Intaglio
Tactile Feature — Intaglio (Visually Impaired) Effect type: Intaglio raised print
The intaglio tactile feature is the oldest and most widely deployed method of providing denomination identification by touch on banknotes. It leverages the inherent properties of the intaglio printing process, in which ink is forced under extremely high pressure from engraved recesses in a steel plate into the surface of the substrate, producing a characteristic raised ink profile that can be detected by running a fingertip across the note. Where tactile marks for the visually impaired are produced by intaglio, the denomination-specific patterns — typically raised dots, lines, or geometric shapes — are essentially an extension of the same printing technology used for the note's portraits and numerals, requiring no additional production step or separate machinery.
The depth and durability of intaglio tactile relief varies by design and ink formulation, but the technique is well-suited to cotton paper substrates, where the pressure of the printing process both deposits ink and physically deforms the paper fibres to create a lasting raised texture. High-pressure intaglio presses can transfer ink into deep engravings on any substrate, ensuring a high level of embossing that guarantees tactile marks efficiently help the blind and visually impaired community. On polymer substrates, intaglio is also used for tactile marks, though the non-absorbent surface requires specific ink formulations to achieve adequate adhesion and tactile height.
The intaglio approach is available to any printworks operating intaglio equipment, making it substrate- and supplier-agnostic in principle. It is used across paper and polymer banknotes worldwide by virtually all major security printers and is the dominant tactile method by volume. The euro series, for example, includes tactile marks on all denominations of the Europa series, applied via intaglio at the various ECB-accredited printing works across Europe. The feature is classified as an accessibility element rather than a security feature, as its primary function is denomination identification rather than counterfeit deterrence, though the precision of genuine intaglio print provides an inherent secondary authentication cue.
- Name
- Intaglio
- Category
- Security Feature
- Effect Types
- Tactile for visually impaired
- Linked Features
- 1 security feature