Year
2002
Abstract
Seals have been the mainstays for perceived security for hundreds of years. They do offer containment in certain circumstances and, if used and inspected correctly, they usually achieve their intended goal. Indicative seals types are based on their materials and feature, they including plastic, fiber optic, steel cable, bolts, adhesive and RF to name a few. Barrier seals are typically more robust, but at times offer easier targets to defeat. Choosing the most appropriate technology is not easy and not every container was meant to be sealed making the problem more difficult! Not every seal with provide you with the protection or verification you may require. Authenticity and verification may be your goal which can mean that you sacrifice strenght. It is necessary to understand how these technologies work in relation to your needs in order to make an informed choice. The packaging, transportation, and container industry have been reluctant to tie their enclosures to security yet most seals are used in this venue. Truck doors for instance have remained the same configuration for the last 30 years, pails, barrels and drums have not changed lock ring configurations since the 1950’s and boxes and pallets can only be sealed one or two ways limiting choices and options. Because there is a distinct need to match the seal to the enclosure, shippers have their work cut out for them. It is incumbent on the user to first determine the shipping and storage protocol he wishes to use. He then must determine the level of security he wants to achieve based on his shipping or storage method. Once the perceived threat is known he can choose a solution based on the totality of the application.. The threat to defeat a seal need not always be the primary focus as even easily defeated seals stored in bulk or bundled in a secondary secure enclosed can be effective. Anything can be defeated but at what cost, time frame and risk? It is important therefore to evaluate a seal application in a weighted sense giving the highest value to the main purpose of the seal and its use before evaluating the defeat technique. When validation enters into the picture quick reliable forensic analysis needs to be considered since post manipulation evaluation is ineffective in protecting the item. When data retrieval, data correlation or storage is required in addition to protection, blending technologies becomes necessary. Dealing with new sciences and innovation can lead you to an effective solutions. Most seal vendors fail to make the transition between the state of the art and their commodity culture. This leaves the seal purchaser aware of his needs but