A Practical Guide to Laser Technology for Fighting Counterfeiting

The article uses case studies to explain how the food and pharmaceutical industry can use laser technology to upgrade its anti-counterfeiting capabilities, and covers the core advantages of the technology, its application scenarios, and implementation steps.The company helps businesses and consumers to quickly identify authentic products, and reduces the risk of counterfeiting by providing the industry with a practical solution.

Why does the food and pharmaceutical industry need to upgrade its anti-counterfeiting measures?

Food and drug safety is directly related to the health of the people.Traditional anti-counterfeiting technologies such as QR codes and printed labels are easy to copy, and consumers have difficulty telling the difference between real and fake.In recent years, laser engraving has become a popular choice for product authentication, thanks to the physical property that it cannot be reversed.

This is the core advantage of holographic anti-counterfeiting technology.

The unique physical properties of the material are difficult to replicate.

The laser uses precision equipment to engrave patterns or letters in micrometer-scale grooves on the packaging surface. Even if a counterfeiter obtains a sample, it will be difficult to duplicate the same manufacturing parameters, greatly raising the cost of counterfeiting.

Consumers can see the difference.

For example, the serial number on the foil of a medicine package can be engraved so that it is only visible at certain angles, or the laser perforations on food packaging can be felt by touch.This intuitive method of verification lowers the learning curve for users.

It is compatible with existing production lines.

Laser equipment can be adapted to fit most production lines. The only thing that needs to be done is to add a module to the packaging process.In one case involving a dairy company, the upgrade took only three days, and production was affected by less than 5 %.

A practical example: Steps in implementing laser anti-counterfeiting.

Needs analysis and plan design.

First, the level of security must be determined.For example, high-end health supplements may require three forms of authentication (visual + tactile + barcode), whereas quick-moving consumer goods may focus on quick identification.A certain pharmaceutical company, using a combination of laser and ink, was able to reduce the number of complaints about counterfeits by 76 %.

The parameters of the process are adjusted.

The laser wavelength and energy are adjusted according to the material.For example, PET bottle caps are most suitable for low-frequency light engraving, while metal packaging requires high-frequency deep engraving.The process involves repeated testing to make sure that the patterns are clear and that the packaging is not damaged.

Consumer education.

After the anti-counterfeiting measures have been upgraded, we will teach consumers how to identify the new measures through packaging labels and short videos.A certain beverage brand added "Find the Light Spot" instructions to its bottles, and in conjunction with a social media challenge, the number of authenticity checks rose fourfold in three months.

Long-term value in upgrading anti-counterfeiting.

Laser technology can also be used to enhance brand image by adding texture to packaging.More importantly, the technology can help companies build product traceability data. For example, by laser-encoding production batches, if a problem occurs, companies can quickly and accurately recall the affected goods.

More than 200 food and drug companies have already adopted laser hologram anti-counterfeiting solutions.If you're looking for a cost-effective way to prevent counterfeiting, you may want to consider using laser engraving.After all, anti-counterfeiting isn't just a technical issue, but a matter of protecting trust in consumers.