The company has developed a finishing process called digital metal that places a subtle metallic sheen onto digital print products. Kurz says that previously, it was only possible to apply a true metallic gloss to paper or card stock using one of three finishing technologies: full-surface metal deposition, hot stamping, or cold foil transfer integrated into offset printing. The process sees the desired design printed onto the substrate using toner or liquid toner, and then a digital metal foil, which has been specially developed for this process. Immediately after application the carrier foil is peeled off, thereby leaving behind the decorative layer on the pre-printed areas of the substrate. This is then followed by digital printing and, if required, lacquering.
The digital metal foil is equally suitable for use with sheet-fed or web-fed digital printing. It can be overprinted with UV or conventional digital printing toner. Kurz adds that the advantage of the digital metal process compared to full-surface metallisation is that the metal lacquer layer is only applied to the desired areas.
Kurz has also developed diffractive 2 D barcodes where, rather than being printed, the barcode is applied as a silver coloured stamping foil into which the actual code has been incorporated as a diffractive, holographic-like structure. The barcode square can be integrated into a larger metallised design with further holographic details. They can be read with a scanner or smart phone. Kurz has installed an internet-based identification system called Secutrace that can deliver a range of product data.
Kurz also showed the latest version its diffractive authenticity feature, Trustseal, designed to counteract counterfeiting.
Light Line Unique is a design foil that allows information to be embedded within it in such a way that is invisible to the naked eye, and only recognisable under a magnifying glass. Another new security element is called SecuPlus Color, which refers to a design in which coloured, metallised areas combine with fully transparent areas. Kurz says it produces a range of authenticity features in which the diffractive design, the metallisation, and the transparent elements are in precise register with one another and that, while these features are already extremely difficult for counterfeiters to copy, SecuPlus Color offers an even higher level of counterfeit protection.
The company says its new cold foil called Luxor/Alufin KPS-OP provides consistently good results under a variety of application conditions. The cold foil KPS-OP was developed for UV offset printing but is equally suitable for conventional offset printing, according to Kurz which adds that it generally adheres equally well to conventional and UV-cured. adhesives, and can be overprinted with conventional drying as well as UV curing inks and lacquers.
Luxor/Alufin KPS-OP is a silver-coloured cold foil that can be used to produce metallic colours when overprinted. The foil can however, on request, be produced in other colours. There is also an identical cold foil grade with a selection of holographic designs that is called Light Line KSO.
Kurz also launched the foil quality Luxor/Alufin MTS, which it says is suitable for all kind of motifs and offers high abrasion resistance, also for relief stampings. Kurz’s Light Line range of diffractive stamping foils now includes a variety of designs that exhibit no recombination lines.
The company also displayed its PolyIC product portfolio including PolyLogo and conducting PolyTC films.
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