Counterfeit brake pads. Fake airbag components. The supply chain doesn't come with a warning label.
Q-ID® makes every part verifiable at any point in the chain, in three seconds.
The problem
Counterfeit automotive parts are a global safety crisis. Brake pads, airbag inflators, steering components, filters, all safety critical parts that are visually indistinguishable from genuine components and structurally inferior in ways that only emerge under stress. The financial scale is significant. The human cost is larger. Counterfeit auto parts are implicated in thousands of road deaths and injuries annually worldwide. For manufacturers and tier one suppliers, the problem extends into the grey market. Genuine parts moving through unauthorised channels lose the quality assurance, storage standards, and warranty structures that the original supply chain provides.
Every part carrying a Q-ID® has its own atomic fingerprint, registered at point of manufacture, verifiable at every point from factory to dealer to mechanic to consumer. A smartphone. Three seconds. Certain.
A component outside its registered supply chain fails verification immediately. Chain of custody is enforced at the item level. And item level identity makes recall and warranty management precise, targeting specific units, not entire production batches.
Recall precision.
Item level identity means a product recall targets specific units, not batches, not production runs. The exact parts that need to come back.
Grey market parts identified at point of installation.
A mechanic scans before fitting. A part outside its registered supply chain fails before it goes on the car.
Chain of custody from factory to field.
Every scan is a logged event, time, location, device. A complete, tamper evident audit trail from manufacture to installation.
Integrates with existing serialisation.
One scan delivers authentication and serialisation data simultaneously. No changes to existing part numbering systems.
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Proof
Live Q-ID® counter
Every counterfeit part that gets fitted is a liability you didn't create. Stop it before it does.
Take it further
For printers
Atomic-level authentication on your existing press.
For brands
Make every product unforgeable
FAQ
Who's behind the science?
Quantum Base, founded out of Lancaster University in 2015 by Professor Rob Young. Listed on the London Stock Exchange (LON: QUBE), with 40+ patents and a decade of peer-reviewed research behind both products.
Are Q-ID®s really impossible to counterfeit?
Yes. Each Q-ID® is unique at the atomic level, a fingerprint created by quantum physics, not by design. Independent adversarial testing has confirmed it cannot be copied, and no equivalent smartphone-authenticated solution exists anywhere in the world.
How does Q-ID® compare to holograms, QR codes, and other anti-counterfeiting methods?
Holograms, QR codes, print uniqueness, taggants, and machine-learning approaches can all be photographed, studied, and eventually copied by someone with the right equipment. Q-ID®'s security isn't visual or informational, it's physical the identity exists at the atomic level, somewhere no counterfeiting operation can reach.
What's actually covered by the 40+ patents?
The core science: the method for creating atomic-level uniqueness in printed ink, and the algorithms that read and verify it from a standard smartphone. It's this combination — not just the ink, and not just the app — that the patent portfolio protects.
Who is using Q-ID® and Q-RAND®?
Security printers and government revenue agencies use Q-ID® worldwide; most engagements are confidential, which is typical in this industry, but over 2 billion Q-ID®s are live in market today. Q-RAND® serves sectors where true randomness matters: cryptography, blockchain, banking and fintech, defence, and simulations and gaming.
Can Q-ID®s be authenticated on any smartphone, and do we need an app?
50+ device models are supported as standard, running on almost every iOS and Android phone still supported by its manufacturer. No dedicated readers or specialist hardware needed. On iOS, App Clip technology authenticates without downloading anything at all; Android users go through the Q-ID® app or a branded app via the SDK.
Can Q-ID® be applied to any material or product shape?
Yes. It's been proven on logos, labels, boxes, plastic, metals, use-by codes, and polycarbonate for IDs and banknotes, if it can carry standard ink, it can carry a Q-ID®. The off-the-shelf format is 7×7 mm, with bespoke shapes and sizes available for specific applications.
Does Q-ID® replace our existing barcodes, serialisation, or track & trace systems?
No, it plugs into them. Q-ID® is GS1 compliant and works alongside the serialisation you already have one scan delivers both an authentication result and your existing track & trace data, so you're not running two systems side by side.
What does Q-ID® do that serialisation and barcodes don't already do?
A serialised barcode confirms a code exists, it doesn't confirm the product is genuine. Photocopy a barcode and it still scans as authentic. Q-ID® can't be photocopied into existence: no atoms, no signal, no result.
Can Q-ID® detect grey market or parallel imports?
Yes. Every Q-ID® is registered at point of print, and every scan is a data point, location, time, device. If a product shows up somewhere it shouldn't, that surfaces in real time, not months later in a report
Does adding Q-ID® mean switching suppliers or production lines?
No. Q-ID® integrates with your current printer's existing production line, litho or flexo, with no need to move your print contract or redesign packaging to add atomic-level authentication.
Is Q-ID® a physical product, a service, or both?
Both. Q-ID® is the quantum-active ink itself, plus the registration software, authentication app or SDK, and data platform that make it work, you're buying the full authentication system, not just ink.
Does Q-ID® work offline, and can we keep data on our own infrastructure?
Yes to both. An offline mode covers contexts like field inspection where connectivity can't be guaranteed, with data syncing once reconnected. Data residency is flexible, on-premises, cloud, or hybrid managed by you, Quantum Base, or an authorised partner, built for organisations with strict data sovereignty requirements.
Is the data collected through Q-ID® secure?
Yes. Authentication compares encrypted emission signatures, not stored images, so there's nothing to steal that could be reverse-engineered into a working Q-ID®. Scan data is yours, hosted according to your compliance requirements.
What's the first step if we want to explore Q-ID® for our organisation?
Get in touch and request a sample or a conversation. We'll talk through your specific risk, your product or system format, and your current setup, so you can see and test the technology yourself before making any commitment.
Atomic-level anti-counterfeiting, born in a Lancaster physics lab.
LSE: QUBE
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