Invisible Barcodes for Security and Inventory Management Applications
Kodak is introducing a new virtually invisible clear ink. KODAK NEXPRESS Red Fluorescing Dry Ink is clear to the naked eye, but becomes red fluorescing when illuminated with an appropriate ultraviolet (UV) light source. The ink can be used to print unobtrusive images and non-reproducible bar codes on various printed materials, which then can be read with specialized bar code readers. The NEXPRESS Red Fluorescing Dry Ink enables a wide range of security and inventory management applications, including certified documents, such as medical prescription pads, drivers’ licenses and event tickets.
“This innovative expansion of the NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions allows digital print service providers to enter the lucrative and growing secure documents and ‘track and trace’ markets,” said Steve Fletcher, General Manager, Electrophotographic Printing Solutions, Vice President, Kodak. “The amazing versatility of the family of KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses is designed to help print service providers stay on the forefront of a demanding, quickly changing marketplace.”
This new ink allows clear bar codes to be printed inline and can encompass variable data printing, allowing each printed piece to be marked with unique information. The NEXPRESS Red Fluorescing Dry Ink can be easily exchanged with other Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions, allowing print service providers to efficiently move between various types of printing projects. The new ink creates opportunities for current NEXPRESS Press customers to offer new services to their existing customer bases and enter new markets. It will allow commercial printers to expand their digital print operations into secure documents and other businesses, and will provide book printers with new ways to take advantage of inventory management and automation improvements. Commercial printers can also use the clear bar code for their internal workflow for downstream finishing and binding operations.
