Alexei Volkov
Plastic cards are prevalent in our daily lives, serving as identity documents, bank cards, and membership cards. They are made from laminated mixtures of dyes, paper, and plastics like PVC and PVCA, and can be customised with various colours and finishes. They are highly durable and can be printed with security features to prevent forgery. The decision to use plastic cards depends on specific needs and cost considerations. For organisations requiring frequent card printing, investing in a plastic card printer may be more cost-effective and convenient than outsourcing. However, for individuals, the functionality and availability of alternative options, such as paper cards, might make plastic cards less necessary.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Identity documents, authentication, authorization |
| Features | Photographs, security holograms, guillochés, magnetic strips, electronic chips, RFID |
| Use cases | Bank cards, driver's licenses, membership cards, business cards, health insurance cards |
| Benefits | Durability, security, convenience, customizability |
| Drawbacks | Cost, time consumption, environmental impact |
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What You'll Learn
Pros and cons of plastic cards
Plastic cards have a range of uses, from business cards to event passes, and are known for their durability and convenience. They are harder to mark and can be cleaned, making them ideal for frequent use. Here is a detailed look at the pros and cons of plastic cards:
Pros of Plastic Cards:
- Durability: Plastic cards are known for their longevity and durability. They are less prone to wear and tear compared to paper cards, and can withstand spills or accidents.
- Security: Plastic cards, especially those with microchips or magnetic stripes, offer enhanced security for transactions, access control, and data storage. They are harder to tamper with or cheat compared to paper alternatives.
- Versatility: Plastic cards have a wide range of applications, including business cards, event passes, membership cards, loyalty cards, keycards, and ID cards. They can be customized with unique designs and information, catering to diverse needs.
- Convenience: Plastic cards provide seamless access to facilities, such as hotel rooms, gyms, or clubs. They eliminate the need for traditional keys and streamline entry for authorized individuals.
Cons of Plastic Cards:
- Cost: Plastic cards are generally more expensive than paper cards. The initial investment for plastic cards can be a downside, especially for businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
- Environmental Concerns: While plastic cards can be recycled, they may raise environmental concerns due to their plastic composition. Eco-conscious businesses or individuals might prefer more sustainable alternatives.
- Limited Personal Touch: Plastic business cards may offer limited opportunity for a personalized, tactile first impression compared to paper cards, which are often associated with a sense of professionalism and authenticity.
In conclusion, plastic cards offer enhanced durability, security, and convenience for a wide range of applications. However, they come at a higher cost and may not be the most environmentally-friendly option. The choice between plastic and paper cards ultimately depends on specific needs, preferences, and priorities.
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Plastic card printing
Plastic cards are useful for a variety of purposes, including identification, membership, loyalty, and payment. They are highly customisable, with options for different colours and finishes, and printing methods.
There are several types of plastic cards available, including clear, white, and frosted. Clear plastic cards are 100% transparent and come with a thin protective film that must be removed before use. They are well-suited for designs with bold blocks of colour and large contrasts between printed objects and the plastic material. Frosted plastic cards are semi-transparent and provide a unique, slightly textured, cloudy look. They work well with lighter colours or photos. White plastic cards allow for printing on both sides and are 100% opaque, making them a good choice for QR codes, photos, and text.
Plastic cards can be printed with various security features to prevent counterfeiting, such as barcodes, holograms, magnetic stripes, or biometric data. They can also be customised with unique designs, text, or images to suit specific needs.
When considering plastic card printing, it is important to decide whether to print the cards in-house or outsource the printing to a specialist company. In-house printing offers the advantage of on-demand card printing and control over the information on the cards. However, it requires purchasing a printer and supplies, which can be costly, especially for low-volume printing. Outsourcing to a company like Plastic Printers or CardPrinting.com can be more cost-effective, especially for larger quantities, as they often offer lower prices for higher volumes. Additionally, they have expertise in customisation and security features, ensuring high-quality, secure cards.
Whether printing in-house or outsourcing, it is essential to consider the purpose of the cards, the desired features and security measures, and the cost implications to make an informed decision.
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Security and anti-forgery
Plastic cards are often used as identity documents, providing authentication and serving as authorisation tokens for financial transactions. They are commonly used as bank cards, driver's licenses, health insurance cards, and more.
