Film solutions for forgery-proof ID documents

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0100

From November 27- 29, 2018, the card and ID card industry will meet again in Cannes in southern France to present their latest developments at the TRUSTECH trade fair. ��AV has more than 30 years of experience in the field of material solutions for manufacturers of ID cards.

At booth number A 043 in the Riviera hall, the company will present an integrated passport concept comprising innovative technologies based on specialty films. They offer improved properties for security card manufacturing and in particular enable new applications against counterfeit attempts. Major features are a new concept for clear window technology and a new generation of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for passport hinges.

Additional security feature: clear windows
At TRUSTECH, ��AV will present a new concept for clear window technology. Such windows present an additional security feature against counterfeiting attempts. For the manufacture of ID cards it is essential that the card construction has a flat surface without irregularities. ��AV developed a very thin film with extremely high opacity which is particularly suitable for the seamless integration of clear window applications.

The innovative film solution enables a new production method which does not require filling a punched window inside a polycarbonate card or passport data page with additional material. During the lamination process, the transparent layers merge and the thin hole is filled without any irregularities on the document’s surface. This innovative construction offers more space for transparent layers and for the integration of additional security features. Complex window geometries are also possible. The thinner opaque films also simplify the lamination process and significantly reduce the cycle time as well as the visibility of integrated antennas and chips.

In conventional manufacturing, die-cut windows are filled with a transparent polycarbonate film of the type Makrofol^® ID. This is punched out of small film strips in order to reduce material waste, and processed on automated card production lines.

Simplified production processes
“We are very proud to offer our customers solutions for reducing complexity in their production processes,” explains Cengiz Yesildag, Global Segment Head ID/Security at ��AV. “Makrofol ID thin white high opaque films combine the advantages of easier construction of clear windows in security documents with shorter lamination cycles, a clear win-win situation for our customers.”

For the opaque films, ��AV has received the Blue Shield Innovation Award at the Security Document Summit in China on October 17, 2018 – in total for the fifth time in a row.

Next generation TPU hinge material
Another ��AV development affects the interior design of passports. The data page is laminated onto a thin fold that is integrated into the passport for a secure fit. The production process is very efficient and the bond is also durable: the passports can be opened and closed as often as required without the flexibility suffering or the fold tearing.

The fold consists of a multi-layer film composite made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). At TRUSTECH, ��AV will be presenting a new Platilon^® ID film, which offers a further 35 percent increase in tear resistance compared to the standard product Platilon^® ID 9122.

More design freedom
Compared to individual films, the layers in the film composite have lower layer thicknesses and thus allow greater design freedom, especially for the thinner data page. As a result, the integration of safety features is simplified and the lower layer thickness saves costs.

Multi-layer Platilon^® ID can be excellently bonded with polycarbonate and ensures that data pages cannot be delaminated without destroying the passport completely.

��AV has developed Makrofol^® ID superlaser polycarbonate film for particularly forgery-proof security cards. The composite of three layers is extremely sensitive to laser radiation. Laser engraving therefore requires less energy than conventional laser-sensitive films and saves at least 20 percent time during production. At the same time, maximum contrast can be achieved – even at very low layer thicknesses: 50 percent of the data content of a personal photograph is already contained in a layer only 10 micrometers thick.

New passport concept at TRUSTECH conference
Markus Mingenbach, head of the Specialty Films business of ��AV in the Asia Pacific region, will introduce the company´s new passport concept at Trustech´s Innovation Stage. This gathering of innovators during TRUSTECH fair provides a unique forum for discussing latest developments for ID documents. On November 29 he will present the new films for clear window technology and passport hinges and inform the audience about improved properties of Makrofol^® ID superlaser films.

About ��AV:
With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Innovative film solutions for forgery-proof ID cards

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0100

This year’s TRUSTECH trade show in Cannes, France, will once again be dedicated to all things related to security cards and identity documents. ��AV develops innovative and ingenious solutions for the card and pass sector that are based on polycarbonate and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films. This year, the company is at booth 043 in the Riviera hall to showcase a brand new concept for the efficient production of passports that boast excellent anti-forgery protection.

Production starts with the data page. ��AV has developed the polycarbonate film Makrofol^® ID for this purpose. The film is heat-resistant and tough yet elastic over a broad temperature range.

Robust inner workings
A thin hinge is laminated into the inlay to ensure it is held securely in the passport. It is made from a multilayer composite film of the TPU film Platilon^® ID9122. The production process is highly efficient and the composite is also long-lasting. Passports can be opened and closed any number of times without affecting flexibility or tearing at the hinge. The composite film can also be stitched into the passport.

The thickness of the layers in the composite films, which is thinner than for individual films, also enables greater design freedom. “This means the data page can be made thinner without sacrificing its excellent strength and flexibility,” explains Cengiz Yesildag, Global Segment Head ID/Security at ��AV. “This simplifies the integration of security features, and the thinner data page also saves money.”

As the TPU films soften at temperatures similar to or higher than the Makrofol^® ID products in the data page, they cannot be separated from each other again without being destroyed. As a result, they can’t be used to manufacture new ID cards and thus offer excellent anti-forgery protection. In October, ��AV was awarded the Blue Shield Innovation Award for this development at the SDS Security trade fair in Beijing.

Integrating additional security features
Another security feature of the inlay is that it carries a chip and antenna. ��AV has extended its Makrofol^® ID range with especially thin, white films for this purpose. Thanks to their excellent opacity, they ensure the chip and antenna cannot be seen. The thin layer of just 30 or 50 micrometers also offers more opportunities to incorporate additional layers in the card.

��AV is exhibiting the polycarbonate film Makrofol^® ID Superlaser at TRUSTECH, too. In data pages made using this product, the holder’s data and photo can be laser-engraved in higher contrast than is possible for standard laser-reactive overlay films. The data are also integrated into the core, such that the film also offers better anti-forgery protection.

Trend: rapid personalization using Superlaser
The development of this special film and the patent-protected Superlaser technology is ��AV’s response to the latest trends on the security document market. Besides offering anti-forgery protection, they are also a much faster and cheaper means of personalizing identity documents compared with conventional production techniques.

About ��AV:
With 2016 sales of EUR 11.9 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 15,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2016.

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Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

����AV Press

Film solutions for forgery-proof ID documents

Innovative film solutions for forgery-proof ID cards

��AV Press