Magnetic helical physical unclonable function measured above flight

A supply article (200, 1500) for an imaging device (100) comprising: a body (410, 1505); and a nonclonable physical function (202, 1502) that is located in the body (410, 1505); characterized in that the non-clonable physical function is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation (218, 1518) having an axis (212) centered on the axis of rotation (218, 1518) and a helical path (210, 1510) having has a length that wraps around the axis (212), the helical path (210) has a top surface (220) further from the axis of rotation (218, 1518), the helical path (210, 1510) contains magnetized particles ( 810, 812) that generate a magnetic field above the top surface (220) having a variable intensity (510) along the length of the helical path (210, 1510), the helical path (210, 1510) having a lateral surface (230) between the axis (212) and the upper surface (220); and a non-volatile memory (201) that is located in the body (410) that contains a first series of numbers (512) corresponding to the intensity (510) of the magnetic field radial to the axis of rotation (218, 1518) above the upper surface (220) along a section of the length of the helical path (210, 1510) at a first plurality of locations each at a first fixed distance from the side surface (230) and also containing a digital signature (626) that is generated from the first set of numbers (512).