What is a Security Paper Mill?
Security paper mill is a type of paper used for the production of money and other important documents. It is often watermarked and used to protect against forgery and counterfeiting. It can also be used for passports, ID papers, tax stamps and equity certificates.
British Patent GB-2,260,772 shows a technique that incorporates both a windowed thread or strip and an electrotype or high contrast watermark into a single document.
Metal mould paper manufacturing method
The security paper industry uses a variety of methods to protect its products from counterfeiting and fraud. These include dithered patterns that will be visible if the document is duplicated, luminescent fibers that are viewable in daylight or ultraviolet light, metallic threads interwoven into the paper, and chemical processing to signal manipulation. These techniques are used to protect sensitive documents like passports and visas.
The present invention discloses a porous metal mold for a wet pulp molding process, which has a first surface where a finished or semi-finished paper-shape product is shaped without the use of a mesh. It also has a plurality of through passages built up between the first surface and the second surface for exhausting water or moisture in the paper-pulp-fiber layer inside the mold 11.
The invention is particularly useful because it reduces assembly time and the possibility of the occurrence of ungainly mesh-mark on the outer surfaces of the paper-shape product. It is also hard to damage, which makes it difficult for counterfeiters to produce fakes.
Windowed thread or strip
The windowed thread or strip is a metallised strip that lies within the paper, as it is already introduced into the paper substrate during the production process. It can be visible from one side and invisible on the other, providing a visual verification feature. It also provides a layer of protection against forgery.
This security feature is used for the manufacture of banknotes and passports. It has a special coating that makes it extremely difficult to remove or delaminate. In addition, it has a unique double-sided surface treatment that increases its bonding to the document.
This coating is called UV Switch and incorporates fluorescent, coloured images that can combine or ‘switch’ under transmitted and reflected light. This technology is only available from a few security paper mills and is very effective in thwarting counterfeiters. Moreover, the UV feature is resistant to most chemical attacks. It is also ideal for surface applied features, including stripes, patches and overlays.
Electrotypes
An electrotype is a replica plate used for printing. It is typically made of copper with a metal filling, such as lead or silver. It can also be patinated, gilt, or silver plated to make it look more like the original work. Its surface is also often engraved with a motif.
Security papers can be enhanced with visible and invisible security fibres, planchettes, holographic bands, iridescent bands, anti-tampering reactants, and other devices. The design and complexity of these features are tailored to the specific requirements of each client.
Paper with a protective feature that is difficult to duplicate is ideal for passports, ID cards, checks, certificates, money bills, transcripts, visitor passes, parking permits, and more. The demand for these types of papers is expected to increase due to the heightened prevalence of scams. This is expected to drive the growth of the global security paper market. This will be aided by the increased digitization of financial transactions and the increased penetration of plastic money.
Watermarks
Watermarks are one of the most effective security features available to protect paper from counterfeiting and forgery. They can be raised, shadowed, or multi-tone, and are incorporated into the paper during the manufacturing process. These marks are extremely difficult to reproduce and cannot be photocopied or scanned.
The global market for security paper is growing rapidly. This is due to increased fraudulent activities and the need for protection of important documents. The demand for these papers is also driven by the growing tourism industry, which requires passports and visas to travel internationally.
A security paper mill uses cutting-edge technology to ensure the highest level of security for their clients. Besides the standard watermark, security paper can incorporate invisible fibers, planchettes, hologram strips, and anti-tampering reactants to prevent mechanical and chemical erasures. These features are embedded into the paper through cylinder moulding. The forming and backing surfaces of the molds are bonded together to form a nip that imparts the desired pattern.