Blank PVC ID Card Stock
A must read guide to understanding blank PVC Cards
All standard ID card printers print on blank PVC Card stock. These cards can be 100% PVC or a composite of PVC and other materials, depending on the application. The most common variables are:
- Size
- Color
- Magnetic Stripe
- Material
Size - CR-80 is the most common sized ID card and is the same size as a standard credit card or drivers license. Some ID card printers can print on larger CR90 or even CR100 cards, however, these are relatively uncommon. The thickness of a standard card is 30mil (30 thousandths of an inch). The most common alternate sizes are 20mil and 10-14mil (business card thin). Read the rest of this entry »
Plastic ID Cards
If you keep your an eye out in public, you will most likely notice the prominence of plastic ID cards. Plastic ID cards are used all over as a well to properly identify those visiting and belonging to businesses, access systems, and authenticate personnel. These ID cards have been popping up in every industry as it is noticed that plastic ID cards tend to be durable, efficient and long lasting. The great thing about plastic ID cards is that they may be customized to suit the needs of your company. Whether your company operates on a bar code, magnetic stripe, Proximity, photo or numbered ID system, plastic ID cards allow the space for you to implement exactly what you need so that the card may function sufficiently for you. Read the rest of this entry »
Colored PVC Cards are one of the best ways to create great looking loyalty cards with your PVC Card printer, quickly and cost effectively. There are a few great advantages to using colored card stock as opposed to the traditional card stock. The first is image quality. If you are using a standard direct-to-card PVC card printer, you are probably aware that it can be hard to completely cover the entire front of a card with color. Usually the edges still show a little bit of white. Also, often times the color comes out slightly uneven due to the way the printer transfers the color using a CMYK heat transfer process.
The second advantage is cost. Using a colored pvc card and a black or color monochrome printer ribbon, you will save a lot of money in printer ribbons. A typical monochrome ribbon costs around $20-30 and yields about 1,000 cards! Compare that to your standard color ribbon which costs anywhere from 50.00 on up and yields about 200-500 prints per ribbon depending on the printer. Read the rest of this entry »
To keep your print head safe and your ID’s looking great, there are some simple but very important guidelines for handling your PVC Cards. I have compiled a list of the tips I always share with our customers during installation and training of any new ID system. I have also noticed that a lot of people who already have a photo ID system are unaware of these tips, often times because they have “inherited” the ID system with their new job position or they have acquired their system online and are “Self Taught.” What ever your reason is for not having heard about the best ways to handle your PVC cards may be, after reading the following guide you will be a PVC card expert!
The first thing you will notice when unpacking a new box of PVC cards (besides how heavy they are) is that they are shrink wrapped, usually in packs of 100 cards. If you have just purchased PVC cards (or acquired them) and they are not shrink wrapped for any reason, I would strongly recommend returning them and never using them in your ID card printer. The reason being that PVC card printers are sensitive to dust and other particles that can damage the small pixels on the print head that come into contact with the PVC Card. PVC cards are also usually positively static charged and act like a magnet at attracting dust etc. It is a lot cheaper to use high quality, clean PVC cards than to replace a damaged print head. Read the rest of this entry »
Blank PVC ID Card Stock
