http://www.videk.comIn the beginning
In the late 80s, inserting companies began to embrace the use of barcodes and other printed machine-readable codes to track individual documents. These codes were, and still are, used to control and monitor inserting machines and other document finishing processes.
Barcodes are used to count pages, bind sets, add inserts and log all of the production audit trail data that may be needed in the future. Barcoding has turned unintelligent machines into intelligent mail production systems. Typically, these codes are printed by high-speed laser printers with black toner.
No sooner had barcodes become widely accepted as the de facto method of document control, did end users want more features and functionality. They wanted perfection. Management demanded "zero defect" production and unsightly barcodes were to be used on all of their documents. The black codes are frequently called caterpillars, ladders, picket fences or "the black mark on the paper."
Now, there is an alternative to the unattractive black codes that continue to provide the required production control and integrity. Invisible code printing and reading is now a reality. With this amazing new technology, companies are able to replace the bulky look of barcodes yet retain their valuable benefits. New invisible coding is transforming the production and scanning of barcoded documents in production-printing operations.
Like visible coding, invisible coding is printed within the familiar production process. Now, invisible 1D or 2D codes as well as OMR and OCR are printed, but not seen. Invisible coding can be printed almost anywhere on the document, including over text with certain code types. The printing is invisible to the naked eye but can be read by av-special scanning systems.
So why print invisible codes?
By taking up critical white space on the document, visible coding can get it in the way of design issues. The redesign of a document due to mandatory placement of a black barcode can be an expensive and a time-consuming drain on company resources. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars annually creating new documents.
Incorporating visible barcodes also can add to the complexity of the design. In some cases, a design change to one form may affect hundreds of other documents. In the insurance industry, these changes may require approval from the insurance commissioner in every state where the documents are used. In addition, there is the aesthetic issue of an unsightly, depersonalized code on every document.
Complications
One of the drawbacks to invisible coding is different postal processing systems (inserters, binders and collators) can require different barcode locations on a document for machine control. Even different models from a single manufacturer can vary in their code location requirements. A change in production systems can mean redesigning a code's location to make best use of all related machines. Many document producers use more than one vendor's finishing system. This could cause a major production-scheduling problem for the operations manager and could require duplicate code printings on multiple locations on each document.
Manufacturers
Industry leaders Hewlett-Packard, Videk Corp. and Gunther International have combined efforts to make invisible coding possible. Joint designs of ink, printers and reading systems put it all together as a turnkey solution. Manufactures integrate both the printing of the invisible ink and it's real-time scanning technology, which reads the invisible codes and text. Also, they provide scanning systems to many of the inserter and finishing vendors.
Although specific systems read the IR imaging properties of the ink, the UV property is included so users can see the codes under an inexpensive black light. If the end user has a concern that this code can be seen under black light (for a secure application), there is a way to control that as well. If the customer uses a paper stock that fluoresces at the same UV wavelength as the ink, then the code cannot be seen under a black light, but it can still be read in the IR. Also, the same invisible codes and text printed at the laser printer can also be used to track documents and provide control signals for inserters and other equipment downstream in the document finishing process.
Security applications and beyond
There are also applications for invisible ink that are not barcode related. One of the most prevalent ones is to use the ink to print security marks or information. Think of this as an "invisible watermark." It is very easy to copy or scan a document into a PC with today's scanning and printing technologies. In the insurance sector, a counterfeiter could scan in the policy declaration page and then change the value amount of the policy. There would be no way to tell if in fact it was an original document. Even if the page was coded with a visible code, once scanned, the code could be reproduced on the counterfeit document.
By using an invisible code or message on the document, for example "Original document - Do not copy", the scanner would not see the invisible ink. In addition, there is no way for the forger to reproduce the invisible printing even if they knew it was there. The formulation of the ink is extremely unique and would be very difficult to duplicate.
Invisible printing: for today and into the future
As you can see, invisible printing and reading technology has many possible applications, many of which have not even been conceived. We have barely scratched the surface in developing applications for this new and exciting technology.
Bill Gunther is the director of InVizicode Products for Videk Corporation. He has been in the document-finishing environment for over 25 years. He moved to Videk from Gunther International to focus his efforts on the invisible market. For additional information, please contact 800-24-VIDEK, whg@videk.com or www.videk.com.
