How does Carbonless Paper work?
The Invention of Carbonless Paper
Before NCR paper, carbon paper was the primary method for duplicating handwritten or typewritten documents. However, carbon paper had its downsides—it was messy, required careful alignment, and was easily smudged.
The breakthrough came in 1953 when chemists Lowell Schleicher and Barry Green, working for the National Cash Register (NCR) Corporation, invented carbonless copy paper (CCP). Their innovation eliminated the need for carbon sheets by embedding microencapsulated dye directly into the paper. This new technology provided a cleaner, more efficient way to create duplicates and revolutionized business documentation.
How Carbonless Paper (NCR) Works
Carbonless paper relies on a chemical reaction between layers of specially treated paper. Here’s how it works:
- Microcapsules with Dye – The back of the top sheet (CB or “coated back”) is coated with tiny capsules filled with a colorless dye. The next sheet (CF or “coated front”) has a reactive coating or clay that works together with the coating on the top sheet.
- Pressure Activation – When someone writes on the top sheet, the pressure from the pen breaks the microcapsules, releasing the dye.
- Chemical Reaction and Color Formation – The dye reacts with the clay-coated surface on the sheet below, forming a permanent copy of the original writing.
- Multiple Copies – In multi-part carbonless forms like a 3 part form, each sheet is coated differently but they all work together. The top sheet (usually white) is coated on the back. The second sheet (usually yellow) is coated on both sides and the third sheet (usually pink) is coated on the front only. As you write on the top sheet, the pressure from your pen will transfer through to the 2nd sheet as well as the third.
- You can have more than 2 parts to a form going up to as many as 6 parts. The drawback is that the more sheets used the more pressure will be needed when writing to have good clean copies through all the sheets in a set.
Advantages of Carbonless Paper
- Speed: you can make an exact copy quickly. Well, as fast as you can write!
- Mess-Free: Unlike carbon paper, there’s no ink residue left on hands or documents.
- More Efficient: Multiple copies can be created instantly without the need to insert a separate sheet.
- Eco-Friendly: Since it removes the need for disposable carbon sheets, it reduces waste.
- Customizable: Available in different colors, sizes, and formats, making it ideal for invoices, receipts, contracts, and more.
- Can be Numbered: Much the same as writing on carbonless paper numbering is accomplished by using a “crash numbering” method that will put the same number in the same place on all the sheets in the set.
How does each set get glued together?
Carbonless paper “glues only in sets” because it uses a special adhesive called “fan-apart glue”. Fan-apart glue is designed to stick only to the chemically coated sides of the paper, meaning it adheres to the coated back of one sheet and the coated front of the next, effectively gluing together only the sheets that should form a set, while leaving the uncoated sides free to easily fan apart when pulled on; this way, you can separate individual multi-part carbonless forms from a stack without them sticking together. Notepads use a completely different kind of glue that is very similar to Elmers school glue. Regular padding glue would not work with Carbonless paper.
So, Now you know how carbonless forms work…
If you have more questions please feel free to give us a call at 214-630-4017 or email us at service@davetheprinter.com.
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As a family owned business, Dave the Printer has been bending over backwards for over 50 years to make sure we provide both quality printing and great customer service. We will not leave you waiting, we understand that time is money. Our team at Dave’s would be happy to meet you in person at our office in the Design District, via email at service@davetheprinter.com or you can simply give us a call at 214-630-4017.