Plastic cards can be equipped with several security features to prevent forgery and tampering. Some of these features include:
- Hard-to-imitate integrated photographs
- Security holograms
- Guillochés (interwoven and overlapping lines that form cord-like, often asymmetrical ellipses)
- Magnetic stripes
- RFID chips
- Barcodes
- Micro-text
- Latent images
- UV colours
- Near-field communication (NFC) chips
These features ensure that plastic cards are forgery-proof and offer a higher level of security compared to traditional paper cards. For example, micro-text can only be produced with special modern printing processes and cannot be copied by normal printing presses. Similarly, UV colours are only visible under special black lights, making them difficult to replicate.
In addition to security features, the physical properties of plastic cards also make them more secure than paper cards. Plastic cards are more durable and can withstand everyday wear and tear. They are also harder to recycle due to the laminated mixture of various dyes, paper, and plastics used in their production. This makes it more difficult for unauthorised individuals to obtain the materials necessary to create forged cards.
Investing in a plastic card printer can also enhance security. Printers offer safeguards and security features to ensure that only authorised individuals can print the cards. This allows for greater control over the speed of card issuance and the information printed on the cards.
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Cost and time efficiency
Plastic cards are prevalent in our daily lives, from credit cards to membership cards, and even driver's licenses. There are several reasons why printing your own plastic cards can be cost and time-efficient.
Firstly, printing your own plastic cards gives you the flexibility to produce cards on-demand, whenever and wherever you need them. This is especially useful if you operate a facility that requires membership cards, as you can control the speed at which your customers are issued cards and the information on them. For instance, if you need to print 10,000 membership cards, it would take around 66 hours to print using a standard card printer, whereas a company like Plastic Printers can deliver the cards to you in 24-48 hours.
Secondly, printing your own cards can save costs in the long run. While the initial investment in a card printer can be significant, ranging from \$899 for an entry-level printer to \$1990 for a higher-end model, the cost per card decreases as the quantity increases due to lower labor involvement. Additionally, the cost of printing in monochrome or black is much lower than printing in color. For instance, printing in black can cost as little as \$0.03 per card, while color printing can be upwards of \$0.75 per card.
Thirdly, owning a card printer allows for easy and quick changes to card content or design. This is particularly beneficial if you frequently need to update card information or if you want to maintain a consistent and professional brand image.
Lastly, card printers offer security features that ensure only authorized personnel can print the cards, providing an extra layer of protection for your plastic card printing process.
In summary, investing in a plastic card printer can offer significant cost and time savings, especially if you require a large volume of cards and have frequent updates or changes to card information or design.
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Design and customisation
Plastic cards can be customised in a variety of ways to suit your needs. Whether you're looking for gift cards, loyalty cards, membership cards, ID cards, or access cards, you can personalise the design to match your brand and purpose.
If you're considering customising plastic cards, it's important to decide on the specific features you want to include. For instance, you can opt for basic photo identification or enhance security with features like RFID chips, magnetic stripes, or barcodes. These additional features not only improve functionality but also help prevent identity theft and data leaks.
When it comes to design, you can choose from a range of printing options to create visually appealing cards. This includes custom printed gift card holders, which allow your customers to present their gifts with style while reinforcing your brand image. You can also explore different materials, such as PVC or laminated cards, to ensure durability and a professional appearance.
To achieve the desired design and customisation, you can either work with a professional printing company or attempt to create the cards yourself at home. Outsourcing to companies like CardPrinting.com or Sandia International ensures high-quality results, timely production, and reliable delivery. They can guide you through the process and offer various customisation options, including RFID chips, magnetic stripes, and barcodes. However, this option may come with higher costs.
If you opt for customising the cards yourself, you'll need to invest in the necessary equipment, such as an ID card printer, a heavy-duty laminator, and graphics editing software. While this approach offers more flexibility and control over the design process, it requires a significant investment in time and money. Additionally, the final product might not match the quality of professionally printed cards.
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Frequently asked questions
If you need to print a high volume of cards, it is more time and cost-efficient to use a plastic card printing service. However, if you need to print cards on demand, a plastic card printer may be more suitable.
Plastic cards are very durable and can withstand everyday wear and tear. They are also more difficult to forge and can be designed with security features such as RFID technology. Additionally, they can be used for marketing purposes, emphasising a brand's uniqueness.
Plastic cards are more expensive to produce than paper cards and are harder to recycle. They can also be more difficult to handle, especially when performing magic tricks or sleights.
