June 30, 2014
Virginia Tech has teamed up with Quantum Materials Corp. (OTCQB:QTMM) to develop uncloneable anti-counterfeiting 3D printing technology to help to ensure positive identity of any particular object.
The technology embeds quantum dots within objects being 3D printed to produce a unique, physically uncloneable signature known only to the object's manufacturer.
The technology and unique signatures were developed at the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science and the Design, Research, and Education for Additive Manufacturing Systems (DREAMS) Laboratory at Virginia Tech, and Quantum Materials offers unique semiconductor nanomaterials that "physically increase these security measures by not only emitting different colors of the spectra from blue to red, but by using tetrapod quantum dots with precise structural characteristics, or dual emission tetrapods that can emit two different colors." notes Quantum Materials in a statement.
"The combination of unique process and nanomaterial dramatically improves the security strength, in a similar way that moving from 128-bit to 256-bit encryption increases confidence in a nearly-unbreakable key."
According to an industry report by Allied Market Research, the "Global anti-counterfeit packaging market accounted for $57.4 billion in 2013, which is forecast to generate revenue of $142.7 billion by 2020 at 13.9% CAGR from 2013-2020." Other new research from Global Industry Analysts says that the food and pharmaceutical industries are currently the most vulnerable to the actions of counterfeiters and the global market for anti-counterfeiting technologies could reach $82.2B by 2015.
David Doderer, QMC VP for Research and Development, stated, "The remarkable number of variations of semiconductor nanomaterials properties QMC can manufacture, coupled with Virginia Tech's anti-counterfeiting process design, combine to offer corporations extreme flexibility in designing physical cryptography systems to t counterfeiters. As 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology advances, its ubiquity allows for the easy pirating of protected designs. We are pleased to work with Virginia Tech to develop this technology's security potential in a way that minimizes threats and maximizes 3D printing's future impact on product design and delivery by protecting and insuring the integrity of manufactured products."
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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