Perspectives | Page 11 of 16 | Engineered Printing Solutions

While there are many types of security features used in product packaging, the ‘big three’ categories are usually defined as Overt, Covert and Forensic.

Overt – This type of security contains a visible feature, enabling packaging to be validated quickly and easily through visual inspection. They are best used where the general public is a part of your policing in the field. These features are usually more readily available and therefore less secure, and include holograms, color shift inks, security fibers, floating images/ patterns, etc.
Covert – This type of security feature is typically placed in such a way as to be invisible to the naked eye. The feature is revealed with certain tools or calibrated readers that cause special inks or graphics to react. Special effect inks, with Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) phosphors dispersed, are popular methods used in currency and secure documents, but also include watermarks, time and temperature-sensitive inks, chemically reactive inks, etc.
Forensic – Forensic refers to scientific method of collecting and analyzing information. These types of security features generally require a sample to be taken to a laboratory for a full analysis. Although highly secure, there are often thought to be very expensive to integrate (though this is not the case with the DNA Matrix™ security mark). Other examples include chemical or ionic taggants, nanoparticles, etc.

Packaging is the technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, sale and end-use. In the case of pharmaceuticals, packaging conveys valuable information and now, pedigree of the product. High prices make the pharma market most vulnerable to counterfeiting and product piracy, because the product manufacturing is a high-volume, and high-profit business. Pharmaceutical companies typically invest heavily in R&D to develop new products, but the production of counterfeit drugs need not require large infrastructure or facilities.

The most commonly counterfeited drug in the world is a ‘lifestyle drug’ called Viagra, but in developing countries, the most counterfeited medicines are those used to treat life-threatening conditions such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. As one would expect, trade in these medicines is more prevalent in countries with weak drug regulation, fragmented supply chains and controls, scarcity or erratic supplies and unaffordable prices.

In the US, the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) and the subsequent Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCQA) have added Track and Trace functionality to the pharmaceutical packaging process, in the form of 2D matrix barcodes, to ensure that unique product identifiers are placed on each and every drug package. This form of security packaging provides advantages to manufacturers that are already placing batch/ date codes on their products, in that they can embed security features, such as the DNA Matrix™, into the same codes, at the same time and at very little cost.

With increasing sophistication, counterfeiters continue to advance and profit at the cost of public safety and company revenues. But, by implementing new packaging security measures, affordable and reliable brand protection is now closer than you think.

Mike Hayes is the Managing Director of DNA Technologies. He has been helping customers to combat counterfeiting in print applications for over 10 years.

Want to learn more about packaging security and anti-counterfeiting measures? Drop us a line!

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the traditional sense there are very few tools required to operate pad printing machines. In most cases you will find that a single M4 Allen key will be all that you put to the machine in order to get it setup and functioning.

However there are a few tools outside of formed metal that come in much more handy. Common sense, diligence and a little elbow grease. If the former two attributes are employed, from day one, the latter decreases exponentially as do the issues that impose themselves when allowing the process and machine to get a bit messy.

For instance, one of the leading causes of premature wear of Printing Plates is dried ink between the mount surface of the cliché and the cliché support. Simply wiping both surfaces prior to setup contributes greatly to maximizing the production life of the cliché. When ink infiltrates the surface between the two mating parts, the inkcup tends to work at what becomes a raised portion of the cliché. You will find that a divot will develop as the inkcup shaves away, ever so slightly, the material. The next time the cliché is used, the divot that has developed will catch ink. If near on in the image area the cliché will be rendered useless.

Tip number one imparted during all training sessions is to keep the process and equipment as clean as is feasible. Excess ink will seep into places that may seem innocuous at the time but down the road, after the ink has had a chance to dry and cure, it will act as an adhesive and beget many a cuss word as screws are stripped and adjustments made impossible due to parts sticking together.

Cleanliness makes for a happy process!

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Distortion means different things to different people. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

We will first speak to pad printing.

If we are to stay with a fairly standard definition of distortion … the printed image is the same size and clarity as the film from which the cliché was made were it overlaid … the most common causes are odd shape, e.g.: cylinder, obstructions in and around the print area, e.g.: raised elements of the product, knockouts, etc., and the product not being perpendicular to the print stroke.

For odd form printing the first line of defense is utilization of a pad that is a bit oversized for the job. There begin to be issues that are tangential such as compression capability and cliché clearance but we will assume that the machine is capable. In this case the larger the pad … the less distorted the image starts to become.

Obstructions can be overcome with design of a custom pad to circumvent obstructions coming in contact with the pad.

Part not perpendicular can sometimes be tricky but the easy answer is to adjust tooling for presenting the part so that the image area is as perpendicular as is possible.

In all cases, when it comes to a point where the pad size, tooling corrections, custom pads no longer help artwork distortion (distortion correction) can be used to account for predictable distortions introduced from the above defined issues.

You know there’s a threat to your brand, and you know you need to take action. Crucial revenues are being lost each day, and your corporate reputation is at risk. If you are in the pharmaceutical or medical device space, you know that Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) compliance is on the near term horizon.

While you may feel comfortable ensuring the authenticity of product in your own manufacturing facility, the real threat is in the distribution channel where many break points exist for counterfeiters to introduce fake product.

But, how do you get started with adding security features to your product packaging? One of the key considerations is to find the right partner.

One of the best partners may already be in your camp – your trusted printer. They already know your products and your daily challenges – such as brand colors, industry regulations, dry time, line speed, etc.

A lot of time has already been spent in presenting your packaging to the market. There’s all the quality control measures to present the best looking graphics. And the time spent on necessary approvals. In many cases, securing your brand can be as simple as adding security taggants to your existing printing ink and processes. This is where a partner that formulates their own ink can be beneficial. Your stock ink can become security ink overnight, using the expertise of in house chemists and ink makers.

