How to Create Professional ID Cards with a Card Printer

Introduction

ID card printing has seen a meteoric rise in recent years due to its multifaceted ability to improve efficiency, enhance security, and drive cost savings. Whether for physical or logical access control, for attendance tracking, or for identification purposes, the technology and capacity for printing increasingly sophisticated cards has never been better.

What Are Plastic Cards?

Plastic cards are thin cards made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), sometimes referred to as PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and can be printed with graphics and text. This makes them the perfect choice for highly secure and customizable ID cards, including access cards, loyalty cards, health cards, event passes, and more.

Features and Benefits

Plastic cards boast a wide range of features and benefits which make them the most popular choice for printing ID cards and passes. These include:

• Durability: PVC cards are much more resistant to scratches, tears, and other damage than paper cards. They are also waterproof and not prone to susceptible to fading over time.
• Aesthetics: With the wide range of colors, sizes, shapes, finishes, and customizable options available, PVC cards look far more professional than paper cards.
• Security: The combination of custom printing capacity and the range of embedded security features, such as magnetic stripes and smart chips, allow for the creation of highly secure cards which are difficult to copy or counterfeit.

Pros Cons

Here are a few of the major pros and cons of using plastic cards for ID printing:

• Pros: Customizable, secure, cost-effective, durable.
• Cons: Cards may contain restricted chemicals, so be sure to check the toxicity profile of the material before making a purchase.

Case Studies

Here are a few examples of how organizations have successfully implemented plastic ID card printing solutions:

• Microsoft: Microsoft used a PVC card printing solution to produce staff identification cards and other documents for its employees. In doing so, they reduced the amount of time spent producing and distributing cards, all at a low cost.
• The University of London: The University of London implemented a comprehensive PVC card printing solution to produce student identification cards with embedded security features, ensuring that the cards were of the highest possible quality and extremely difficult to forge.
• The United Nations: The United Nations regularly produces highly secure PVC cards for its employees and international delegations. By incorporating advanced security features such as RFID and hologram technology, they can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the cards.

FAQs

• Q: What is the difference between PVC and PET cards?

  A: PVC and PET cards are both durable carding substrates. A PET card is made from polyethylene terephthalate, while PVC cards are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Both have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the application. PET cards tend to be more durable than PVC cards, but are more susceptible to fading over time.

• Q: What type of printer is needed to print PVC cards?

  A: You will need a special plastic card printer to produce PVC cards. Most standard ID card printers can only print on paper cards. Plastic card printers, however, are specifically designed to print on PVC and PET cards.

• Q: What custom printing options are available for PVC cards?

  A: With a PVC card printer, you can print full-color graphics, text, logos, and other images onto PVC cards. You can also add security features such as magnetic stripes, smart chips, NVIS codes, and holograms.

Mistakes People Make

When printing plastic cards, there are a few common mistakes that people make, such as:

• Failing to check the quality of the carding substrate before printing.
• Using non-specialized printers which are unable to print onto plastic cards.
• Not taking into account the different types of printing required for different types of cards (e.g. single-sided or double-sided)
• Not using the appropriate security features or printing improperly to render them useless.

Best Practices

When it comes to printing PVC cards, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Ensure that the carding substrate is of good quality and suitable for the intended use.
• Invest in a specialized plastic card printer to ensure high-quality results.
• Regularly check the printer's head for damage or obstructions.
• Use appropriate security features and print them properly on the cards.

Summary Review

Plastic cards offer a range of features and benefits which make them the go-to choice for printing ID cards and passes. They are durable, customizable, secure, and cost-effective. To make the most of their potential, it is important to ensure good quality carding substrate is used and that a specialized plastic card printer is used. Additionally, any relevant security features should be properly printed onto the cards. Careful consideration of the pros and cons, as well as best practices, can make all the difference in the success of an ID card printing endeavor.