How to Print the Russian Crypto Code for Serialization of Drugs
The Russian crypto-code law poses major challenges for pharmaceutical manufacturers: Starting January 2020, all marking systems must be capable of applying special identification codes to drug packaging. Weber Marking Systems has been following the latest developments in Russia in detail and has prepared itself for the necessary adjustments in advance.
The Crypto Code Act at a Glance
Twelve different product groups in Russia have to be marked with crypto-codes for traceability. In addition to pharmaceutical products, the system also covers shoes, clothing, tobacco and alcohol, among others. In the long term, the system is intended to cover all products. The means of identification will be an identification code in machine-readable form – represented as a data matrix code or an RFID label. The idea is to standardize the serialization and identification of pharmaceutical products at the national level. All settings must comply with the GS1 standard and be configured at customer access level.
What does the Russian crypto code look like?
A crypto-code consists of two components: an identification element and a verification element.
The identification element contains a GTIN (AI01) and a specific serial number (AI21). Both must be applied in pure text form.
The verification element, on the other hand, contains a public key and a crypto key. This element is used for control and verification. It consists of a sequence of characters formed as a result of a cryptographic transformation of an identification code.
In addition, all information must be encoded in a Data Matrix Code ECC 200 with minimum print quality of Class C according to the ISO 15415 standard.
Compared to common GS1 Data Matrix codes used for serialization in the U.S. and EU, crypto codes are up to 45 percent larger due to their public and crypto keys. The challenge lies in the size of the verification element. Through cryptographic transformation, the data set to be encoded grows to more than twice the size of the GS1 data matrix used in the EU.
In general, crypto codes can be encoded in full or reduced format:
Original (full) version
Includes a GTIN (01), a serial number (21), a public key (91) and crypto key (92) consisting of 88 alphanumeric symbols.
Current (reduced) version
Following a government decision in 2019, the length of the crypto code (92) was halved to 44 characters to make the data matrix code easier to handle in packaging processes.
Efficient solutions for implementation
As a full-range supplier of coding and marking technology, Weber Marking Systems is well prepared for new regulatory requirements. In order to meet those imposed by the Russian legislation and to be well prepared for the future, our inkjet printers have been adjusted and our Markoprint coding software has been upgraded. Regardless of whether you use one of our new or old inkjet printers, the adjustments can be made with little effort.
The requirements of particularly small and sophisticated packaging formats are also taken into account. This is because the higher data density of up to 44×44 modules considerably increases the size of the data matrix code. Weber Marking Systems also offers the possibility of printing the Data Matrix Code in the usual size of 12.5 ×12.5 mm or smaller.
Cameras with a higher resolution are available for code quality inspection in accordance with the ISO 15415 standard. With the solutions from Weber Marking Systems, printing with 600 dpi in print quality class A is possible.
Markoprint printers for ideal 2D code quality
The following thermal inkjet printers, among others, have already proven themselves with our customers:
Markoprint integra One ip
- Compact design very suitable for system integration
- Print height up to 12.7 mm, print resolution up to 600 dpi
- For absorbent and non-absorbent surfaces
- Achieves print speeds of up to 180 m/min
- IP65 protection for dusty and damp production environments
Markoprint X1JET HP Premium
- Print height up to 12.7 mm, print resolution up to 600 dpi
- Achieves print speeds of up to 180 m/min
- Particularly compact design with low space requirements
- Low maintenance and easy to operate
- Integrated photo sensor for product detection
- M8 connector for high speed applications
Markoprint integra Quadro
- Controls up to 4 printheads
- Simultaneous operation on 2 production lines possible
- Simple installation and compact design for system integration
- Settings can be changed directly on the controller
- For the connection of thermal and piezoelectric printheads
- can also be combined with the IP65-rated integra Ultimate printhead, which cleans itself automatically during operation and seals shut when not in use
