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Aug 13
0

Secrets of the Plastic ID Card Industry

By | ID Cards | No Comments
We all carry around plastic ID cards of one type or another but most people don’t know a lot about them. If you like to find out how stuff works you may wonder what ID cards are made of and how the pictures are printed on them so they don’t rub off. Also, how does that black stripe on the back work? Here are some basic answers.Card Materials

The majority of plastic cards in circulation today are made of poly vinyl chloride. PVC is the second most commonly manufactured plastic worldwide and is very cost effective to produce. The substance is made by exposing vinyl chloride to a polymerization process that allows the molecules to create long networks or chains that are very strong. The resulting powdered PVC resin is heated and rolled into sheets which are then die punched into individual cards. Pigments can be added to the mix during the heating process to create different colored cards.

Card Varieties

Layers of Mylar, paper, or adhesive may be added as a final step for use in different applications. Cards can also feature either a matte or slick finish to suit different printing styles. Composite cards have a polyester core layered between PVC sheets to give them added strength. These are more expensive than regular cards but can withstand more abuse. Earth friendly cards made of recycled PVC are now available from environmentally conscious distributors. In addition to choosing this option you can also increase sustainability by collecting your company’s obsolete cards and turning them in for recycling. Just don’t mix them with other types of plastic since PVC needs to undergo a different reclamation process.

Thermal Printing

The most common type of ID card printing is simple thermal transfer using some type of resin based ink. The ink coated ribbons run through a card printer and are pressed against the surface of each card or transfer sheet. The print head is heated to release the ink from the ribbon onto the printable area where it bonds tightly with the surface creating a smudge proof result. Ribbons are typically formatted in a reel to reel design and the ink is laid out in repeating segments of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. These colors are applied in layers one after the other to create a high quality replica of a photograph or other complex image. Plain black ribbons are available for simple jobs that don’t require color.

Magnetic Stripe Encoding

The black or “HiCo” magnetic stripe on the back of many cards is made of plastic with an admixture of powdered iron oxide. A powerful electromagnet locks the particles of metal in opposing orientations and varying sequences within the plastic stripe. This creates a binary code – the same type that computers use to function. When the card is swiped through a reader these particles are briefly reactivated so that the encoded information can be retrieved. “LoCo” magnet stripes that don’t require a very strong magnetic field to program are also available, but this variety is more susceptible to being accidentally erased.

Aug 09
0

Plastic Card Production

By | News | No Comments

Affordable, attractive, full colour quality plastic cards for any, and every, occasion.

Our state of the art card machines allow us to print colour or monochrome, edge to edge, on single or double sided cards, as well as encoding them to full ISO specification.

We can print full photograph ID cards just like your photo driving license.

We also offer bespoke specialist encoding (placing the data within the black magnetic stripe found on the back of a card) based on your own specifications and requirements, something that many of the larger card bureaus can struggle with.

Whether you are looking for impressive and professional membership or business cards, or invitations which are innovative and a bit different from the norm and will get people talking, we’ve got just the thing, tailored especially for you.

Here are just a few examples of the different types Plastic Card Production we can do:-

  • Membership Cards
  • Moving house/Premises Cards
  • Business Cards
  • Staff ID Cards (with or without photo)
  • Convention and Exhibitor badges
  • Visitor Badges
  • Access Cards
Aug 09
0

Card Printing Solutions to Consider For Your Organization

By | News | No Comments

Technology now offers you many printing ID systems and just as many card printing solutions. Whether you need to print photo ID or some other form of identification, there are many card printing solutions to consider.

There are several different types of printable plastic cards. Companies like Fargo, Datacard, Zebra, and Magicard all have a reputation for quality plastic cards. With more than 3 million identification cards printed every day, you can quickly see that this is really a new way of doing business.

Bank Cards

You can print on-demand bank cards right at your branch providing improved customer service. You can improve it even more by producing debit cards, credit cards, and ATM cards, then making them available for immediate use.

Driver’s Licenses

Government agencies around the world must print driver’s licenses, as they want a top notch product. This is why there are printers designed specifically for driver’s license printing.

Employee ID

Organizations require employee ID to help identify people, monitor production, and control access to areas. You want your employees as secure as your intellectual property. You can create personalized ID cards for your employees, the professional teams in your organization, for access control, and a host of other reasons.

Loyalty Cards

Loyalty cards have become very popular with businesses that want to reward their regular customers for their continued business. It’s a great way to set you apart from the competition. There are many different types of loyalty cards and you can decide what type you’d like to offer.

