Valuable printings have in common the security concept. This concept is guaranteed by two basic elements: paper and security printing (ink), each providing in various proportions, from case to case, security characteristics that guarantee authenticity and discourage counterfeiting. The modality to combine or use the printing technologies together with the paper and security ink manufacturing processes represents the three security elements that provide special properties to the documents.
For each type of documents that requires protection are selected the most efficient security elements and they are manufactured in high security conditions.
The interaction between ink and paper background within the printing process is an important property.
The inks used for valuable documents printing has special colours, compositions and properties that represent manufacturer’s secrets and are kept in conditions of high security.
Characterization of the printability properties (the interaction between the paper and the ink), evaluation of the toner adhesion are realized using standardized methods adapted to the performance and final utilization of the valuable documents, using specific equipment. These assessments are realized in order to evaluate both security ink and security paper’s quality.
Security inks used in the security printing can be: metallic, fugitive, sensitive to diluents (penetrant), fluorescent, magnetic, iridizing, iridescent, IR absorption ink, UV (visible / invisible), metameric, photochromic, thermochromic, electrochromic, inks with micro markers, trademark colours etc.
Anti-duplication security inks provide covert features for authentication (UV fluorescence or reactive to metal, heat, IR).
Security inks can be simply verified by touch, UV lighting or IR bar code reading.
Among the benefits of security printing we can remember: protected documents, secured brands, hampered counterfeit, uniqueness of the documents, originality of the documents, concrete methods for checking authenticity, credibility and reputation protected.
