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Even the most sophisticated security feature has limited  value if it can't be reliably detected. 

Designing an effective security feature is always a delicate balancing act. A well-designed banknote, from the perspective of both the banknote designer and issuing authority, is a small piece of art that evokes artistic feelings from the viewer while simultaneously conveying a sense of value, economic stability, and confidence. 

From the standpoint of a high-speed banknote processor, a well-designed banknote is a document that is easily denominated and authenticated during a single pass over the sensor suite, in a very short time, and with a high degree of reliability, irrespective of the banknote's speed and transport direction. The beauty and aesthetics of the banknote, which hold significant importance for both the designer and the public, may not be fully 'appreciated' by the machine.

here is no mystery about magnetics   - it is all about science and technology

Designing an effective magnetic security feature is always a delicate balancing act. It involves finding a compromise between a seamless integration of the feature into the banknote design and production process, accommodating printing tolerances, ensuring the feature's effective detection, prioritizing feature security, and managing overall production costs.

A well-designed magnetic security feature, from the perspective of both the banknote processor and the magnetic detector designer, is one that is easy to authenticate during machine banknote processing, regardless of note speed and banknote transport direction.

Magnetic features belong to a covert or forensic group of features; they are not detectable using human senses and must be identified using a magnetic sensor. The best magnetic feature utilizes a unique (controlled availability) magnetic material with tightly controlled magnetic properties. This material should be detector-friendly, provide a strong magnetic response, and be encoded (with an intermittent pattern) in a way that enhances detection and authentication.
 

In the past magnetic materials used in security features were based on “traditional” iron oxides and the features colors were dark and visually not attractive. The introduction of magnetic nan-particles allowed to create “colored” magnetic patterns and created new opportunities for magnetics and combination features including magnetics.  
 

There are three functions the detection systems in banknote processing equipment are used for: denomination and authentication of the banknotes and the verification of banknote fitness. 

A machine must denominate the banknote before it can verify its authenticity and some of the machines will check note fitness for circulation. Most of the systems, with some exceptions, are using optical technologies for denomination. The type of optical sensor technology depends on the type of note processing equipment.  The spectrum of authentication sensors is much broader and includes sensor technologies such as variety of optical sensors, various configuration of magnetic sensors, capacitive sensors, and many other types of sensors.  The fitness sensors technologies could include such sensors as optical capacitive or ultrasonic.   

 

We can provide guidance on the type of sensors required to properly authenticate banknotes and documents.  Since even the best, most advanced feature can’t offer good security unless it is properly detected we can also advise you how to design the new feature to make it a best fit for the equipment already deployed in the field. 

I my opinion a well-designed coin is a small work of art, evoking a sense of aesthetics from the viewer while simultaneously communicating the values of worth, economic stability, and confidence. This sentiment is widely shared among the public, coin designers, mints, and issuing authorities. However, despite the artistic value, a coin, as a form of payment, must undergo reliable verification as a genuine financial instrument.

In hand-to-hand transactions, when we open our wallets to use coins, we rely on characteristics such as color, size, sometimes shape, and familiar visible features like images or numbers on the coin's surface. However, in the case of vending machines or POS devices, the denomination and authenticity of coins are assessed by sensors within the machine.

 A well-designed coin, from the perspective of coin processing equipment, is a small, mostly round piece of metal or alloy - a conductive structure generally easy to denominate and authenticate rapidly upon its first passage through the sensor suite. This process should be accomplished with a high degree of reliability, irrespective of the coin's speed and fitness conditions. It is often stated that coin sorters utilize detectors to denominate and authenticate coins based on 'metal content' or 'coin conductivity.' However, these terms can be misleading, as the detectors primarily assess the coin's electromagnetic signature (EMS). The EMS is indeed related to the conductivity of the materials used in the coin, but it is not precisely equivalent to conductivity most of the time.Most of coin authentication sensors operate based on eddy current technology. The operational principles are straightforward and rely on Foucault currents. An alternate magnetic field is applied to the material, generating eddy currents (Foucault currents) within it. These eddy currents, in turn, create their own magnetic field, which is then detected by, for example, an electrical coil as a current.The electromagnetic signature (EMS) characteristic of the coin is influenced by various factors, such as the coin's structure, types of materials used, and thicknesses in the coin design. We can provide guidance on how changes in coin or token design, materials, or structure may impact the machine's ability to denominate and authenticate coins or tokens. 

There are two functions that the detection systems in coin processing equipment are used for: denomination and authentication of coins. A machine must denominate the coin before it can verify its authenticity. In some cases, the machine will not only reject non-authentic coins but also reject genuine coins unfit for circulation. The spectrum of denomination authentication sensors includes sensor technologies such as optical sensors, EMS sensors, magnetic sensors, capacitive sensors, mechanical sensors, and other types of sensors.

We can provide guidance on the type of sensors required to properly authenticate coins, tokens, or medals. Since even the best, most advanced features can’t offer good security unless they are properly detected, we can also advise you on how to design the coin to make it the best fit for the equipment already deployed in the field.

The counterfeiting of high-value goods and the gray market for goods are growing very rapidly. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), losses due to illicit activities could cost the global economy the equivalent of over $250 billion every year. These losses are not only related to the economic value but also pose a liability issue when counterfeit goods cause harm, injuries, or even death to unsuspecting consumers.

Like the efforts in protecting currency and high-value documents by making them counterfeit deterrent, addressing the protection of high-value items is crucial. It is not only important to make them counterfeit deterrents but also to offer a reliable way to prove the genuineness of the goods. There are multiple ways to verify authenticity, including features built into the product, attached to the product, or integrated into product packaging. There are three levels of security: overt, covert (machine-readable), and forensic. Overt features are detected using human senses, such as smartphones. Machine-readable features may require special standalone detectors, including ones that could be attached to, for example, smartphones. Forensic features usually require specialized equipment.