Microscopic, traceable, and virtually indestructible; taggants are fast becoming an integral part of the high security document printing process.

Using the Foster+Freeman DVM it is possible to detect and examine the latest generation of micro-taggants incorporated into inks and coatings on passports, ID cards, cheques, bank giros, travel tickets and other security documents.

Comprising a high specification microscope, CCD colour camera, two high intensity LED light sources (White and UV), darkfield ringlight and a transmitted white light XY stage, the DVM microscope can be used as a PC driven standalone instrument or integrated with a Foster+Freeman VSC system to create a complete document examination workstation.

• Locate and?Visualise Taggants in security documents and commonly counterfeited items

• Examine in microscopic detail taggants smaller than 20 microns

• Integrate with VSC Suite to provide document examination facilities

• x35 to x7000 magnification dependent upon choice of objective

• 3 modes of illumination Co-axial, darkfield ringlight, and rotating side light.

DVM Applications:

• Taggants in High Security Documents: Taggants are being increasingly used on security documents such as passports, visas, identity cards and driving licences. The ability to identify and examine these microscopic markers of authenticity is fast becoming an essential requirement for all document examination systems.

• Brand Protection & Anti Counterfeiting: As well as being used in documents, taggants are commonly used by governments and manufacturers to authenticate commonly counterfeited items such as banknotes, tax stamps, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes and alcohol packaging, as well as many fast moving consumer goods.

•  VSC Integration: While the DVM microscope can be used as a standalone instrument for the examination of taggants and other microscopic details on documents, it can also be integrated with the VSC6000/HS to create a complete document examination solution. Using the DVM as an external camera, images are displayed within the VSC?system allowing the examiner to apply the full range of VSC functions including image comparison, measurement and annotation, area of interest (AOI) processing, colour measurement, as part of a complete casework management system.