Note Printing Australia
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Note Printing Australia (NPA), which is located in Craigieburn, Melbourne, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia and was corporatised in July 1998. NPA has its origins as a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank that was first established in 1913 to print banknotes for Australia. After printing paper banknotes for Australia for 75 years NPA introduced the first polymer banknote technology in 1988. Note Printing Australia produces banknotes and passports[1].
Note Printing Australia is not to be confused with Print Australia, an Australian arts site founded in 1999.
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[edit] NPA polymer banknotes
The CSIRO developed the polymer banknote and the NPA took it into production. NPA has since focused heavily in promoting the benefits of the polymer technology they developed.
[edit] Environmental issues of Polymer banknotes
When money was originally printed on paper (which is really cotton based) it was common practice to burn money and documents that were removed from circulation, which burned cleanly. This was the preferred method to dispose of security documents because it ensured that the notes were totally destroyed.
When polymer notes were introduced it was soon realised that burning polymer notes would caused air pollution, in the form of black smoke. So a work around was formulated to shred the polymer notes into tiny pieces and send them to plastic recycling plant.
[edit] Security benefits of Polymer banknote
In the 1960s Australia was hit by a major forger of the $10 paper decimal note. These forged notes were of a high quality and difficult to identify. In response, the Reserve Bank of Australia and Note Printing Australia commissioned the CSIRO to find better ways to secure the Australian currency. They came up with the polymer note. It was reasoned that it would be harder to print on a plastic note because the technology didn't exist.
Polymer notes provided a smoother, reduced-texture surface compared to paper notes allowing for the introduction of micro security printing. The writing can just be made out in bright sunlight or with magnification. Every note ever printed using polymer substrate has included micro printing.
Most people are familiar with the watermark feature of paper note, which was also incorporated into the polymer notes. The introduction of the polymer substrate allowed for the addition of extra security features, including a clear window with a picture in it and a registration star. A special printer called a super simultan prints both sides of the note simultaneously, to register the multicolored print perfectly from front to back. Commercial printers typically print one side at a time and find it difficult to keep both sides perfectly aligned over time.
Other features include windows which can incorporate security devices such as vignettes and embossing (which cannot be copied on regular banknotes).
[edit] Life expectancy of polymer notes
In tropical countries paper banknotes deteriorate quickly because of humidity and microbe activity. A benefit of using a polymer note is that most microbes don't attack the substrate, hence the longer life in circulation. In less tropical climates the life expectancy of paper banknotes improves. On the other hand, polymer notes can deteriorate in the presence of solvents and ultraviolet light.
[edit] Cost effectiveness
The cost effectiveness of polymer is debatable, on the merits of life expectancy. Notes are expensive to produce simply because of the number of process and variables used in the manufacture of a polymer banknote and can be a significant cost. One reason why $1 and $2 decimal notes were converted to coins for this reason. At the time of changeover, the cost was estimated to be in the order of 50 cents for a $1 paper banknote.[citation needed]
[edit] Printing Equipment at NPA
Note printing Australia is a security printing facility, that uses a number of special printers not available to the general printing industry. These include printing presses manufactured by Koebau
- Super simultan
- Standard Simultan
- Super Intagliocolor
- Supernumerota
[edit] Visiting
According to a booklet published by the Reserve Bank of Australia, vists to NPA's exhibition and display gallery can be arranged by appointment.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Note Printing Australia is at coordinates Coordinates:
[edit] References
- Note Printing in Australia (RBA) (~1988) Published by Nucolorve Productions Pty Ltd, ISBN 0858580977
- Australia's New $5 Note (RBA) - leaflet.
- Australian Currency Notes - How they are made (RBA) Leaflet.
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