Every aircraft part bears
a unique fingerprint —
without marking, without intervention.

To date, this has mainly been done through paper-based document checks (EASA Form 1, FAA 8130-3) and visual inspection. The AOG Technics case (2019–2026) demonstrated that these methods are structurally inadequate: 60,000 counterfeit certificates passed through all existing checks undetected. ID Systems AG’s surface fingerprint technology is the first method to authenticate the physical material itself — without marking, without intervention, and regardless of the document’s quality.

Non-serialised parts — bolts, nuts, washers, seals, bushings, dampers — do not have individual serial numbers. They are invisible to all existing digital tracking systems and cannot be traced back to their point of manufacture. Following the AOG Technics scandal, CFM International confirmed that the majority of the counterfeit parts involved fell into this category. ID Systems AG’s surface fingerprint technology is the only scalable solution that makes even these parts physically and individually identifiable — without any marking whatsoever.

No. The scan is a purely contactless, optical reading process. The part remains entirely in its original condition — no physical alteration, no marking, no intervention. This is a crucial regulatory advantage: Unlike laser engraving or RFID tags, the scanning system does not require certification on the part itself. Used as an internal inspection aid in Phase 1, the system is not subject to EASA/FAA certification requirements.

The key EASA requirement is Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Article 145.A.42, which mandates traceability for all aeronautical parts used in maintenance — without defining a specific technical procedure. This flexibility allows surface fingerprinting to be positioned as an ‘Acceptable Means of Compliance’. On the FAA side, Advisory Circular AC 21-29D addresses Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUPs) and explicitly identifies gaps in physical authentication procedures. ID Systems AG actively supports partners through the regulatory process, including dialogue with the FOCA and the involvement of DER experts.

The technology is material-neutral and has been validated for all common metallic aerospace materials: steel (various alloys), titanium (Ti-6Al-4V and others), aluminium (2024, 7075 and other alloys), Inconel and other nickel-based superalloys. For composite materials (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, glass fibre-reinforced plastic), material-specific validations are possible as part of the pilot project. The technology is already being used successfully in the watchmaking industry (titanium, steel, stainless steel) and medical technology (surgical steel, titanium implants in accordance with ISO 13485, sterilisable).

Blockchain systems secure documentation records in an immutable manner — but without a physical anchor, the link between the data record and the physical part remains vulnerable. If the part itself does not have a unique physical identity, a counterfeit part can be linked to a genuine data record. The surface fingerprint is the physical anchor that makes blockchain systems truly secure: The microstructure links the physical metal inseparably to the digital record. For optimal use, both technologies are combined — in 2024, Lufthansa Technik introduced a blockchain system for parts documentation that requires precisely such a physical anchor.

The quickest way to get started is Phase 1: Use as an internal inspection aid in your receiving inspection — no approval process required, no modification to the part, immediate start. ID Systems AG offers structured pilot programmes with defined test scenarios, clear success criteria and full technical support. Contact: [email protected] or +41 32 374 71 11. Contact: Technical Management, ID Systems AG, Lyss, Switzerland.