Guilloches are some of the oldest security features in printing—and even so, are very current. The delicate, interlaced line patterns have their origins in the 17th century and are still an integral component of high-end security solutions today. Schreiner ProSecure has now raised them to a new level: with an extensive design catalog, an internal design guide, and many customizable design options.

Time-Tested Technology—Reimagined

Guilloches deliver compelling performance as an anti-counterfeiting feature particularly due to their design diversity, elegance, and resulting recognition value. The complex, mathematically generated lines pose a true challenge to scanners and printers. Unauthorized reproduction results in visible blurs or moiré effects—a clear indication of tampering attempts. Especially in the case of closure seals, guilloches are frequently positioned along the edge of the cardboard packaging to make unauthorized opening and resealing more difficult.

Flexibility in Every Detail

Guilloches are more than a security feature—they’re also a design element with countless variation options. That’s exactly where Schreiner ProSecure’s new offering comes into play: A comprehensive catalog of examples offers many fully created, sophisticated guilloche designs serving as the basis for customized solutions. The catalog is complemented by a design guide that systematically explains all design parameters—from the shape of the outer contours to the alignment, density and thickness of the lines, and the integration of microtext.

 

Tailored to Suit Any Application

Thanks to this preliminary work, the design phase of customized guilloches in new projects can be significantly shortened—without sacrificing the level of security or freedom of design. Together with the respective customer of the business units, a desired design is selected, modified, and optimized for the relevant application and printing technology.

Customers profit from Schreiner Group’s decades of experience with security features using sophisticated printing technologies—and can rely on top quality and functionality, no matter what printing technology is used.

Counterfeit medicines pose a great risk to patients—and entail a loss of image and trust for the pharmaceutical manufacturers concerned. High-priced drugs and those in great demand are particularly attractive for counterfeiters. With its NFC labels, Schreiner MediPharm offers a particularly secure digital solution preventing counterfeits and enabling interactive patient support at the same time.

More and more patients are using pens and autoinjectors for self-medication. With seal solutions and overt authentication features, they can check if the devices are potential fakes but only digital security features provide higher levels of safety. That’s why Schreiner MediPharm has developed NFC-based solutions supporting patients in safely using the devices. With a smartphone and via the NFC label on their injection device, end users can quickly and reliably check if the product they’re holding in their hands is an original. The NFC labels from Schreiner MediPharm offer high-level security ensured by chips with an encryption function whose code cannot be counterfeit or tampered with.

The special design of the NFC label that wraps around part of the cap provides a clear digital seal function in addition to digital authentication. As soon as the end user scans the NFC label with a smartphone an automatic check is run to indicate if the product is intact or has been opened before. The digital solution not only enhances security but also provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with the opportunity to monitor gray market activities and to interactively support patients in administering their medication.

Thanks to its robust design and reliable integration in the manufacturing process, the NFC label can be easily included in the processing of pens and autoinjectors. The NFC functionality is ensured also on high-speed label dispensing systems so that the label enables reliable reading of the chip during the product’s entire lifecycle. The utilization of NFC technology helps prevent counterfeiting, enhance product and patient safety, and protect the supply chain.

Inkjet printing is a megatrend permeating the entire printing industry—especially label printing. This technology offers not only maximum precision but also the opportunity to integrate sophisticated security features. As a result, the Schreiner ProSecure competence center can also implement proven methods such as microtext by means of inkjet printing.

Inkjet printing enables a contactless printing process in which the artwork is digitally transmitted. That makes fast adjustments and various consecutive printing processes possible. Microtext and guilloches are some of the security features that can be integrated in this process. Serialization, i.e., issuing of individual serial numbers, enhances security further, as repeated queries or feedback of the same serial number in an online feedback system detects fakes.

According to the FINAT Digital Press Index, the utilization of inkjet printing presses in narrow-web printing has been overtaking conventional printing presses for several years. This trend shows that inkjet printing has become firmly established in label production. That’s why it’s crucial to integrate security features directly in inkjet printing. Hybrid machines combining flexographic and inkjet printing can be used more efficiently in that way.

Microtext has been used in flexographic printing for a long time and experienced continuous evolution over the years. Now microtext is possible in inkjet printing as well. Serialization of microtext enhances security further because individual counterfeits are practically impossible. Guilloches, complex graphic patterns, can be used in serialized form in inkjet printing too. Every pattern is individually adapted around the serial number, which raises security to yet another level.

In total, inkjet printing offers a versatile and effective means of integrating security features such as microtext and guilloches into labels. By combining precision and digital flexibility this technology provides a wide variety of possibilities in security printing.

They shimmer in holographic colors, have tiny, barely visible text elements, or look like any ordinary label: integrated security technologies—overt, semi-covert, covert, analog, and digital. They are used in labels to enable authentication of a product that has been marked with them. They can be verified either with the naked eye or by using specialty readers. The Schreiner ProSecure competence center knows which authenticity feature is ideally suited for a specific application and which reader to use with it. It provides individual advice regarding the suitable technology and as a systems supplier provides the appropriate reader as well.

