Military grade spectrometer technology - developed to prevent and detect counterfeiting and prove product authenticity - has been successfully trialled in a pilot program to more quickly and accurately identify the origin of cladding on building facades.
DataTraceID developed by the CSIRO and manufactured by Sydney company DataDot Technology, contains a luminescent inorganic marker, which provides a light signature that can be read by DataDot's proprietary spectrometer.
DataTraceID is a currently used in the wide range of covert anti-counterfeit applications including casino chips, food and pharmaceutical products.
When Australia's BMF (Building Ministers' Forum) raised the importance of cladding identification, leading manufacturer Fairview Architectural tasked its 'Innovations' team to explore how best to incorporate a cutting edge 'failsafe' into panel labelling systems.
They quickly found leading asset identification and authentication experts DataDot Technology. In an applied test for the building sector, some DataTraceID 'marker' was added to the fluoropolymer paint on the popular, profiled aluminium-core cladding - Vitracore G2 - made by Fairview; the test proved 99% effective in spotting the 'safe' cladding's origin.
In blind tests, when Vitracore G2 panels were scanned with a handheld reader, researchers could verify panel source, type and composition data without having to remove any materials from the building facade system.
Mr Ray Carrol, Chairman of DataDot Technology said:
"We are excited that DataTraceID can make the process of cladding authentication far more efficient and reliable without the need to remove panels to undertake destructive testing. Sub-standard cladding has emerged as a major public safety issue and while responsible manufacturers like Fairview already label their panels, this innovative new security method provides great reassurance to anyone concerned by the 'at-risk' cladding issue."
Greg Stewart, CEO of Fairview
