Discussion: More on UV Feature Quality and Multi-Color Security Trends
Following up on our earlier discussions about UV features, I wanted to address one of the most cool (and most difficult) features to replicate: multi-color UV. Many newer IDs have images that glow in two or three different colors under the same UV light. How do vendors achieve this? And how can we tell if they’ve gotten it right? I wanted to start a discussion about identifying high-end multi-color UV features. How do we see the rainbow in the dark?
First off, multi-color UV is NOT just a single ink. It requires multiple different UV-reactive chemicals to be precisely printed in a specific pattern. This is an incredibly difficult process that only the most advanced workshops can handle. Let’s talk about the details. How do we judge the quality under the blacklight?
Multi-Color UV Accuracy Checklist
- Color Distinction: Under a 365nm light, the different colors should be distinct and vibrant. You should clearly be able to see where the green ends and the blue begins, for example.
- Alignment Precision: The different colored UV images must be perfectly aligned with each other. Any "bleeding" or overlapping of colors is a sign of a lower-quality production process.
- Pattern Complexity: On the best cards, the multi-color UV features form complex patterns or even secondary images that are completely invisible under normal light.
I’ve noticed that some of the newer Canada province IDs have incredibly cool multi-color UV features that are becoming a true benchmark for quality. Has anyone successfully verified a multi-color UV feature on their latest order? Which vendors are currently leading the pack in this technology? Let’s share our "blacklight" findings!