Elgin, Ill.—To protect against product reverse engineering and enable easy identification of original and spare sealing components, Simrit, the industrial sealing products business of Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, has developed a sophisticated safety technology. The safe (secure adaptive Freudenberg encryption) laser technology, which was recently granted a European patent (EP 2 096 580 B1), is suited for industries with high safety and traceability requirements, such as energy or aerospace.
Simrit’s safe technology marks elastomer components, such as seals, diaphragms and elastomer composite parts, with an anti-fraud designation that is invisible to the naked eye. This identification contains key product information, including an item description, model number, dimensions, material, date of manufacture and serial numbers, for reliable traceability, as well as counterfeiting protection.
“Counterfeit parts made from inferior materials and components can cause very costly, even potentially fatal, consequences,” said Vinay Nilkanth, VP global sales aerospace, Simrit. “Simrit’s safe technology provides a simple and cost-effective solution to accurately identify both original and spare parts. The technology is an easy-to-use, durable solution with numerous safety and cost-saving benefits, including reduced warranty claims resulting from failure due to counterfeit components.”
The system consists of a laser marker with coding software and a reader that allows the customer to interpret the code located on the part. Two different safe product markings are available: a flat, rectangular code; and a rounded product marking better suited for o-rings. The markings are specific to the product (each product receives a unique code) that can only be read by the safe machines. Impervious to wear, the code is legible even if up to 70% of the marking has been destroyed.
Currently, Simrit can mark elastomers and thermoplastics, as well as metals, with the exception of light colored or transparent materials such as silicone rubber. A solution for light-colored/transparent materials is currently in development. Created in Europe, the safe technology is available globally and applicable to a variety of industries. The system is currently in use in a small number of highly sensitive application areas.
