Bayer MaterialScience (BMS, Leverkusen / Germany; www.bayerbms.com) has developed a film system based on “Makrofol” ID DP1230 that allows coloured “watermarks” to be incorporated into polycarbonate security cards, such as passports, driver’s licenses and ID cards. The design of the watermark can be unique for each individual card, making any attempt at counterfeiting extremely difficult. It is also impossible to manipulate the finished cards after production.

Georgios Tziovaras, a plastics card expert at BMS, said: “Thermal lamination of the printed films without the use of any adhesive creates what to all intents and purposes is a single solid piece of polycarbonate. Any attempt to interfere with the film structure in order to get at the watermark will result in the destruction of the card. This adds an extra dimension of protection against counterfeiting.”

BMS said the watermarks can be applied to the film at low cost using a simple printing method that can easily be integrated into the ID card manufacturing process. High quality printing results at resolutions of up to 1,200 dpi are achievable, it added. The detail of the watermark can be clearly seen in high contrast and with sharp contours when backlit.