Canadian company ATS Automation Tooling Systems and tesa, a leading supplier of tape and high performance label products, have developed a "revolutionary" multilayered marking technology for pharmaceutical glass marking applications.
The VALIDATE system uses a laser and proprietary consumables from tesa to permanently mark fixed and variable information including text, logos, lines and 2D bar codes into the glass.
While initially conceived as a marking technology to combat counterfeiting in other industries, the non-erasable nature of the VALIDATE marking solution allows the same anticounterfeiting properties to be utilised in pharmaceutical applications said Dave Adams, market manager, tesa.
"From its permanent nature to its ability to combine covert and overt security features into the mark, the VALIDATE marking solution can work as a stand-alone anticounterfeiting solution or in conjunction with other technologies to provide ultimate proof of origin," added Rob Faulhammer, director of business development with ATS.
Due to the ability to mark 2D or 1D bar codes as well as text onto the glass, track and trace system functionality can be incorporated, as well as guaranteeing the end user without a bar code reader that the vial or syringe originated in the intended pharmaceutical supplier'sfactory.
ATS tailors the VALIDATE marking technology to the end user's application, taking account of line speed, information to be marked, material handling, changeover, line management software and other factors. The technology can be integrated downstream of the ATS Lyoscan vial inspection system to provide a complete inspection and labelling solution.