Membership Cards

Your members are your best asset and just as you want to set your business apart from the rest you should make sure your membership cards set you apart from the rest too. In-house card printing makes it easy for you to do just that. You can add security and value to your membership by printing cards that are personalized have the member’s name, and even a photo of your members. By printing barcodes you can keep the members personal information confidential. And if you want you can have expiration dates and balances in the printed barcode.

Government ID

There are all kinds of Government divisions with some that require some type of photo ID for most employees and others which require security identification cards for their security systems. Governments also provide all kinds of identification to citizens such as with healthcare cards or social security cards.

High Level Security ID

All high level security printed photo IDs are protected from counterfeiting, duplication, forgery, and alteration. And you can add the type of security that’s required from microchips for identification to systems that will open secure doors. There are many corporations that require high level security such as Homeland Security, research facilities, and hospitals.

Student Identification

The campus of today is far more secure than the past. Today’s student ID card can do a whole lot more than just identify a student. It can be encoded with all kinds of student information including medical conditions, library cards, and even class registrations.

Smart Cards

This type of card can be used by many different companies and organizations and it offers a great deal of functionality and security. Smart cards provide security, convenience, and portability. For example, ATM cards are an excellent example of a smart card.

With so many different card printing solutions there’s something to meet the needs of all companies and organizations. While deciding on the right solution for your organization you should consider the following.

Security – What type of security do you need? Different types of organizations and events require different security levels. Each business has their own unique needs so you will need to determine what it is you require in this area.

Integration – You will need to determine how you will need to integrate your new card printing system into other areas of your company or organization. You can always get the experts in the field of integration to give your organization a hand in providing a seamless system.

Functionality – There are several different card printers on the market and you will need to evaluate for the functionality you require. The professionals that offer these products to the market are experts in their product line so be sure to utilize this expertise.

Card Issuance – Issuing cards in-house is great but the security of these cards is only as good as the card printing system you implement which is why it’s important for you to know and understand the various levels of security associated with the equipment.

There are many different card printing solutions available. That means your organization should consider what it is they want to do, and how they would like to do it. Only then they can make the right choice.

Check out plasticcardonline for low prices on card printing. Or print your id cards yourself with a plastic card printer. Also shop for id accessories such as badge holders, badge reels and lanyards.
Aug 08
0

6 Questions To Ask Before Purchasing Plastic Card Printers

By | News | No Comments
Everyday business owners decide that the time is right to implement their own internal ID card printing system; and each time the same question arises – what is the right ID card printer? Here are 6 Questions you should have the answers to before purchasing an ID card printer.1. Do you need to print on both sides of your photo ID card?

If you answered yes, you will need to purchase a dual-sided printer. This will allow you to add information on both the front and the back of the card. There are all kinds of excellent dual ID card printers on the market. The disadvantage to this type of printer is it costs more and this type of printing takes more time.

2. Do you need to print monochrome or color cards?

Monochrome printing uses only black ink, so it is much cheaper. It’s also a lot faster, taking only around 5 seconds per card. Color printing lets you create eye catching color cards, and it also allows for very realistic photos on you photo ID cards. The disadvantage is that color printing costs more.

3. Do you need your cards to be smart?

Today’s market provides you with all kinds of different photo ID cards to choose from, including smart ones. The smart card is able to store all kinds of information on the magnetic strip or bar code. The information is encoded on smart chips, making them popular in situations where security is an issue. For example, smart cards are a good choice if you need your employees to sign in or sign out of secure facilities.

4. Do your cards need to be secure?

There is a great deal of effort that goes into making a card as secure as possible. A members card for a local retail store might not have to be very secure, but a restricted area in a laboratory will likely require a great deal of security. You’ll need to take inventory of what it is you need your cards to do, and then you’ll know what features to look for in a printer. All the top manufacturers offer mag stripe encoders, and smart card encoders. If you need to laminate your card you need a photo ID printer with a special station. So consider this when you are looking

5. How many cards do you need to print every year?

The average printer can print around 30,000 cards per year, which is adequate for most. If you need to print more cards you will need to choose a printer that is designed for higher volume.

6. What is the life expectancy you want from your photo ID cards?

Abrasive activities from swiping the card in high usage situations, can wear them out quickly. Average usage will see a PVC card last 1 to 2 years, while high use could easily cut the life expectancy of these cards in half.

You can extend the life of your cards using overlays or lamination. An overlay is an additional panel on the printer ribbon, which gets laid down on the top of the card. This extends card life by a year. Lamination applies a vinyl coating on both sides of the card. It is applied using heat and pressure. There are different thicknesses of lamination to choose from. In general, laminating adds 4 to 5 years to the life of your card. These options might increase your initial costs, but overall are more likely to reduce your costs in situations of high use.

