Smart Packaging Solutions (SPS) has introduced its hinge inlay for the polycarbonate datapage in traditional and ePassports. The company says that because this patented technology combines the inlay for the datapage with the hinge of the passport, it improves security as well as simplifying the manufacturing process. The inlay includes a Customized Hinge Image (CHI), a technology that defines a specific hinge design for each passport issuer. For instance, a national symbol, an acronym or a specific mark can be incorporated into the hinge design, making it extremely difficult for it to be counterfeited. When the passport is checked at border control, the CHI can be verified by exposing the document to light, as you would to view a paper watermark.The hinge inlay is also extremely thin, at less than 40 µm, so after its lamination with the other layers it means the passport data page is thinner, too. According to SPS, use of the new hinge inlay results in a datapage of a non-electronic passport measuring only 400 µm and a datapage of an ePassport between 650 µm and 800 µm, depending on the security features.In the case of an ePassport, the hinge inlay already includes the antenna, which is coupled with the chip by induction using SPS EBooster technology. SPS says: "This way, passport manufacturers see their assembly operations streamlined and more efficient while making ePassports more reliable. SPS hinge inlays can also be combined with all other security features.""The hinge inlay brings higher security and a thinner data page to passport designers and manufacturers," says Dominique Charrie, Product and Marketing manager for eID at SPS. "It allows them to streamline their process and improve efficiency and product reliability."
SPS launches hinge inlay
