Choosing which plastic cards to buy for your printer can be overwhelming. There are literally hundreds of types of cards on the market. This week, we discuss what materials cards are made out of and how to choose the correct one. Next week we will cover encoding options (Magstripe, Chip, and Contactless cards) as well as security features.

Basics of Card Printing

During the card printing process, heat is used to transfer ink from a film into the surface or substrate of a plastic card. There are four basic processes used in all desktop card printing: Thermal transfer, Dye sublimation, Reverse transfer and Thermal rewrite.

Diagram of the Dye Sublimation process
Courtesy of pctechguide.com

Each process uses different methods of transferring the ink onto the substrate and thus each has different requirements for the thermoformability of the substrate. Additional processes such as card lamination can also deliver a lot of heat to a card and thus require cards that have more thermo stability to keep the card from melting and jamming the printer.

Card Materials

So, what type of cards should you choose? In general, there are two types of plastics used in modern card production: PVC and PET.

PVC

The most commonly used material in card printing is Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC. This ubiquitous white plastic is famous for making pipes, bottles, construction materials, medical equipment, inflatable toys and wire insulation. PVC cards are extremely inexpensive and relatively durable.

Pure PVC is rigid and brittle so more commercially available cards are plasticized using derivatives of phthalic acid. Additionally, heat and UV stabilizers are often added to improve durability and heat resistance. These additives allow PVC to withstand temperatures of up to 260°C, though in general, the thermal stability of PVC is very poor with pure PVC becoming thermally unstable at about 140°C.

For this reason, PVC is not a good choice for card processes that require a large amount of heat. Printing methods such as Reverse Transfer must be carefully monitored when using pure PVC cards to avoid damage to the card and the printing unit.

PET

Plain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyester is most commonly associated with a material from which cloth and high-performance clothing are produced (e.g., DuPont Dacron™ polyester fiber). Increasingly over the last ten years, PET has gained acceptance as a material of choice for beverage bottles. Because of the improved performance and functionality of PET, it has managed to replace traditional bottle materials such as glass and aluminum, as well as, newer materials (e.g., PVC and polycarbonate). PET is more durable than PVC and is also recyclable, making it environmentally friendly.

PET is highly recyclable

PET-G

PET-G, also known as glycolised polyester, is a modified PET material. The “G” represents glycol modifiers, which are incorporated to minimize brittleness and the premature aging that occurs if unmodified amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET) is used in the production of cards.

PETG films are amorphous, meaning the polymer molecules are not aligned or ordered within the material. It is produced in a roll calendering process similar to that used to make standard PVC. As a result, PET-G has many features similar to PVC with similar temperature resistance and durability.

In Europe, PET-G has found a market where customers are looking to produce “environmentally” friendly cards. In addition to its use in cards, this polymer is used in applications where thermoformability is required.

PET-F

Polyester film (PET-F) is very different from PET-G and indeed PET. Polyester film is a semi-crystalline film produced by a roll quenching process followed by biaxial orientation (stretching the film in machine and transverse directions) and heat setting at temperatures around 230°C. Polyester film is used in many applications such as videotape, high quality packaging, professional photographic printing, X-ray film, floppy disks, etc. The film’s primary advantages are high thermal stability, mechanical strength and chemical inertness. In fact, PET-F has one-third the tensile strength of steel and can withstand temperatures of up to 200ºC. PET-F is produced in a range of thicknesses from 3 gauge (0.6 µm) to 2000 gauge (500 µm).

Composite Cards

PET and its derivatives are much more thermally stable than PVC and produce cards that last for a long time. However, the strength and high thermo-stability of PET means that many direct to card printers cannot produce a good image on the substrate.

Composite cards containing up to 60% PET and 40% PVC material provide the stability of a PET card with the printability of a PVC card. These cards are constructed like a sandwich – two thin layers of PVC with a PET core between them. Composite cards are ideal for desktop card production and make a good “first step” when moving from PVC cards to PET.

Conclusions

• There are four basic processes in card printing: Thermal transfer, Dye sublimation, Reverse transfer and thermal rewrite.
• Most cards on the market are made of PVC.
• PVC is cheap and prints well, but it melts easily in high-energy processes (like Reverse Transfer and Lamination) and is not recyclable.
• There are several variants of PET available: PET, PET-G and PET-F
• PET-G is recommended for card production and is a vaild substitute for PET and depending on the process, PVC
• Composite cards combine a PET core with PVC substrates for durability and printability

Bucharest , Romania -

Since the start of the economic recession in 2008, Romanian unemployment has more than doubled. One of the largest problems facing Romanian public assistance programs as well as job seekers is the difficulty in verifying and proving employment credentials within a profession.

