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Security seals,
Since ancient times, security seals have been used for
sealing envelopes, rolls, boxes and other containers with the aim to reveal
to the addressee eventual violations or replacements, in part or in all, of
the security seals.
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The first security seals we know were the adherence type
ones, like the adhesive clay and, later, the sealing wax, which keep
together with a tape or a lace the movable part from the fixed one of
the container. The characterization of the security seals came from the
impression of the coat of arms or the logotype of the shipper onto the
plastic material. The verification’s validity at the place of
arrival depended on the capability of the receiver to recognise the
impressed coat of arms as authentic. Till today, this formality is used
for these security seals destined to preserve the integrity of low risk
things, like a pot of jam, where the screw-on lid is tied to the pot
with a strip of paper with the manufacturer’s logotype, glued on the two
parts. Unfortunately, this formality is already used by the
Investigation Authority, in order to affix an official seal to rooms,
where has been committed a crime. |
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Further, for its
adaptability, it had been adopted
a lead block onto which was impressed the origin logotype. That’s also done
nowadays.
The verification level of the security seals at the place
of arrival was always tied to the capability to recognise the logotype. In
the following stage of the technical development of the security seals, it
was introduced, next to the shipper’s or manufacturer’s logotype, also a
digit numeration that, mentioned on the transportation documents, allowed to
the receiver to verify if the serial number of the seal corresponded with
that one chosen by the shipper.
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(This development of the combination logotype/serial
number, brought an advantage, but it has been in the daily practice very
reduced because the logotype is very often eliminated in order to decrease
expenses, using anonyms security seals with the serial number only).
The nomenclature of the security seals we use nowadays is the following:
The irreversible element of closing is given by the head,
which correspond in the old technology to the compressed lead seal. On this
head, of various shapes, is impressed a logotype.
In the security seals made of plastic material, joined
together with the head, there’s a label with the digits and serial number,
in relief, of the most reliable and of the less reproducible.
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The application lace of the security seals can be of the
movable, separated or integrated type, obtained from the same unique
production printing of the seal, both made of plastic, both of metal.
Therefore, the difference between the lead seal with the
impressed logotype and the security seals printed and numbered consists of
the matter that, while the lead seal gives only a generic information about
the identity of the person, who made it, the security seal allows an
additional verification to ascertain if really the seal is the expected one,
based on the serial number mentioned on the transportation documents.
Additional improvements of the security seals with serial
numbers allow verifying with more sophisticated and reliable means, in
comparison with the only verification at sight that the seal is really that
one affixed at the place of departure and not its more or less skilful
reproduction.
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Towards this situation renders help the electronic
technology allowing the comparison of the serial number, contained in a data
string inserted at the origin into the body of the security seals, with the
string of a data reader (virtual key of comparison) given to the receiver,
and also by sending data, in certain configurations, by data transmission.
Therefore, for this formality it’s essential that the
data string for verifying the seal have been sent in advance by data
transmission at the place of the physical arrival of the same container.
This is allowed by the procedure of sending documents, on the air, by data
transmission.
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For further information and photos, please visit the
site: www.etiquetasdeseguridad.com
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