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Security Ink

Security Ink & Anti-counterfeiting Coatings

Blending together its extensive knowledge of formulating security ink and coatings with its research into “anti-counterfeiting” technologies, the BPA can provide brand owners and security printers with printable, cost-effective brand authentication solutions. The BPA leans on ACTEGA WIT for their security ink technical prowess. These security inks have been formulated into aqueous and UV security ink and coatings that provide brand owners with a wide range of authentication solutions that can be as simple as a coin reactive coating, or as complex as a color shifting ink or IR reactive coatings.

IR Reactive Security Ink

ACTEGA WIT’s Glosscoat UCS and Lustercoat UCS coatings are perfect examples of two unique security ink / coating products that support Brand Authentication. The Glosscoat and Lustercoat security ink products print as clear, UV curable coatings, but when illuminated with an IR Laser Pen, the coatings emit colored light in the visible spectrum. Our CS series has an added "color shifting" feature which reveals different colors as the IR Laser Pen's proximity to the printed coating is changed! All our Glosscoat and Lustercoat security ink coatings use highly efficient IR pigments which yield brighter colors and glossier coatings. The Lustercoat security ink products have an additional security feature built into them which allow them to also "glow" under a Blacklight! If you need even more security, talk to us about adding forensic markers to our security ink products! Our IR pigments are highly durable, virtually non-reactive, and temperature stable. The Glosscoat and Lustercoat security ink coatings feature two outstanding characteristics: they utilize small particle size materials that are perfect for flexographic printing and they resist settling, so there is less worrying about security features that never make it to the sheet!

UV Security Ink

The invisible UV security ink or black light ink coatings are coatings that appear clear under ambient light, but emit colored, visible light when exposed to UV light. A range of emittance colors are available in our catalog of UV security ink including; blue/whites, yellow and red. The UV security ink coatings can be formulated into aqueous or UV curable flexographic coatings. Because these security inks are invisible under ambient lighting, they are considered to be a covert technology.

Color Shifting Ink

Printable, overt technologies like color-shifting ink can be sized and placed anywhere on a label, tag or package. The color shifting security ink provides a visually exciting graphic element to the product while reassuring the consumer of the authentic nature of the product. A specific color shifting ink can be selected depending upon the level of security required for a particular product. Certain specific color shifting materials are offered only for application to products requiring a high level of security, while other color shifting security ink products can be used for decorative or limited security use.

Thermochromatic Ink

Thermochromatic ink products are security inks that can shift from colored to invisible when heated to a particular temperature, or they can be designed to shift from clear to colored when cooled to a specific temperature. Thermochromatic ink technology can be either reversible or have a permanent color change. Thermochromatic security inks can be designed to activate at various temperature points, depending upon the method/device used to activate the color change effect. Thermochromatic security ink can be designed to react to body temperature, a light bulb or some other cost effective, readily available source of heat, which makes these security inks very efficient brand authentication devices where a limited amount of security is required.

Overview of Brand Authentication Security Ink & Coatings

• Covert, field detectable, IR reactive "color shifting" and monochromatic security ink
• Covert, photochromic and UV security ink
• Dual frequency UV detectable security inks
• Overt, color shifting ink
• Thermochromatic ink
• Coin and chemically reactive coatings
• Fluorescent security inks
• Pearlescent inks
• Metallic security ink
• Scratch-off inks
• Custom authentication solutions in aqueous and UV formulations

Contact the BPA for Security Ink Solutions or Anti counterfeit coatings

BPA member, ACTEGA WIT is a custom manufacturer of printable, brand authentication solutions, and we have other security products that are too numerous to mention here. Please request information on security ink or anti-counterfeit coatings.