You printing partner can also advise on how to add more complex covert security features, like invisible barcodes, that allow only authorized personnel, using specially calibrated barcode readers, to detect and verify the codes. With the data contained in the (invisible) barcode, track and trace functionality is enabled to follow any package from manufacture, right through to the end consumer. All the while, protecting your consumer and your distribution channels from the appearance of counterfeit or illegitimate product.

In many cases, the ‘real estate’ on product packaging may be limited for adding security marks or codes. Again, your printing partner can help here. For example, the DNA Matrix™ security mark can be embedded into any ink and provide forensic level protection and proof of identity for your products. It can be added to primary and secondary packaging, embedded in a logo, word mark or brand device, or applied as part of a serialization, numbering or barcoding process (overtly or covertly).

The counterfeit threat is real, but help is always close at hand. Talk to your printer to see how simply anti-counterfeiting devices can be added to your current printing processes. For more information, please contact Tim Scully sales@epsvt.com.

Mike Hayes is the Managing Director of DNA Technologies. He has been helping customers to combat counterfeiting in print applications for over 10 years.

How long should my pad printing pad last?
Depending on how “rugged” a surface you’re printing on, a pad should last between 50,000 and 100,000 impressions. Improper use, careless machine operation or stray grit however, can decrease the pad’s life.

What should i watch for when I’m pad printing?
Make sure your substrate is free of sharp particles and debris. Avoid printing on sharp edges, which can puncture the pad. Use as little pad pressure (downstroke) as you can to pick up and deposit your image. (Tip: Too light an image could be an improperly etched cliche’)

What causes the most damage to pads?
Overly aggressive solvents, mechanical damage, poor storage practices, dirt/dust/debris and careless use are the most common causes of damage to pads. Additionally, some inks have aggressive solvents as part of their mix that will be absorbed by the pad and cause the image to “spread” on the pad. This isn’t permanent, as the solvent will evaporate if warmed or left to stand.

How should I clean my pad?
The best way to remove ink and debris from your pad surface is with regular packing tape. You may also use a mild solvent, such as alcohol. Always clean your pad before starting a printing job and never use a sharp object on your pad.

What is the best way to store my pad?
If a pad arrives in a protective shell or with a protective cover, remove it and do not reuse. It could trap grit and debris that can damage the pad. Never store a pad on top of or compressed against another pad. Handle and store your pads carefully.

What’s the nest way to extend my pad’s life?
We sell 8 oz. bottles of Pad Rejuvenator (Ask for Part Number PAD OIL when you call our customer service department.) The other way we recommend extending a pad’s life is to have two pads that you alternate one shift on, one shift off, to “rest” the pad and let it restore to its uncompressed state.

How do I prevent pad wear?
Correct design and tooling of fixtures will help eliminate pad wear … a major cause of image distortion.

Aside from looking smart while getting your print on…

The UV created by the curing mechanisms is no different than that of the sun. Do not stare at the sun! The jury is out on whether the reflected light is as harmful… it is always good practice to wear UV glasses when in a production environment that employs UV care equipment.

There are two primary reasons why a client would opt for a servo-driven pad printer over a pneumatic one:

Speed & Flexibility

Speed is pretty simple to grasp – shorter strokes, faster movements – all lend themselves to higher productivity, especially when it comes to fully automated machines.

Flexibility is gained when a client has many different parts being run on the same machine, servo units can provide “recipes” for each part, thus reducing the setup time between jobs, saving labor = money.

In some instances, we provide a “hybrid” machine, with servo drives on one (or more) axis, while other movements may remain pneumatic.

This is why an honest exchange of information and expectations is critical in the discussions regarding machine choices for any application.

The pad is one of the most important elements in the pad printing process. The correct choice is essential in obtaining good final print results.

Symptoms of having chosen the incorrect pad printing pad:

Pin holing (pad too soft or too shallow),
Image distortion,
Incomplete transfer (in particular near the peak of the pad),
Inability to pickup entire image (pad too small),
Will not fit on equipment,
Equipment incapable of compressing pad sufficiently for pickup, transfer or both.

Choosing the correct pad requires some familiarity with the pad print process. General rule of thumb:

Choose as hard a pad as the process will allow.
Keep the image size to no more than 80% of the print area of a given pad.
When odd form printing … use a large a pad (within reason) as is possible.

Our customer service team will help you choose the proper pad for your printing application. Some of the questions we will ask (in addition to print area, shape and surface texture) are:

Thickness of the base (1/2″, 3/4″, etc.);
Type of base needed (wooden is standard, or specify flat aluminum or extruded aluminum dovetail);
Machining or drilling needed on base (size and location of tap holes);
Overall maximum pad height, including the base;
Whether the pad needs to be hollow of with a helicoil insert;
How hard or soft the item is being printed (to determine pad durometer);
The size “T” nut needed to attach pad to machine (if needed).

Although a fairly straightforward process, there are a number of things that can affect the pad print process if your plate is not etched properly.

Common complaints range from edge definition to ink transfer issues. Improperly etched clichés can allow for inconsistent image opacity or even missing portions of the images in certain circumstances.

Some keys to properly etching a cliché (but not limited to), 1. Size of the components of the image, eg. are there bold areas and small copy in a given image, 2. Orientation of image on the cliché, 3. Type of material you are etching, 4. Substrate to be printed.

We use a microscope attached to a digital readout that is sensitive to 0.01 microns to test the depth of an etched cliché. The microscope is focused on an un-etched section of the cliché, the reading is set to zero then the scope is re-focused on the etched area which yields the depth measurement. This procedure is then repeated 5 times in different sections to confirm the consistency of the etch.