Once you know the answer to these 6 questions, you will have a much better understanding of the type of ID card printer you need. There are many excellent printers on the market, making choosing right printer that much easier. Successful businesses recognize opportunities that will reduce costs and increase profits. Printing your own photo ID cards will do just that.

Aug 05
0

Everything You Need to Print Your Own Plastic Cards

By | News, Plastic cards | No Comments
Are you planning to print your own plastic cards or ID cards? There are many different scenarios in which you may need to print your own cards. Maybe you need the cards for school or for a small business you own. Have you been paying another company to print your ID cards for you? If so, then you probably already know how expensive this process can be. It’s also challenging to get the cards printed exactly how you want them. It can be a frustrating process if the cards turn out to be wrong or with even a small mistake. Even if you get the mistakes corrected free of cost, you will have to wait all over again to have them reprinted and mailed out.If you learn to print your own plastic cards, you can take a great deal of this stress and pressure out of the process. When you print them yourself, you can have direct control over your cards, what they look like, their size and more. If you print one and it doesn’t come out right, you can go immediately back to your machine and just try again.

Card Printer Hardware

Printing ID cards with your own card printer doesn’t have to be difficult. It connects to your computer just like your paper printer and will print out the same way except instead of printing on paper, it prints your image on plastic cards.

If you’re going to print your own plastic cards, there are certain pieces of hardware you’re going to need to do the job correctly. Here is an overview:

Ribbons

Just like your paper printer needs ink ribbons or ink cartridges, so will your card printer. Card printer ribbons are made specifically for printing on cards and will get the job done right so that you can have professional quality cards, printed right in your own home or office.

Laminates

Laminating is very important to protect the card, especially with ID cards or badges that get used on a daily basis. There are different ways of achieving lamination but one of the easiest is purchasing laminates which fit over the cards like sleeves and will protect them and make them last longer.

Cleaning Kits

Proper maintenance is very important to keep your card printer working properly and for a long time. To get the most from your machine, you will want to purchase cleaning kits to keep it operating at top performance. PVC Cards

You can purchase PVC cards for printing on. There are many different styles, colors and qualities to choose from, but you have freedom in finding the perfect ones for your needs.

These are just a few of the main pieces of card printer hardware you will need for printing your own perfect cards. However, this is not an exhaustive list and there are many other products that can make your job even easier or help you add other touches and details to your printed cards. This includes things such as holograms and more.

Benefits to Printing Your Own Plastic Cards

If you aren’t already convinced that printing your own cards is the way to go, it’s time to consider the cost benefits. Who doesn’t like to save money? So why spend more money that you have to? It just doesn’t make sense. Common sense tells you that if there is a cheaper, better way, you should act on it.

If you’re printing membership cards, ID cards or other plastic cards, printing them yourself can be faster, less expensive and easier once you learn how. Here are some of the benefits to doing it yourself:

-The cost per card is less expensive -No penalties if you only need a small number of cards at a time -You can change designs any time you want to -You don’t have to wait 2-6 weeks for your printed cards to arrive -You have quality control and can quickly fix any mistakes to your cards -You have complete control over the printing process and are not limited by a company’s policies

As you can see, the benefits clearly outweigh the cons in a case like this.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

Full color printing through a company can cost you $0.75 – $2.00 per card and single color printing through a card printing company can cost the same. However, if you print yourself, you’re looking at $0.35 – $0.38 per card for full color printing and $0.07 – $0.08 per card for single color printing. That’s a whopping cost difference!

This is just the per-card cost savings. We haven’t even mentioned what you will save on shipping as well as the fact that you can print as much or as little as you want without any penalties. With many commercial card printing companies, you must have a minimum order (often in the thousands) or you will be charged an additional service fee. What about the person who doesn’t need thousands of cards printed at once?

But as we mentioned, it’s not all about the money. You have the benefit of complete control over your card quality, printing time and any necessary changes.

For the Small Scale Printer

If you tend to need only a small number of cards printed at once then it’s simply not cost effective for you to outsource your printing needs. If you are a small business who needs to print plastic cards for your employees, you won’t benefit from outsourcing your card printing needs either.

When you print the cards yourself with your own plastic card printer, it may take past the first couple of prints to really start to see a good return on investment, but once you do, it will be well worth it. In the long run, you can benefit financially from your own card printer and you can feel satisfied with the professional quality of each card printed.