Brand owners, consumers, or customs officials—the users of readers vary. Consequently, the requirements of the different user groups need to be considered in the selection of the security technology and the corresponding readers. For example, ease of use and the procedures to be followed in an inspection, the duration of an inspection, and the requisite training play a role. A consumer, for instance, needs to be able to confirm a product’s authenticity very easily and without a longer learning process. By contrast, for forensic authentication in a laboratory, a brand owner’s employee needs a complex system in which he or she must be trained.

There are several criteria to be considered in the selection of a suitable reader:

• Legal compliance
• Selection of trustworthy equipment manufacturers
• Availability in individual markets
• Suitability for the desired user group
• Suitability of the technology for authentication in the specific use case

There are some security technologies for which only few manufacturers offer corresponding readers. The selection is limited even further by the fact that many manufacturers are not domiciled in the relevant jurisdictions or, in the case of small volumes, are not willing to comply with the statutory requirements in individual markets like Germany because they are too complex. That makes the selection and purchase of readers a complex task requiring specialized knowledge for every jurisdiction. Schreiner ProSecure offers an extensive portfolio of security technologies and provides advice on selecting the appropriate reader, resulting in an ideal authentication system from a one-stop shop.

More than 1.5 billion units produced and recognized with ten international awards: That has been the success story of the Needle-Trap needle protection system from Schreiner MediPharm since its market launch in 2009. Now the label with an integrated needle trap for protection against needlestick injuries has been complemented by a new feature: A security seal reliably indicates if the syringe has previously been opened. Needle-Trap Secu is a clever combination of needle and product protection that provides users with a double dose of safety and protects the integrity of the prefilled syringe that is important for the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

A secure supply chain and the integrity of medicine packaging are essential for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Regulations such as the EU Falsified Medicines Directive support that need but only address secondary packaging. Primary containers, however, require more specialized solutions for tamper evidence and first-opening indication. Due to its integrated plastic trap, Needle-Trap poses special challenges concerning first-opening indication. Smooth processing of the label on dispensing systems in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments and ease of use in healthcare settings must be considered.

Easy Process Integration–Safe Use

Needle-Trap Secu features a closure seal integrated into the syringe protection label with a tab ending on the syringe cap. Prior to the injection the needle trap is folded sideways as usual. While the cap is being pulled off a perforation triggers the activation of the first-opening seal. Security cuts additionally prevent undetected removal of the seal. The closure seal can also be complemented by overt authentication features, such as a guilloche, or covert security features for authenticity verification. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are provided with a multifunctional and cost-efficient solution that can be integrated easily into existing production processes and enhances product and patient safety. The integrated seal secures the integrity of the prefilled syringes on unit level until the drug is administered. Thus, it eliminates the need for a blister pack, reducing space and waste. Healthcare staff benefit from the efficient and reliable needle protection as well as from convenient first-opening indication that is irreversible and detectable at first glance.

Schreiner MediPharm’s Security Concepts Are Based on Three Categories

Addressing Diverse Threat Scenarios

Development of a Customized Security Concept

Assessment of the current situation, e.g. the threat to which a pharmaceutical is exposed and who will be involved in the verification process, is the first step in the development process of a customized security concept. Following an in-depth analysis by our Pharma-Security experts, we will develop an effective security concept together with our customer, verify its feasibility in a pilot stage, and implement the concept after a successful test phase.

All concepts are based on tailored solutions that have been developed by an experienced security team. The various security features can be combined and integrated into any kind of customized functional labels. They result in effective, multi-level security solutions that consider the relevant stakeholders along the supply chain, from informed experts to final users. As a strategic partner, Schreiner MediPharm supports pharmaceutical manufacturers from the analysis and concept stage through to successful implementation.

RFID technology can help protect manufacturers and users against counterfeits. Schreiner ProTech’s Item Match Control solution provides a holistic approach to such protection. It is based on secure communication between a machine, the related consumables, and protection of the material chain. The lock-and-key principle is the crucial success factor of this solution.

For a renowned customer in the printing industry, Schreiner Group’s experts recently developed a complete security concept that was implemented shortly afterward in the company that stands for top manufacturing quality. Protecting its proprietary materials against counterfeiting was a key deliverable for this customer. The utilization of a novel type of encryption technology, known as NXP iCode DNA, made tampering with the material practically impossible.

E-health and electronic applications are becoming more and more important in healthcare. Hospitals in particular increasingly require digital solutions to compensate for the growing number of inpatient admissions in the face of professional healthcare staff shortages. RFID and NFC are regarded as forward-thinking technologies when it comes to optimizing processes and products in the area of medical device technology. There are two fields of application offering particular potential here: “device or consumable authentication” for identification of consumable materials and medical equipment and “asset management” for enhanced monitoring of devices in hospital settings. RFID/NFC labels can make a key contribution in this context. Schreiner MediPharm has developed specialty RFID-Labels for product authentication and asset management. They help simplify workflows while enhancing patient safety.

