Molecular markers trace manufactured materials

A NEW microscopic technology able to be incorporated in almost any material is revolutionising product authentication and taking the guesswork out of bulk mixing.

DataTraceDNA is an entirely new identifying technology, incorporating unique patterns of indelible microparticles into the molecular structure of materials and products.

Developed by CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies and DataDot Technologies, the molecular markers are invisible to the naked eye and easily read like a chemical barcode with a hand-held field reader.

Applications include process and logistics control, inventory control, quality control and establishing the authenticity of products and materials.

Dr Geoff Houston, CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies' Commercial Manager, said one of the great advantages from a manufacturer’s perspective is DataTraceDNA’s ruggedness.

“The enormous advantage of DataTraceDNA over currently available products is that it is chemically inert, tough enough to survive harsh environmental conditions and can be easily read without requiring chemical reactions,” Dr Houston said.

Greg Twemlow, Director of Business Development at DataDot Technologies told FEN DataTrace had dramatic time and quality benefits for manufacturers who bulk mix.

“Right now in industries that mix bulk products there is significant waste and quality issues because mixing is more of an art than a science.

By adding combinations of our molecular markers it is possible to very accurately determine when optimum mixing has occurred,” Twemlow said.

Food products are the only unsuitable application for the mildly toxic markers.

For polymers and paints markers are a homogenous part of the manufacturing process and for paper and packaging they are applied in the lacquer coatings.

In security applications, DataDot technology is said to be a lot safer than RFID solutions, particularly after the discovery of an illegal device that can disturb radio signals.

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