Secure electronic tagging

Some marking systems are very simple, such as barcoded labels, others are more sophisticated incorporating a degree of programmability. However, in recent years the need for much more than simple identification and marking has emerged and more interest is being paid to devices which are capable of holding ever‐larger amounts of data securely. Though security tagging alone constitutes a large proportion of any potential market in its own right, security, in terms of both accidental erasure and confidentiality, is always important. This paper examines various methods for secure tagging of manufactured parts including RF tags, thermochromic changes and UV absorption.