Looking for work in Romania

In Romania, the National Employment Agency and the Soft Business Union wanted to improve the quality and transparency of assistance offered by the Public Employment Services to job seekers. Their goal was to develop a modern tool, the “European Professional Card”, that would shorten the path and time that it took job seekers to access programs provided by the Public Employment Services.

The card allows job seekers to prove that they belong to a certain professional group and possess specific qualifications and skills while ensuring that all data is safely stored according to EU and national regulations.

The solution for a successful implementation of this idea proved to be a partnership between PrintCard Systems and IT Systems International. Within this partnership, IT Systems International supplied the information system for the “European Professional Card” while PrintCard Systems supplied the hardware infrastructure comprised of 200 Magicard Enduro printers with magnetic encoding, 1,200 card readers and all related supplies.

The Romanian EU Professional Card

During the project, PrintCard Systems produced more than 583,000 secured cards. Since the system was implemented at a national level and impacted a large population, it was very important that the cards and data were securely stored and that clerks had convenient options for verifying the authenticity of the newly issued cards. In this case, Magicard printers from Ultra Electronic Card Systems proved to be the ideal choice thanks to the integrated HoloKote™ technology.

Additionally, the flexibility of the Enduro printer, including the ability to create 300dpi full color cards, easy upgradability to duplex printing and the possibility of using Romanian language within the printer interface and drivers allowed IT Systems to develop software specially adapted to the project needs.

The Magicard Enduro

Ultimately, this project supports the sustainable development of human resources in Romania by providing fast access to public services for job seekers. The card has greatly reduced the number of documents and forms which need to be completed prior to employment.

This has allowed Romanian companies to hire new workers much faster as the software allows for the assessment of matching candidates based on the information collected during card issuance. This data-driven approach supported by a verifiable physical credential helps guarantee gender equality and equal opportunity for job seekers while speeding time to employment.

Printcard Systems is a leading Romanian based distributor and integrator of card printing equipment. Serving a wide portfolio of public and private organizations, PrintCard Systems is known for absolute customer satisfaction in both their product and service offerings. More information on PrintCard Systems can be found at www.printcard.ro

For 18 years, Ultra Electronics Card Systems has designed card technologies with a focus on the customer and a mission to create trusted identification for a safer world. Their line of Magicard identity creation products are trusted by hundreds of government agencies as well as thousands of companies globally to issue millions of secure identification badges every year.

More information on the Romanian European Professional Card can be found at www.card-profesional.ro

Click here to view the embedded video.

The automatic cleaning process removes debris and residue that can build up during printing to ensure your cards come out looking perfect and your printer functions correctly for thousands of print cycles.

Keep reading >> The Enduro+
Questions or Issues with a printer >> Technical Support

The following statistics have been taken from BCS Home Office Statistical Bulletin. Card fraud in the BCS is defined as using plastic payment cards, such as bank, debit, credit or store cards, to take money without permission or prior knowledge from a bank, building society or credit card account (or to charge money to credit/debit cards).

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In this infographic, we look at the astonishingly high rates of crime at primary and secondary schools in the United States. Learn about what methods schools are using to reduce crime and see the ways better access control and ID cards can be used on campus.

Learn more about what keeps schools secure in this blog post: Keeping Students Safe

See the full range of products schools use for ID badging: Student ID Printers

Nowhere can ID badges play a more important role than in helping to secure primary and secondary education campuses.

Enacted alongside other security measures, a well-designed access control scheme for your school has been shown to lead to major reductions in theft, vandalism, and more serious crimes.

Most importantly, comprehensive access control and ID badges play an important role in keeping unwanted and dangerous outsiders from entering school buildings and helping staff to quickly identify who belongs on campus and who does not.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, thefts on school property have, on-average, decreased by 68% in the last ten years while violent crime on school property has fallen by 60%.

Driving the drop in violence is enhanced school security. In the past ten years, the number of schools regularly limiting access to campus buildings by locking and monitoring doors has increased from 74.6% to 91.7%.

In 2000, 25.4% of staff and 3.9% of students were required to wear ID badges. In 2010, 62.9% of staff and 6.9% of students were required to wear ID badges.

Visible ID badges act similarly to uniforms. Easy visual identification serves as a deterrent from unsavory behavior as students know they can be quickly identified by school staff; even in a large crowd or chaotic situation. Many schools also use electronic ID badges to allow students and staff to make lunchroom purchases or indicate eligibility for free lunch.

Additionally, badges may be used for quick library checkouts and for access to computer terminals. Campuses who implement these measures often see marked and rapid improvements in lunch lines and accounting efficiency with relation to student transactional systems.

While implementing an ID badge system at your primary or secondary school is essential in today’s learning environment, many schools and districts hesitate to purchase these systems because of their costs. However, the costs of system acquisition and implementation are often offset by increases in attendance accuracy and other efficiency improvements which allow many schools to receive additional funding.