Aug 02
0

Top 4 Tips For Trading Cards Online

By | News | No Comments
Whether you choose to collect cards in general, or cards for a particular sport, team or league, card collecting can be a very valuable, interesting and educational experience as well as being loads of fun. Trading your cards can be quite lucrative for you too, if done wisely. There is a wide range of cards that people choose to collect and trade; postcards, business cards, calling cards, Victorian trade cards, anime cards, pokemon, yugioh, baseball cards, football cards, sports cards, digital cards, mechanical cards, die-cut cards, CD & DVD cards, celebrity trading cards, artist cards, autographed cards, Disney cards, tobacco cards, promotional cards and more.Avoiding Forgeries Sometimes collectors have mistakenly bought hard-to-find or vintage memorabilia that is actually a good reproduction of the original. Often these are reproductions that have fooled some of the “experts” as well. Be sure to buy from a reliable source to insure authenticity of autographed items. If it seems too good to be true – it probably is. Auctions sites can be loaded with false information not only from scam artists but from honest sellers who just don’t know what they are selling and describing. It has been known for sellers to list fake cards believing they were real, or damaged cards they had rated as fair. Certificates of Authenticity from reliable sources can minimise the risk of counterfeiting and/or fraud for you.

Yugioh (or Yu-gi-oh) trading cards have become a hit with youngsters everywhere. Based on the hit Japanese comic book and cartoon series, Yugioh enthusiasts worldwide collect the wildly popular Yugioh trading cards in order to participate in the elaborate game that is based on the trading cards. The trading card game has it’s own rules of play that are too extensive for the range of this article but well worth learning if you or your youngster are interested in collecting Yugioh. To validate their authenticity always look for the small hologram at the bottom right corner, which should show the Anubis eye, or the word YuGiOh depending on how the light shines on it.

Card Conditions Trading cards (even cards taken directly from factory sealed shrink wrapped products) have a wide range of condition types depending on several factors like card being crisp with sharp edges, no printing errors or blemishes, perfect gloss, and no surface flaws. There are several categories of card conditions commonly used to describe cards in from Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent, Excellent-Mint, Near Mint, Near Mint-Mint, Mint, Gem Mint and Pristine.

Preserving, Storing and Protecting your Cards It can be a good idea to get your more valuable trading cards framed, or encased, to protect from damage, and keep them in good shape. Of course, you can store your cards in boxes, but using card protector sheets in binders is a much better way to store the cards where-by they are protected and easily accessible for viewing. If you choose to box your cards rather than using a binder, be sure to use individual card protectors for each card.

Poor storage conditions can be the enemy of your trading cards. Always store cards in a location that isn’t subject to excessive humidity, moisture, extreme heat or direct sunlight. Heat may damage the cards, especially if they are in plastic card protectors, and exposure to sunlight will fade the cards. Moisture is another enemy of card collectors. I have seen card collections that got wet in storage, went mouldy and became instantly worthless. If you have an extensive collection you may even want to consider an archival safe holder or protector and avoid anything with PVC.

Card Values The worth or value of a card is both relative and subjective. For example, a collector may find a card more valuable than a player when it is difficult to find but it is not all that useful for playing the game. The same card may have different value for different people depending on the cards frequency of printing, age, condition, or when it is being offered for trade. The value of cards can change with time, as new game strategies are explored or new cards are published. Collectible cards are actually good investments. The rarer it is to find cards in good condition with time, the higher the value they will obtain.

Jul 30
0

Picard- A Cheap and Amazing Gift

By | Gift Cards | No Comments

Looking for a great and cheap way to surprise your costumers and promote your business? Picard gift card is the perfect solution for you! By giving this small beautiful card to your clients, you can be sure that they will remember you and your company for the better, and revisit your business more and more often. Unlike any other business card made of simple paper that does not last too long, Picard is made of PVC plastic and UV coating that protects the card from being damaged, and makes the card’s life last very long. The print on the card is probably in the best quality that you can find. The special thing about Picard, is that you are the designer of the card! Just enter our website and see for yourself- the process of the design is extremely simple, fast and fun. It includes uploading any image you want, adding text, and changing the colors and effects as you wish. Once completing the process of design, you will receive your gift card to the address you specified within few days only, and all for a ridiculously cheap price! Picard is, indeed, the prefect gift for any occasion and for anyone you want to give it to. You should print the details of the gift on the card, for example, a certain discount, or a present from the company. So, if you have a restaurant, you can write on the card that the gift is a fancy dinner for two. If you need any help with deciding upon a gift, please contact us and we will provide you with great ideas for a great and cheap gift to give your clients.