System and method for authenticating physical objects with randomized embedded information

A method of producing an authenticatable physical object, comprising:

• encoding a feed material by subjecting the feed material to an external magnetic field, wherein the subjecting includes randomly orienting the direction of the magnetic field and/or randomly altering the intensity of the magnetic field to thereby impart a randomized magnetic characteristic at different portions of the feed material;
• feeding the feed material including the different portions having the randomized magnetic characteristic into an additive manufacturing machine;
• and
• additively manufacturing the authenticatable physical object with the feed material such that respective portions of the authenticatable physical object have respective randomized signatures based at least in part upon the randomized magnetic characteristic at the different portions of the feed material;
• wherein the feed material includes a base material having metallic particles contained therein, and wherein the subjecting the feed material to the external magnetic field causes the respective metallic particles to form permanent magnetic characteristics corresponding to the direction of the magnetic field and/or in proportion to the intensity of the magnetic field.