Ara-Authentic

Using the vacuum-based coating process “Physical Vapor Deposition” (PVD), a thin inorganic layer is applied to a transparent, flexible PET carrier film.

The PET film coated in this way is placed on the PVD side of the product surface, stretched or fixed as a self-adhesive variant in the focus plane of a standard marking laser.

If the laser parameters are set appropriately, activation of the laser beam causes the PVD layer to be transferred from the PET film to the product surface and at the same time the specific, counterfeit-proof properties are implemented.
Both the PVD process and the interaction of the PVD layer with the laser beam can generate properties and functionalities in the layers that are not possible with other coating processes. Specifically, this means that the production of the laser layers is not subject to thermochemical equilibrium conditions.

Anti-counterfeit protection is ensured by the fact that both the coating process parameter settings during the production of the laser films must be known precisely, as well as the exact laser parameter settings for the laser-induced markings - which in turn have been adapted to the respective, specific product surface.
Re-engineering the laser-applied, forgery-proof layers is not possible.
The type of authentication is determined in consultation with the customer and can be done, for example, with a smartphone.

Further information can also be integrated into the forgery-proof identification, e.g. in the form of a data matrix code, which is itself designed to be forgery-proof - but can be read like a “normal code” using commercially available apps.