Disclosed is a method of forming a security document including the steps of: providing a base layer having a top side; providing a color image onto an image area of the top side by printing colored ink, on the top. A lens structure is applied over the colored ink, the lens structure having a predetermined focal plane situated at a distance from the top side, and laser engraving a black image in through the lens structure and through the colored ink to form blackened image elements substantially at or near the focal plane.

Disclosed is a method of forming a security document including the steps of: providing a base layer having a top side; providing a color image onto an image area of the top side by printing colored ink, on the top. A lens structure is applied over the colored ink, the lens structure having a predetermined focal plane situated at a distance from the top side, and laser engraving a black image in through the lens structure and through the colored ink to form blackened image elements substantially at or near the focal plane.

Methods of manufacturing security documents and security devices, and corresponding products, provide a lenticular device effect in a first registration zone. Viewing its appearance from two different angles in this way, the relative positioning of the focussing element array and the image array can be judged to a high degree of accuracy. If the two arrays do not have the desired relative position, this will be clearly apparent since the different first and second images will not be captured at the first and second test viewing angles.

Methods of manufacturing security documents and security devices, and corresponding products, provide a lenticular device effect in a first registration zone. Viewing its appearance from two different angles in this way, the relative positioning of the focussing element array and the image array can be judged to a high degree of accuracy. If the two arrays do not have the desired relative position, this will be clearly apparent since the different first and second images will not be captured at the first and second test viewing angles.

A method for applying a transfer ply of a foil to a substrate, with the steps of: a) regionally applying a radically curable adhesive to the transfer ply and/or the substrate by means of an inkjet printhead; b) precuring the adhesive by UV irradiation; c) applying the transfer ply to the substrate by means of a stamping apparatus; d) fully curing the adhesive by UV irradiation; e) peeling a carrier ply of the foil, to leave at least one first subregion of the transfer ply on an application region of the substrate, and at least one second subregion of the transfer ply on the carrier ply; f) winding up or recoiling the carrier ply with the remaining second subregion of the transfer ply; g) applying at least one further subregion of the transfer ply remaining on the carrier ply to the substrate by at least once repeating steps a) to f).

A method of manufacturing an image element array includes: providing a production tool having a surface pattern of ink-receptive elements spaced by areas which are not, the ink-receptive elements defining the array image elements; applying a multi-coloured first image formed of a inks to only the ink-receptive elements; and transferring only the portions of the multi-coloured first image corresponding to the image elements from the production tool to a substrate. An image element array is formed on the substrate. The production tool surface pattern is configured such that when viewing and image element arrays overlap, each viewing element within an image element array first region directs light from a respective image element or from a respective gap. The viewing angle in the first region directs light from either the array or the gaps.

Personal data may be embedded in a kinegram of an identification document using a suitable low energy laser without compromising the integrity of the kinegram or the identification document. The personal data can be written in a metalized portion of the kinegram in a high definition, high resolution manner such that the personal data may be read by a human without the use of a text-enhancing viewer device (e.g., magnifying glasses). Additional personal data can be written in a reduced text size (e.g., micro-text) in another metalized portion of the kinegram such that a human must use a text-enhancing viewer device to view the micro-text personal data.

Personal data may be embedded in a kinegram of an identification document using a suitable low energy laser without compromising the integrity of the kinegram or the identification document. The personal data can be written in a metalized portion of the kinegram in a high definition, high resolution manner such that the personal data may be read by a human without the use of a text-enhancing viewer device (e.g., magnifying glasses). Additional personal data can be written in a reduced text size (e.g., micro-text) in another metalized portion of the kinegram such that a human must use a text-enhancing viewer device to view the micro-text personal data.

A method of making a security device including: (a) forming an array of focussing elements on at least a first region of a focussing element support layer, by: (a)(i) applying a first transparent curable material either to the focussing element support layer or to a casting tool carrying a surface relief corresponding to the focussing elements, over an first sub-region of the first region and applying a second transparent curable material to a second sub-region of the first region laterally offset from the first sub-region, the first and second transparent curable materials having different optical detection characteristics from one another; (a)(ii) forming the first and second transparent curable materials with the casting tool; and (a)(iii) curing the first and second transparent curable materials in the first region, so as to retain the surface relief.

A method of making a security device including: (a) forming an array of focussing elements on at least a first region of a focussing element support layer, by: (a)(i) applying a first transparent curable material either to the focussing element support layer or to a casting tool carrying a surface relief corresponding to the focussing elements, over an first sub-region of the first region and applying a second transparent curable material to a second sub-region of the first region laterally offset from the first sub-region, the first and second transparent curable materials having different optical detection characteristics from one another; (a)(ii) forming the first and second transparent curable materials with the casting tool; and (a)(iii) curing the first and second transparent curable materials in the first region, so as to retain the surface relief.