Consumers need to be sure that the products they purchase are genuine. Security holograms can provide a way to give this assurance and Bobst has the equipment to apply them. Brian Sims finds out more
We live in a world where it is getting increasingly difficult to work out what is genuine or not. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is complicating our lives online or on social media to an extent where deep fake images can look so lifelike. As a result, it is, in some cases, almost impossible to discern whether the information or person you are looking at is real or not.
This, we know is having a real effect on elections, reputations, and even what is at the heart of what is the truth. We are living in times where what is real or made up is quite often too difficult to decipher. You might not assume that shopping would fall into this category, but it does.
Whilst the swaying of elections is overtly wrong, something that goes a little under the radar but is equally as damaging is the replication of duplicated products that are then passed off as genuine articles.
We all know of the stories of Rolex watches purchased in outlets in various parts of the world for $25 (£19.55) or less, we know they are fakes and that it is wrong, but the perception is that it does not affect the brand. This may not affect the perception of a Rolex, but there are many other goods that are of lesser value in terms of price, but no less significant value, that are sold as duplicates, seriously undermining the value of the OEM product.
In the fight against this fraud, which is exactly what this is, manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure the consumer knows they have the original in their hand. In the past, the sheer quality of the carton, packaging, or artwork on the product would have been sufficient, but now manufacturers need to go to further lengths to give peace of mind.
We have used applied holograms for many years for the security of computer software products for instance, the Genuine Windows hologram on a CD cover was the security mark defining the product. With the help of Swiss manufacturer Bobst, this technology can be available for a much greater number of manufacturers meaning they can give the confidence sought by consumers.
Bobst has released the latest addition to the very successful NOVAFOIL 106 machine in the form of its hologram application system that can accurately and securely place holograms on pre-printed carton boards or other materials prior to finishing.
Two years ago, Bobst introduced the NOVAFOIL 106 which is a hot foiling stamping machine and the first with cross-foiling options, giving significant flexibility for the embellishment of products from an aesthetic point of view.
The machine also provided a new level of foiling capacity as it had a longer dwell time for foil application, temperature stability across the platen, and the new machine could apply the foil with greater pressure than previous machines. This all gives the opportunity to produce extremely high-quality packaging products.
The NOVAFOIL 106 H now comes with a series of individual hologram application modules that can apply a security hologram at any point on the platen area, providing the sheet with not only an embellished finish but one that has security features as standard.
The system itself consists of two rails spanning the width of the machine and on each there are five modules and a total of ten hologram reels. Each reel can apply a hologram up to 100mm wide to the carton board.
The major upside to the new module system is that where previously a two-pass production process was required, the new machine can now produce the finished product in one pass with an obvious improvement being in production efficiency.
The application of the hologram is as important as the images on the surface of it, it needs to be placed accurately and in the correct position to ensure the authenticity of the product itself. To ensure this happens with a zero-defect promise, Bobst has designed the system such that each reel has register system monitoring and adjusting for each application.
The register position itself is one aspect of the correct application of the hologram, but there needs to be particular attention to the tension of the reel and there are a series of advance shafts and pressure rollers to make sure the foil is held at the correct tension throughout.
The modules can quickly and easily be added or moved to the correct position on the machine and they have a ‘plug and play’ system meaning once they are in the correct position; they are connected to the machine system itself in seconds. The hologram reels themselves are added to each unit quickly and efficiently meaning the change between setups is quick and easy.
The setup times are not only improved by the simplicity of the module positioning alone, there are other integrated makeready systems that Bobst has designed into the new NOVAFOIL 106 H.
Bobst has introduced a new system called the Digital Makeready Tool (DMT) which is a spin-off of the Digital Inspection Table (DIT) quality control system used by Bobst. DMT works by having the PDF for the embellished job sent to it in advance and from the scanned data in the file knows where to place the hologram.
The data will show exactly where the holograms need to be placed and the machine will automatically project where the dies need to be to exactly match the position indicated in the PDF. This new system drives down setup times to an absolute minimum whilst assuring the positions are specifically in the correct position on the sheet. The result?
Waste sheets of expensive embellished products are kept to an absolute minimum and the finished product will give consumers confidence they have a genuine product – no deep fakes.
Statistics
Sheet size max 1060 x 760mm
Sheet size min 400 x 350mm
Stamping and embossing size (max) 1052 x 742mm
Production speed 7000 sheets per hour
Hologram reel size 300mm
Hologram width 25-100mm
Brian Sims Principal Consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu
