3Dresyns security ink portfolio

Security inks protect documents and objects susceptible to falsification or modification. They help determine whether a document is authentic or counterfeit, making it difficult to alter or reproduce protected information.

Modern reproduction technologies (e.g., scanners and photocopiers) can duplicate originals with very high fidelity. However, they cannot reproduce the security characteristics provided by high-security inks.

The level of difficulty required to verify authenticity can be increased or decreased depending on the value of the protected document or object. Simplicity is often crucial for successful verification workflows.

Typical applications

Brand protection: company letters, business cards, pharmaceutical, software, audio and video, merchandising, fragrance and cosmetics, food and beverages, tobacco, apparel, and other highly confidential documentation and objects
Government documents and objects: letters, reports, trade introduction, customs clearance, freight insurance, fishing, hunting, and shooting licenses
Negotiable documents: currency banknotes, checks, credit cards, postage stamps, bonds, coupons, vouchers and gift certificates, letters of credit, warranty documents, travellers checks
Identity documents: passports, identity cards, driver license, travel visas, gun licenses, birth, marriage, and death certificates, car ownership documents, company registration documents, deeds and titles, social security cards, national health cards
Access and service documents: air, bus and train tickets, concessionary passes, trade permits, import licenses, events and sports tickets, public payphones and pre-paid calling cards, debit operated utility systems, safety inspection certificates
Other highly confidential documentation and objects

Manufacturing of security inks must be controlled by security procedures and facilities, and their sale must be restricted.

3Dresyns portfolio overview

3Dresyns security inks portfolio includes security resins, inks, and coatings for printing security documents (2D) and objects (3D):

UV fluorescent invisible inks
UV fluorescent visible inks
IR fluorescent inks
Phosphorescent inks
Magnetic inks
Conductive inks
IR transparent inks
Penetrating basic inks
Penetrating fluorescent inks
Water reactive basic inks
Water reactive special inks
Water reactive fluorescent invisible inks
Solvent reactive inks
Bleaching reactive inks
Coin inks
Trireactive inks
Photochromic inks
Iridescent inks
Watermark inks
Chameleon inks
Others

UV fluorescent inks

Fluorescent security inks are designed to prevent counterfeiting of valuable documents and objects. They become visible when exposed to UV light, typically at 365 nm. 3Dresyns provides two types of fluorescent security inks: invisible and coloured fluorescent inks.

Invisible inks are invisible in daylight:
- Availability of different shades of fluorescence
- Used to hide invisible patterns
- Visible at 365 nm, or at 254 nm, or with both wavelengths
Coloured inks are visible in daylight and emit fluorescence under UV light.

Note: fluorescence can have the same or different shades. Both types of fluorescent inks can be used in combination with each other or with non-fluorescent security inks. Substrates should be optical brightener free. Avoid combinations of overly dark shades, since a dark visible shade can extinguish fluorescence.

Excellent light fastness and chemical resistance

IR fluorescent inks

Absorb or reflect infrared light
Used to mask messages such as "real" or "original" when black infrared ink is printed over the message; the message can be read only under infrared light
The message can also be printed with infrared ink (a covert security feature) and can show up with infrared light
Ink shade will shift when exposed to an infrared light source, e.g., at 980 nm

Phosphorescent inks

Pale phosphorescent green inks with afterglow when exposed to a light source

Magnetic inks

Magnetic inks produce magnetic impulses and are used as guiding inks in connection with magnetisation reading devices.

Features:

Ferric oxide, magnetizable, e.g., Fe3O4
Colour: black
Shape: isometric
Particle size: approx. 0.8 mm
Density: approx. 5,2 g/cm3
Packaging density: 1,9 g/cm3
Oil absorption: 6 g. linseed/ 100 g pigment
Ferric oxide content: 65%
Coercivity: 300 Oe = 24 kA/m
Remaining: 41 nTm3/g
Curie temperature: approx. 580ºC

Note: magnetic inks are not intended to replace strips of magnetic tape to store information. The strength of magnetic impulses from the print depends on the amount of ink. Premagnetisation by an orientation magnet directly after printing can reinforce magnetic strength.

Conductive inks

Conductive inks can be used as security inks with an electrical pen or as guiding inks for digital signals

Black IR transparent inks

Used to prevent forgery by photocopying
Based on two inks with similar shade in daylight, but one is IR transparent and the other is IR opaque
Used to hide or disturb a bar code invisible in daylight, but visible with a barcode reader working with IR light, e.g., at 770 nm or higher

Penetrating inks

Used to prevent eradication or similar tampering by penetration, making recognisable any attempt to alter the original pattern, preventing manipulation and preserving protection

Water reactive inks

Designed to prevent eradication
Bleed in contact with water and solutions containing acids, alkalis and salts
Bleaching chemicals such as sodium hydrochloride will change the colour
Eradicator chemicals react with the inks

Solvent reactive inks

Designed to prevent counterfeiting of travelling documents and valuable documents and objects
Staining in contact with certain chemicals such as perchlorethylene, ethyl acetate, a white spirit, acetic acid, xylene, triethanolamine, isopropanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, oleic acid, methoxypropane acetate, petrol, Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), naphthalene, solutions of sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, etc
Staining evidences attempts to manipulate documents and objects
Ideal verification tool for the authentication of documents and objects
Can also be used as erasable inks

Bleaching reactive inks

Designed to prevent forgery of documents and objects against tamper by bleaching
Invisible information printed with this ink can be hidden in a background pattern
Attempts to remove original documentation will be visible: ivory pale colour turns brown in contact with bleaching agents

Coin inks

Hide information which becomes visible when a coin is rubbed against the prints
Used for hidden messages

Trireactive inks

Change shade when exposed to a light source, UV light and high temperature
Reversible shift from one colour to another and back to original shade when temperature decreases. The light shift is caused by UV light, so fluorescence is visible and when UV light is off the photochromic effect be visible. This effect can also be activated by a normal light source
Used as a detection ink to control authentication of documents and objects

Photochromic inks

Change shade when exposed to daylight or UV light
Reversible shift from invisible to colour and back to invisible after a short time when the light source is off
Ideal for hiding information which will be visible when exposed to light
Used as detection ink to control authentication of documents and objects

Iridescent inks

Different shades depending on viewed angle
Used as single ink or in combination with other security inks

Watermark inks

Imitate the watermarks of security documents and objects
Used as single ink or combination with other security inks

Chameleon inks

Available in different colors: brown/green, gold/green, and yellow/red

What can we do for you?

3Dresyns can custom design and develop Business to Business high quality security resins, inks, and coatings for a wide range of specialty security systems. 3Dresyns custom designed security inks can be printed with the following 2D & 3D printing methods:

Intaglio water wiping
Intaglio paper wiping
UV Offset
UV Flexo
WB Flexo
Letterpress
Screen
Numbering
Rotogravure (stamps)
3D printing