Automatic Identification and Authentication of Consumables

Consumable authentication focuses on the question of how to ensure that the right consumable materials are used for a specific application or for the respective medical equipment. The answer is based on the lock-and-key principle. Consumables are provided with an RFID tag and automatically read in a contactless process while being inserted in the equipment.  As a result, original and therefore safe consumables such as filters and tubes, surgical materials as well as reagents or patient samples in diagnostic equipment can be authenticated, or different consumables in the same container can be distinguished from one another automatically. Information such as authenticity, expiration date, and LOT-specific data is stored on the chip, transferred to the equipment, and checked. In addition, usage cycles or residual quantities can be tracked and improper reuse be prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to monitor and secure multi-step processes.

There is a wide variety of possible applications for RFID-Labels in this area. They can be utilized in injection devices, pens and autoinjectors, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic devices. For each use case, a customized, particularly robust label design is developed to support the various objectives:

• Prevent use of expired, wrong, or falsified medicines and consumables
• Avoid application and dosing errors
• Stop illegal reuse and misuse of original containers
• Enhance patient safety during drug administration and self-medication

The costs for the hardware required in a medical device are relatively low—however, to ensure successful integration, it is important to implement the RFID tag for the consumables on the equipment together with the reading unit. Ideally, the RFID tag is directly integrated into the marking label.

Automatic Inventory and Asset Management

Asset management addresses the question of how to enhance monitoring of devices, for instance in hospitals, in order to keep a closer eye on potential malfunctions, usage, or maintenance. Here the solution lies in RFID technology as well. Ventilators, syringe pumps, and other critical devices are provided with RFID-Labels and rooms or areas are equipped with corresponding readers. The equipment is localized in real time by the readers through automatic data acquisition and tracking.

By storing maintenance intervals and additional information on the chip, equipment availability and impeccable condition can be ensured. As a result, healthcare staff can locate ready-to-use equipment that has been allocated to a regular location with greater ease and efficiency. At the same time, conclusions about usage patterns can be drawn, for instance of how frequently an infusion stand has been moved and used, from which necessary sterilization intervals can be derived.

The smart RFID solution for real-time localization is utilized not only in warehouse and inventory management of medical equipment but also increasingly for consumables. It supports objectives such as

• Capture product data automatically
• Optimize utilization of consumables
• Enhance process transparency and process reliability
• Enhance supply security

RFID technology should be integrated into the product label from the beginning in this solution as well. This can avoid subsequent and additional manual processes—such as the need for applying the RFID tag to the product only at the hospital.

Automated medication and inventory management, a traceable supply chain, and clear product authentication—smart labels are used in the healthcare sector in diverse ways today. In cooperation with “Sensing as a Service” company Wiliot, Schreiner MediPharm is now also developing innovative pharmaceutical labels with integrated, battery-free Bluetooth tags. They complement the portfolio of smart labels with RFID and NFC technology and offer pharmaceutical manufacturers additional, application-specific options for connectivity solutions.

Bluetooth is an established wireless technology for data transmission. It is integrated in every smartphone and many other devices. In the area of professional uses, Bluetooth tags are utilized for purposes such as asset tracking, for instance to locate equipment in hospitals. They are read by means of low-cost Bluetooth gateways (devices creating a connection between two systems) or via smartphones and achieve read ranges of several meters.

The integration of Bluetooth tags in flexible labels has not been possible until now, because they used to require an installed battery as a minimum. This is not the case with Bluetooth tags from Wiliot, called IoT Pixels—which makes them unique in combination with the smart Pharma-Labels developed by Schreiner MediPharm: Unlike normal Bluetooth devices, the innovative Bluetooth-Labels do not need a directly integrated energy source. Instead, they harvest ambient energy, for instance from available wireless LANs or other Bluetooth devices.

The smart label then actively transmits a unique identification number, sensor data, and other information to the receiving devices. The smart Bluetooth Pharma-Labels are suitable for a wide variety of applications such as monitoring the supply and cold chain, optimization of inventory management, or for brand protection. In addition to the established RFID/NFC solutions, Schreiner MediPharm thus offers another technological option for individual customer applications featuring sophisticated label designs. The connectivity experts from Schreiner MediPharm provide customers with consultation services regarding the solutions best suiting their needs.

Using smartphones to check security features provides numerous benefits. The authenticity of a product can be verified by anyone at any time within the supply chain. Security features that are invisible with the naked eye can be read in this way as well. Plus, authentication of a product is a prerequisite for reliable entry into the digital world. Only initial, smartphone-based confirmation of a product’s authenticity can ensure that all other digitally accessible data and services for this product are actually valid too.

However, the challenges this entails should not be underrated: The wide variety of smartphone models and diverse characteristics of their cameras make high demands on the development of a suitable security feature that can be verified by using a mobile device. For one, it must be tamper-resistant and for the other, even the best fakes must always be reliably distinguishable from the originals under a wide variety of picture-taking conditions using different camera phones.

Looking at security technologies in isolation is an inadequate approach to product authentication by means of mobile devices because dealing with the issue of fakes requires a holistic view, which Schreiner ProSecure ensures. In its new white paper titled “Smartphone-Based Product Authentication,” the competence center describes the relevant elements that should be observed.