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A highly innovative and low-cost anti-counterfeiting solution which utilises micro-wires to maximise security and authentication

Project description

Tiny wires big in battle against forgeries

Counterfeiting is a crime dating back to antiquity. Today, fake currency weakens economies and jeopardises people’s livelihoods. Also, fraudulent identity and security documents give criminals freedom of movement and pose a major threat to society. In this context, the EU-funded SecWire project is developing an anti-counterfeiting system that utilises ferromagnetic microwires to offer high levels of IP security. What’s innovative about this system is the manufacturing process that enables production of tiny glass-coated microwires, small enough to be integrated in security paper. Cut to any length, the microwires are invisible and impossible to be removed, duplicated or deactivated. Extensive pilot tests will be conducted in collaboration with secure document manufacturers and governments.

Objective

Counterfeiting of valuable and security documents is an increasingly serious problem worldwide. Banknotes, driving licenses, passport, ID cards, residence permits as well as event ticketing and stock certificates are all subject to increasingly frequent and accurate counterfeiting efforts. Each year, around €60B losses are experienced by governments as a result of counterfeiting. Current overt and covert anti-counterfeiting solutions are not effective at all as they are expensive to realize and can be easily overcome by skilled counterfeiters.
To combat this, Wire Machine Technologies has developed SecWire, a ground-breaking anti-counterfeiting system which utilises ferro-magnetic micro-wires to offer high levels of IP security. The innovation behind the SecWire is in the manufacturing process which enables production of glass coated micro-wires of 2μm to 100μm diameter, small enough to be integrated in security paper. The SecWire is invisible and impossible to be removed, duplicated or deactivated. The micro-wires can be cut to any length and embedded (i.e. braided in the paper) into any products such as banknotes, passports, ID cards and event tickets. SecWire enables high security, it is durable and safe (microwires resist up to 600°C), it is 10 times cheaper than current solutions and it is highly scalable.
During the feasibility assessment, a go-to-market strategy and the supply chain will be established as well as further IP protection will be pursued in other countries. Wire Machine Technologies will adapt SecWire for integration in different surfaces as paper, textile, plastic and polymers. They will also improve the production volume by increasing the number of working machines and expanding the production site. With the collaboration of secure document manufacturers and governments, extensive pilot tests will be performed to verify the anti-counterfeiting capacity of SecWire.

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SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

WMT WIRE MACHINE TECHNOLOGIES LTD
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
2 HAILAN STREET
30600 Or Akiva
Israel

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
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