERICAM controls 100% of the production and detects the exact position of the string on the banknote or document, global contrast, alignment and angle of the string, right class of character and quality of the printing according to shape and contour, as well as over-inking or under-inking.
· Quality control of bar codes 1D/2D – VERICAM system includes the ANSI quality calculation to ensure print quality. Bar codes can be checked according to generally accepted quality standards.
· Numbering control for security documents – enables each security document to be individually identified.
· Sequence control for tickets, pre-paid cards -the value of a ticket depends on the data printed on it. During production, it’s necessary to monitor the printed data to ensure it is readable and matches the print file.
· Conformity control – VERICAM verifies the presence and readability of characters according to an expected string of up to three lines. Specially developed algorithms guarantee accurate and fast evaluation, even under difficult conditions e.g. on blister packaging.
MICR certification for checks
MICR numbers must be readable to ensure proper magnetic identification of documents by the banks. VERICAM guarantees MICR certified readability.
See the Track & Trace module and VERICAM in action
Atlantic Zeiser is to showcase the Track & Trace module and VERICAM at Emballage 2010. Visitors to the company’s stand can see the solutions demonstrated in a variety of applications for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets. The event takes place in Paris from November 22 to 25. Atlantic Zeiser can be found in Hall 4 at Stand D 086.