Having better security means reducing the need for dedicated security staff and can free up administrators time to focus on process improvements related to learning, not discipline. Often, this results in a net financial gain for the school.

Access control and ID badging of students and staff is a proven, cost effective way to increase the efficiency and safety of your primary or secondary education campus.

Suggestions of arming students and staff carry many risks and few proven benefits. Improving the access control and security systems at a school is a safe and established way to not only protect students, but to increase the overall operational efficiency of the learning environment.

Learn more about preventing school crime in this infographic: School Crime and Student ID

See the full range of products schools use for ID badging: Student ID Printers

A racer flies across the steppes of Azerbaijan

Heyden Securit’s complete ID card solution featured the new Magicard Rio Pro Xtended long format printer, Securit ID software, Xtended PVC cards and personalised lanyards.

In total, Heyden-Securit delivered more than 2,500 personalised credentials. The Xtended cards were preprinted, colour-coded with the national colours of Azerbaijan and punched prior to the event. On the day organisers in Baku simply had to personalise each one with the details of competitors, officials, VIP guests and press. Each card was personalised and printed instantly using the new Magicard Rio Pro Xtended printer integrating seamlessly with Securit ID software.

Xtended cards used for the Race

All access areas and personnel – including the secure zone for bicycles and other team equipment, press, all organisers, Police and many others were clearly defined and controlled to enable the best access and safety for everybody involved in the race.

The new Magicard Rio Pro Xtended personalises extra-long plastic cards for ticketing, accreditation and product labelling. Long format cards provide more design options, superior visibility and are widely used for security badges at sports and music events. Learn more here: The Rio Pro Xtended

Get an exclusive look behind the scenes of how Magicard helps secure Little League Baseball’s biggest event.

Taking advantage of the easy integration and reliability of Magicard printers; Little League Baseball was able to track and protect over 3,000 Little League players, coaches, staff, and media during the two weeks of this nationally televised event

Click here to view the embedded video.

As a result the Prima 4 has been added to the GSA Approved Product List (APL) for the FIPS 201 Specification.

The Prima 4 reinforces secure card issuance with a combination of inline and post-printing options. Ultra-Violet images or text, printed inline, can be augmented with over-laminates for both added durability and security – including standard and customised holographic options. Magnetic stripe and a range of smart card encoding options are all supported.

“Achieving compliance for the Prima 4 highlights Ultra’s commitment to providing secure card issuance,” said Luis De La Cruz, Ultra Electronics Card Systems’ Regional Manager for the Americas. “High levels of reliability and our market-leading 3 year warranty help ensure the Prima 4 is trusted worldwide for high-level secure card issuance projects – including drivers’ licenses, secure travel passes and localised issuance of payment cards.”

FIPS 201 was published as a result of the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) – which called for the use of a common identification credential for gaining physical and logical access to Federally controlled facilities and information systems. FIPS 201 defines the identity vetting, enrollment, and issuance requirements for a common identity credential and the technical specifications for a government employee and contractor ID card.

Manufactured for over 18 years by Ultra Electronics Card Systems, Magicard ID card printers are designed and built in a military-certified secure facility in Weymouth, England. Ultra Electronics Card Systems is trusted by hundreds of federal, state, and local agencies as well as thousands of companies globally to issue millions of secure identification badges every year.

International Leaders in Los Cabos, Mexico

With the knowledge from thirty years of experience in providing high profile security, T.C. Vilsa turned to Ultra Electronics Card Systems to provide the identity badging for the hundreds of delegates and thousands of support staff who would attend the three day event.

Reliability, robust construction, card quality and integrated security features made Ultra’s Magicard printers a standout choice for quickly issuing identification credentials during the event.
T.C. Vilsa managing director, Luis Vidales, commented:

“T.C. Vilsa secures events like the G20 with innovative technology and a highly trained staff known for their superior service and commitment to probity and efficiency. Events like the G20 summit require absolute coordination in security features on the ground, sea and air.”

Easy integration allowed T.C. Vilsa to utilize Magicard printers alongside systems from eleven different technology partners and to complete its mission in three days with no major downtime or security breaches. These systems included online identity verification, biometric facial recognition, and access control.

Registration Stations used Magicard printers to badge over 34,000 people during the event

Integration, reliability, and success in high-stakes environments are not new achievements for Magicard printers. Manufactured for over 18 years by Ultra Electronics Card Systems, each unit is designed and built in a military-certified secure facility in Weymouth, England.

Collaboration between engineers, designers and a production team working together in the same building keeps quality high and development cycles short for Magicard.

Because of this, Ultra Electronics Card Systems is trusted by hundreds of Federal, State, and Local agencies as well as thousands of companies globally to issue millions of secure identification badges every year.

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