What are DataDots?
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- These are tiny particles also known as "microdots"
- Each particle is made of a high-tech polyester or metallic substrate which is between 0.5mm and 1mm in diameter.
- In the case of motor vehicles, the 17-digit VIN or chassis number is laser-etched onto each DataDot.
- 10 000 DataDots are applied to the vehicle with special adhesive
- The spray adhesive has UV additives providing easy identification of sprayed areas.
- Although locating the DataDots is easy, finding all of them for removal is virtually impossible.
- Why do we need DataDots?
- Pictorials – Chop Shops
- Pictorials – To be Crushed or Compacted
- Pictorials – Stolen and Recovered
- What other Asset Identification Technology Products are Available?
Why do we need DataDots?
Because it is currently very easy to steal a vehicle and to change its identity.
Imagine this vehicle identification plate shrunk down to the size of a pin head and fitted to a vehicle 10 000 times.
Finding the datadots on the vehicle is easy, but removing all of them and changing the vehicles identity is almost impossible. Back to Top
Pictorials: Chop Shops
| Chop shops cost vehicle manufacturers hundreds of millions of Rands annually through lost parts sales. | |
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| Chop Shop, Durban, South Africa | Rows of doors neatly removed at the above chop shop |
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Pictorials: To be crushed or compacted Unidentifiable (i.e. all visual markers removed) Isuzu Truck at the police pound in Cape Town, South Africa. This vehicle is awaiting compaction.More than 14 000 vehicles are crushed annually in South Africa due to them being unidentifiable. This costs insurers and vehicle owners up to R2 billion per annum. |
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Pictorials: Stolen and Recovered
| Only DataDot could validate the true identity of this stolen and recovered Toyota Quantum. | |
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Compliance label destroyed Back to Top |
Chassis or stamped VIN removed. Awaiting replacement from written-off vehicle. Rebirted as a built up vehicle. |
What other Asset Identification Technology Products are Available.
DataDot Technology South Africa offers holistic identification solutions to customers such as microdotting, labeling, RFID and nanotechnology.
| We have even assisted an entomologist with a research project into the migration of wasps! Not the tiny DataDots on the thorax of the wasp below: | |
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Our highly specialized nanotechnology – called DatatraceDNA - was developed by DataDot
Technology Ltd in conjunction with the CSIRO – Australia's national research and
development organization.
DatatraceDNA is a unique nano scale substance that can be blended into the molecular structure of a product to identify and authenticate it in a manner similar to a barcode, providing counterfeit protection and detection. DatatraceDNA can be incorporated homogeneously in the manufacturing process to enable authentication of a product for its entire lifespan and beyond. Another form of the technology is a spray-on lacquer that can be applied to most materials post-manufacture. Back to Top |
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