A full-page, duplicate document with no original. This type of paper is used when the recipient requires a copy of the invoice or receipt for their records, and it’s an environmentally-friendly choice because reusing paper can cut back on energy usage and foresting. These are also called NCR forms or non-carbon papers.
If you need two copies of a document, you could use plain paper for one copy and carbon paper to make the second copy with your printer. The term ‘carbonless paper’ refers to the fact that there is no carbon required for duplication.
One way of making multiple copies of original work.
Carbonless Paper – One way of making multiple copies of original work.
Carbonless paper is a special type of copy paper that eliminates the need for carbon paper, an archaic method used to make multiple hard copy prints from one original piece of paper. The carbonless paper uses printing techniques similar to those used on standard copier or printer machines.
One of the common types of carbonless paper is NCR paper, which stands for No Carbon Required. This type of paper has a special coating on top to make a copy without using any chemicals.
The term ‘carbonless‘ refers to the fact that there is no carbon required for duplication.
For printing copies, you need to put the paper in your printer and print as usual.
However, when it comes to carbonless paper, this copy is usually made by hand or with a special machine. When you use a laser printer or multi-function printer (MFP) to create NCR documents, the equipment cannot accurately determine which page areas are covered by carbonless ink. Consequently, you could waste a lot of paper if you try to print NCR documents on these machines. Even color laser printers have issues printing colors accurately when using NCR paper.
How does Carbonless Paper Work?
Carbonless forms are effective for businesses requiring several copies of a document for their records or distributing the same paperwork to multiple people. Carbonless paper is coated with chemicals that respond to heat and pressure, such as those created by a specialized duplicating press. The heat and pressure cause these chemicals to change color, so the copy has all the information from the original.
Another name for carbonless paper is no carbon required (NCR) paper. This type of paper doesn’t need a sheet of carbon paper under the original to make an additional copy. NCR forms can be created by hand or with special machines like a dupe or a photocopying machine.
Carbonless paper is coated with chemicals that respond to heat and pressure, such as those created by a special duplicating press. The heat and pressure cause these chemicals to change color, so the copy has all the information from the original.
For example, if you are writing with a pencil, the ‘ink’ is graphite. When you run a metal pen over paper that has been written or printed with graphite in this way, the metallic atoms cling to areas of dark graphite and leave lighter areas in their place.
Normal copier machines can make copies of NCR forms if they are single-sided and there is no color printing involved. If you want to make multi-copies or a double-sided form, you need a special duplicating press, like the ones used in most offices. You can also buy small portable presses for occasional use.
If your business deals with NCR forms often, you can invest in a larger press designed for high-volume duplication.
These presses typically come with a feeder, which can hold several forms at a time. They also have a feed tray to catch the printed copies and a stacker to keep finished work until it is needed or picked up by one of your employees.
When you use a laser printer or multi-function printer (MFP) to print NCR documents, the equipment cannot accurately determine which areas of the page are covered by carbonless ink. As a result, you could waste a lot of paper if you try to print NCR documents on these machines.
Even though color laser printers have issues printing colors accurately when using NCR paper, color copiers and MFPs can print NCR documents without any problems.
NCR forms work well for businesses that need several copies of a form or distribute the same paperwork to multiple people. You can easily run off many copies of a document with minimal effort if you use special machines like photocopying equipment or a duplicating press.
Normal copier machines can make copies of NCR forms if they are single-sided and there is no color printing involved. If you want to make multi-copies or a double-sided form, you need a special duplicating press. You can also buy small portable presses for occasional use.
If your business deals with NCR forms often, you can invest in a larger press designed for high-volume duplication.