Innovative marking against car theft

223_LTF_skoda

Innovative marking against car theft:
LaserTransferFilm by acos

With the extremely resistant and fake proof marking of car windows the specialist for laser engravable film systems, acos – Advanced Converting Solutions Ltd., Hamburg – a 100 percent affiliate of tesa AG – complicates life for car thieves. The new LaserTransferFilm allows for fast, customised and tamper proof marking by means of ultra modern computer supported laser technology.

Fewer thefts – higher cost
Every 30 seconds a car is stolen in Europe. In 2003 the GDV -
Gesamtverband der Versicherungswirtschaft (German Insurance Association) recorded a total of 31,707 stolen cars in Germany. Even though the theft rate has declined by 8.8 % - for the insurance industry this was no reason to celebrate: on average they had to pay 3,000 Euros more per claim than in the years before. Since the original car key plays an important role in car thefts in Germany, convincing solutions are in demand apart from simple anti-theft devices like immobilisers.

Customised Marking
In the focus of ancillary safety concepts are an extensive and an as fake proof as possible marking of car parts. An area in which acos Advanced Converting Solutions Ltd. are playing a leading role since years. The laser engravable films of the Hamburg based company meet all international requirements and standards. acos has launched a new and innovative film technology to the market: a customised and at the same time fast and efficient product for marking of car windows. The concept of the new LaserTransferFilms is based on a laser supported transfer of the mark by means of a self-adhesive film. In a first step the LaserTransferFilm is applied to the window pane. In the following step a laser transfers the customer or product specific mark to the pane. The concept of the LaserTransferFilm in a way resembles the ink ribbon of a typewriter – even though on a technologically completely different level.

Patented System
The innovative laser technology stands for an especially sustained pigment bond. After removal of the adhesive film the window pane has been marked both durably as well as fake proof. The glass is neither strained mechanically nor are critical chemicals being used – distinct advantages of the new acos product versus conventional marking of window panes like engraving or etching. The marks achieved by the new laser technology are extremely resistant to chemicals, solvents, temperatures and climatic influence. acos holds a patent for the special film technology.

To customers of the new LaserTransferFilm-technology the specialist for marking systems offers an excellent and tailor made application service. At the auto makers’ premises and in the company owned research centre all of the necessary prerequisites for a successful application are painstakingly analysed. For the hardware – a laser system with glass fibre coupled galvo head – acos are cooperating with selected suppliers.

Proven in practice
Furthermore, auto makers will be pleased by the efficiency the technology of the LaserTransferFilm provides: the product is available in form of die-cuts and in roll form. Apart from manual marking it also allows for high speed lettering. The system can also be easily integrated into automated production processes. Auto makers VW and Skoda could already convince themselves of this fact. The LaserTransferFilm is already successfully being used for the VW luxury sedan Phaeton. The British Research and Technology Centre Thatcham voted the VW flagship to second place in the category of anti-theft protection in the segment of luxury sedans.

VW’s Czech affiliate Skoda even goes one step further and marks all window panes of the new Octavia model as standard by the fake proof marking system of acos Advanced Converting Solutions. In 2004 and 2005 the Octavia was voted „car of the year“ in several Euorpean countries – an award that does not leave car thieves untouched either. As a precaution Czechoslovakia’s most successful enterprise counted on a new safety concept of which the
LaserTransferFilm is an important component.

High Market Potential
While in several European countries, like for example in the UK marking of window panes has been signed into law this form of anti-theft protection in Germany is still based on voluntary commitments by auto makers. Nevertheless, acos are acting on the assumption of a strongly growing market. The unique technology coupled with high efficiency at comparatively low cost makes the LaserTransferFilm interesting to every car manufacturer in principle.
At this time the inventory of cars world wide amounts to some 850 million. In the year 2003 alone 60 million motor cars were produced out of which 42 million were passenger cars.