Mag-ID · Project

Magnetic Ink Barcodes That Replace RFID for Cheaper Anti-Counterfeiting and Tracking

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

Imagine a barcode printed with magnetic ink that you can read even through dirt, paint, or a coating — like an invisible tattoo for products. This project built readers and software that scan these magnetic barcodes instantly, even when the label is hidden under layers of material. It's meant to replace RFID tags in situations where you need to track millions of items cheaply, without sticking an electronic chip on each one. The barcodes are also eco-friendly since there's no electronic waste to dispose of.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries involved (DE, PT, SI, UK)

83%

industry partner ratio

industry partners in consortium

SME partners

demonstration deliverables produced

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies tracking high volumes of products still rely on RFID tags (expensive per unit, create e-waste) or optical barcodes (fail when dirty or coated). In manufacturing, components lose their identity after painting or coating, forcing costly manual re-labeling. Brand owners fighting counterfeiting need authentication solutions that are hard to clone but cheap to deploy at scale.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a magnetic ink barcode system with two types of hardware readers (one-shot and stripe), firmware, a mobile phone app for field verification, and a cloud-based verification-as-a-service software platform. Printed barcodes were demonstrated across different printing technologies for various applications.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive parts manufacturers tracking components through paint boothsPharmaceutical companies needing affordable anti-counterfeiting on packagingSecure document and ID card producersLogistics companies replacing RFID in high-volume parcel trackingConsumer electronics brands fighting grey market counterfeiting

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive & Parts Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Auto parts manufacturers and assembly plants

If you are an automotive parts manufacturer dealing with losing track of components before and after the paint booth — this project developed a magnetic barcode system that reads through coatings, so you can automatically identify parts throughout the entire assembly line without re-labeling after painting. The consortium built a one-shot reader specifically designed for high-volume production environments.

Pharmaceuticals & Consumer Goods

mid-size

Target: Brand owners and packaging companies fighting counterfeiting

If you are a brand owner dealing with counterfeit products entering your supply chain — this project developed magnetic ink barcodes with a verification-as-a-service platform that lets you authenticate products worldwide using a mobile app. The consortium delivered both evaluation modules for brand protection and a cloud-based verification software platform.

Document Security & Identity

enterprise

Target: Government ID and secure document producers

If you are a secure document producer dealing with ensuring personal data and photos match throughout the assembly process — this project developed magnetic barcodes that can be embedded in identification documents, readable through coatings, to verify data integrity at every production step. The technology enables automatic verification without exposing the barcode visually.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How does the cost compare to RFID tags we currently use?

The project positions magnetic ink barcodes as a cost-efficient alternative to passive RFID for high-volume applications. Since the barcodes are printed with magnetic ink rather than requiring a separate electronic chip, material costs per unit are significantly lower. Based on available project data, exact per-unit pricing was not published, but the core value proposition is replacing RFID economics in volume tracking.

Can this scale to millions of items per year in our production line?

Yes — the project specifically targeted high-volume tracking and tracing. The consortium built both a one-shot reader (reads entire barcode in a single pass) and a stripe reader for different throughput scenarios. The 83% industry ratio in the consortium (5 out of 6 partners from industry) signals the technology was developed with production-scale deployment in mind.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The core technology combines magnetic ink barcodes (developed by INSPECTRON) with TMR sensing technology (developed by BOGEN with INESC-MN). BOGEN planned to create a separate business unit, while INSPECTRON was moving to a service-based business model. Licensing would need to be negotiated with these partners directly.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for track-and-trace in our industry?

The project developed a verification-as-a-service platform designed for worldwide authentication and validation. Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications (e.g., EU Falsified Medicines Directive, GS1 compliance) were not explicitly mentioned. You would need to verify compliance for your specific regulatory environment.

How long would it take to integrate this into our existing production line?

The consortium delivered working demonstration hardware (one-shot reader, stripe reader), firmware, and mobile app software during the project period ending April 2022. Integration would depend on your specific setup, but the existence of evaluation modules suggests the technology is designed for pilot testing in real environments.

What about environmental disposal compared to RFID?

The project explicitly positions magnetic barcodes as environment-friendly because there is no separate electronic device to dispose of, unlike RFID tags which contain chips and antennas requiring electronic waste handling. This could reduce your compliance burden under WEEE or similar e-waste regulations.

Can the barcodes survive harsh industrial conditions?

Yes — the project specifically highlights that magnetic barcodes are dirt-resistant and can be read through coatings. The example given is reading parts before and after a paint booth, which is one of the harshest industrial environments for any labeling technology. Distance reading capability means physical contact is not required.

Consortium

Who built it

The Mag-ID consortium is strongly industry-driven with 5 out of 6 partners (83%) coming from industry and only 1 research institute (INESC-MN from Portugal). The 2 SME partners — BOGEN (coordinator, magnetic reader hardware) and INSPECTRON (barcode reader and service platform) — are the core commercial players, each with a distinct go-to-market plan. The 4-country spread across Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, and the UK provides good European market coverage. For a business buyer, this consortium structure is a positive signal: the technology was built by companies planning to sell it, not by academics publishing papers about it.

INESC MICROSISTEMAS E NANOTECNOLOGIAS - INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIA DE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES PARA OS MICROSISTEMAS E AS NANOTECNOLOGIASCoordinator · PT
BOGEN ELECTRONIC GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias in Portugal is the listed coordinator. The commercial leads are BOGEN (DE) and INSPECTRON — reachable through the project website.

Order a report on this consortium See INESC MICROSISTEMAS E NANOTECNOLOGIAS - INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIA DE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES PARA OS MICROSISTEMAS E AS NANOTECNOLOGIAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the Mag-ID team to discuss licensing or pilot testing? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right technical contact.

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