Glossary

A method of creating a raised design without the use of ink. Typically, two metal dies are used for this process: one with raised detail, and another with matching but recessed detail.

In the pharmaceutical context, a plastic or laminate tray with separate wells for each pill, sealed with blister foil.

A timestamped series of immutable records of data that are managed by a cluster of computers as a distributed ledger that is not owned by any single entity. The blocks of data are secured and bound to each other using cryptographic principles. A permissioned blockchain, defined in this glossary, can be owned by a single entity. For example, JPMcoin is owned by JPMorgan. There are now a wide range of examples of this type of blockchain.

Rules that dictate how computers in a network verify new transactions and add them to the blockchain database.

An integrated process for forming plastic containers such as bottles and vials, filling them (often aseptically) and then sealing them without human intervention.

A short-range wireless technology standard used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks.

A wireless network of wearable devices.

A type of a document construction in the form of a folded set of sheets or sections which are formed as a single/multiple booklet.

A term used to describe a pharmaceutical tracking approach with (usually) only two main points of control at the beginning and end of the supply chain (like bookends holding up books on a shelf). Developed as a pragmatic solution to implementing tracking in a complex multi-stakeholder distribution environment.

The diffractive principle by which a layered stack of parallel reflecting surfaces of alternate higher and lower refractive index will reflect a beam of light, only when the reflected wavefronts are of an appropriate wavelength and orientation to produce constructive interference.

Any hologram in which the Bragg condition is preferential to the grating condition in forming the image. See also Volume hologram.

Text readable by touch, consisting of raised dots. Often used on cardboard outer packs and mandatory in some jurisdictions.

A trademark or distinctive name that identifies a particular product or manufacturer.

The overall worth of a brand, including its tangible and intangible assets. Represents both the reputation and the value of a brand as a whole, as well as the sum of its individual parts.

The organisation that owns the specifications of a trade item, regardless of where and by whom it is manufactured.

The measures companies take to safeguard their brand against counterfeit products, unauthorised use of trademarks, and other forms of infringement.

Identificaton documents used as a foundation for creating other forms of personal verification. The most well-known breeder document is a birth certificate, but other breeder documents include marriage, and death certificates.

The raised areas of paper between the windows of a security thread.

A project delivery method where a private entity receives a concession from the public sector to finance, design, construct, own, and operate a facility stated in the concession contract. This enables the project proponent to recover its investment, operating and maintenance expenses in the project. BOT is usually used in public–private partnerships.

Refers to how energy moves between conductive elements separated by insulators. Capacitive touchscreens, found on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, are made up of multiple layers of glass and plastic, coated with a conductor material like indium tin oxide or conductive polymers. This conductive material responds when in contact with another electrical conductor, like a bare human finger.

A method of hologram embossing in which a film of soft resin is applied to a nickel shim then exposed to ultraviolet light, causing the resin to harden by crosslinking. The resin film can then be removed and retains a faithful copy of the surface relief image that was present on the shim. This method of transferring an image from a nickel shim onto a plastic film, results in a bright image and causes very little wear to the shim.

A surface that envelopes the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved mirror or interface.

Also known as a checksum character or control digit, this is usually the last digit of a number or barcode used to verify that the number is correct. A decoder calculates the checksum by performing a series of mathematical operations on the digits that precede the check digit, and comparing the result of the calculation to the value of the check digit.

Security papers which react to common solvents used to remove ink from a security document.

A hologram created with chromium-based foil for use in high security vehicle registration plates. Generally used in India.

An encrypted message representing a range of characters

A classic hologram is usually made using a 3D object, often a model. A laser beam is split in two and part of it is diverted onto the object, then reflected off it and allowed to combine (or interfere) with the other part of the beam known as the reference beam. The classic hologram is a recording of the interference pattern between the object and reference beams. A well-known example of a classic hologram is the dove used by Visa on its credit cards.

A non-printed area of a substrate which is transparent when viewed against the light. In ID, a clear window is used for applying an additional image of the holder, as a verification filter or for visualising latent scrambled information.

Transfer of ink by a pad or stamp directly onto packaging.

A means of sealing a pack to prevent accidental opening. For anticounterfeiting purposes closure seals need to be tamper evident and secure, or they can easily be replaced.

On-demand access, via the internet, to computing resources – applications, physical servers, virtual servers, data storage, development tools, networking capabilities, and more – hosted at a remote data centre managed by a cloud services provider.

Typically an integral layer of material added to alter, enhance or protect the surface properties of an underlying base substrate or printed surface.

Light that passes through an optical system parallel to the optical axis, for instance where the direction of illumination and direction of observation are in parallel. Coaxial light is used to reveal hidden motifs in retroreflective laminate.

A system of words, letters, figures, or symbols used to represent certain information.

The magnetic field strength necessary to demagnetise a ferromagnetic material that is magnetised to saturation.

The degree to which photons in a beam of light are in phase.

Usually a small, flat, round piece of metal alloy (or combination of metals), marked with a device and used primarily as legal tender. Issued by government authorities, coins are standardised in weight and composition and are produced at mints.

An ink that changes colour when scraped with a coin or similar metallic object.

A foil application process that does not require heat.

Originally a bookbinding term. In order to produce a complete book, the various parts must be collated in the right order. This is ensured by placing collation marks as check marks (in the case of books, usually at the spine of the book block) in a staggered arrangement from top to bottom. In passports, this type of register mark or position mark is an additional safeguard. It makes it easier to spot whether any pages have been exchanged or removed. It can be invisible under normal light, as a fluorescent overprint, or a visible feature (using normal or fluorescent ink). The combination of collation mark and page numbers is sometimes called floating numeration.

The analysis and measurement of colour. Often used as a relatively cheap field-based technique.

An optically variable effect whereby a material – usually a thin film or ink – changes from one colour to another, or from one colour to clear, when the viewing angle is altered.

A government agency designated to implement a system, such as a tax stamp and track and trace solution.

The semiconductor technology used in most of today’s integrated circuits.

In the context of substrates, this is used to describe paper/polymer combinations – either when the polymer forms the core, with the paper fused to the polymer, or when the paper forms the core, with polymer layers laminated either side. Composite substrates combine the security properties of paper (including the integration of threads and watermarks) with the durability of polymer.

A technique that uses computational methods to calculate the interference pattern that would have been created by a reference beam interfering with an object beam. The pattern is printed onto a mask or film to be viewed using illumination from a suitable light source.

The representation of several element strings in one barcode.

A digital printing technique in which a continuous fine stream of electricity charged ink is formed and diverted onto the substrate as needed to form the printed image. Unused ink is collected and reused.

A packaging supplier who converts raw materials (paper, carton, board, aluminium foil etc.) into finished packaging components. The term is often used as a loose synonym for a packaging printer and the two functions are often combined into the same supplier.

The illegal production and sale of goods (including packaging) bearing a trademark that is identical to a validly registered trademark or that cannot be distinguished from such a trademark. Also refers to the reproduction of a banknote or security document that looks authentic but has been manufactured fraudulently with the intent to deceive the public.