Aspects described herein may allow for a payment card assembly including a payment card having a first surface, an opposed second surface, and an aperture extending through the payment card from the first surface to the second surface. An insert may be removably received in the aperture. Each of a plurality of identification elements may be configured to be removably received in the aperture and have an identification characteristic different than an identification characteristic of each of the other identification elements.

A secure document including a first layer having a metal holographic structure forming an arrangement of pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels of distinct colors and a second layer positioned facing the first layer, the second layer being opaque to at least the visible wavelength spectrum. The first layer includes perforations formed by a first laser beam, the first perforations locally revealing through the holographic structure a number of dark areas in the sub-pixels caused by underlying regions of the second opaque layer such as to form a personalized image starting from the arrangement of pixels combined with the dark areas.

A secure document including a first layer having a metal holographic structure forming an arrangement of pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels of distinct colors and a second layer positioned facing the first layer, the second layer being opaque to at least the visible wavelength spectrum. The first layer includes perforations formed by a first laser beam, the first perforations locally revealing through the holographic structure a number of dark areas in the sub-pixels caused by underlying regions of the second opaque layer such as to form a personalized image starting from the arrangement of pixels combined with the dark areas.

Methods of applying a pattern and security devices are disclosed. In one arrangement, a receiving member (10) having a layered structure (12) is provided. The layered structure (12) comprises a layer of phase change material (PCM, 2). The phase change material (PCM, 2)is thermally switchable between a plurality of stable states having different refractive indices relative to each other. An embossing member (5) is stamped into the receiving member (10). The embossing member (5) heats a selected portion of the layer of phase change material (PCM, 2) via contact with the receiving member (10) during the stamping. The heating thermally switches phase change material (PCM, 2) in the selected portion and thereby applies a pattern of different refractive indices to the layer of phase change material (PCM, 2).

A security sheet including at least one paper substrate, at least one watermark produced in the paper substrate, the watermark having an exterior outline, at least one aperture of regular edge, produced by ablation of the paper substrate, and at least one security film that is at least partially superposed on the watermark and on the aperture. In the sheet, the at least one aperture lies inside the watermark, such as bounded by its exterior outline.

A security sheet including at least one paper substrate, at least one watermark produced in the paper substrate, the watermark having an exterior outline, at least one aperture of regular edge, produced by ablation of the paper substrate, and at least one security film that is at least partially superposed on the watermark and on the aperture. In the sheet, the at least one aperture lies inside the watermark, such as bounded by its exterior outline.

A method is disclosed. For example, the method includes applying a clear coat layer on a substrate, drying the clear coat layer to form random microstructures in the clear coat layer, dispensing a printing fluid to print a graphical pattern on the clear coat layer, and generating a physical unclonable function (PUF) pattern by drying the printing fluid that fills the random microstructures formed in the clear coat layer.

The present disclosure is directed towards a security sheet (10) for displaying personal data (11) comprising a plastic substrate (12) comprising first and second outer surfaces (13, 14). A first opaque region (21) extends partially across the plastic substrate (12) between the first and second outer surfaces (13, 14). A first window (50) is at least partially surrounded by the first opaque region (21). A security device (51) comprises a transparent first device region (52) and a second device region (53) formed from a second device insert (55). The first and second device regions (52, 53) have different optical detection characteristics. The security device (51) is arranged in the plastic substrate (12) such that, when viewed in reflected light incident upon the first outer surface (13), at least part of the first device region (52) is visible at least partially around the second device region (53) in the first window (50).

There is described a printing machine for printing sheets, in particular sheets for the production of securities, banknotes, passports, ID cards and other valuable documents, comprising at least a sheet feeder, a printing unit, a delivery unit with delivery piles for the printed sheets and a sheet transport system for transporting the printed sheets along a transporting path from the printing unit to the delivery piles. The printing machine further comprises a laser perforating unit with at least one laser head disposed along the transporting path of the sheet transport system for perforating the printed sheets, and a first aspiration unit to maintain the printed sheets against an aspiration surface during perforation by said laser perforating unit.

In one embodiment, a secure substrate provides a print-ready surface for printing scratch-off products and eliminates the need to print lower security layers for protecting against attempts to view hidden indicia information. In one embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying microperforations to a dyed substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density to resist an attempt to reduce the opacity of the dyed substrate by delamination. In another embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying a lower opacity layer and a lower background layer on a substrate to provide a secure substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density. In another embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying a lower opacity layer on a substrate, applying a reflective coating, and applying a lower background layer over the reflective coating to provide a secure substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density.