This technology consists of reproducing a text or an entire document on a miniaturised scale, with the resulting text only being able to be read by sophisticated equipment. For example, microtexts can be inserted into documents by replacing a line segment with a sequence of characters of less than 0.2 mm in size. To the naked eye (and copiers and scanners) the text will appear as a solid line. Micro-images can also be inserted.
Used for
Authentication
Suitable for
Very small products
Small products
Medium-sized products
Goes on
Product
Packaging
Can be used for
Physical products
Visibility
Invisible
Reading device needed
Yes
Connection to server
No
Description
Microtexts are printed from specialised machine or laser-engraved matrices, using particular inks and techniques. They require sophisticated graphic equipment because the precise details must be reproduced with extreme precision. A better print quality than common offset printing plates is generally needed, given the miniscule scale of the text produced.
Uses
Microtexts are most typically used in banknotes, but they are also widely used for packaging, either printed on the shipping documents or on the packaging itself.
Implementation
If you want to print microtext on a product’s shipping document or packaging, you do not need to make any changes to your production process. To print the microtext you will need the sophisticated graphic equipment described above. Alternatively, the printing process can be contracted out to specialised companies.
Cost
The costs associated with microtexts vary according to how, where and on what they are used. It is therefore difficult to give a general ideal of the investment required.