Carding Forum
Professional
Just a few years ago, plastic cards with chips were used only in luxury business centers, government organizations, and restricted areas. They guaranteed the highest level of protection from outsiders, because at that time the technology was just beginning to develop.
Today, smart cards are becoming increasingly popular. The main reason is the spread of RFID technology and, accordingly, the reduction in the price of products with chips. But this popularity also has its drawbacks, for example, an insufficient level of protection from fraudsters. It has become much easier to copy information from the module's memory and forge an identifier, so both module manufacturers and manufacturers of the cards with tags themselves are constantly developing new methods of protection.
RFID identifiers are widely used in a variety of fields: from access control systems to loyalty systems, from entrance tickets to room keys. All this became possible due to the multifunctionality of the cards. Mifare and EM-Marine are most often used.
EM-Marine are low-frequency (LF) chips: they operate in the 125 kHz range. The module's memory contains its unique serial number - UID, which is read during identification. It is not copy-protected, so it cannot provide security. Another feature is that the number cannot be rewritten to the chip.
With each identification, the reader receives this number and compares it with the database. If it is there, access is granted, and the guard instantly receives all the information about the card owner. This is why it is important to enter this identifier into the database in advance.
Such RFID cards are suitable for business centers, fitness clubs, etc. They offer fast and convenient verification of guest identity, but do not guarantee protection.
These modules are high-frequency – HF – and operate at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. To read information from these smart cards, you need to bring them to the reader at a distance of up to 10 cm.
An important advantage is that information can be rewritten onto the tags. The module memory is divided into several sectors, each of which contains data, and then access to it is closed using cryptographic keys. Only the reader that stores these keys will be able to obtain the information. This operating principle simultaneously protects the cards from illegal copying and counterfeiting and does not allow outsiders into the enterprise.
Also, with the help of the Mifare identifier, access to different zones is regulated. For example, everyone can enter the office, but only certain employees can enter the production department. This allows, firstly, to keep the company's unique developments secret. Secondly, some production processes may require special knowledge of safety precautions, which not all employees have.
We produce RFID cards with a wide range of Mifare chips. The most suitable option can be selected for each task.
In production, white plastic sheets are used, which are covered with a primer so that the paint sticks to the smooth surface. The front and back sides are printed on these sheets. The chips with the antenna are placed on a separate layer - inlay. The card itself consists of several such parts at once: laminate - front side - inlay - back side - laminate. All this is baked in an oven at a certain temperature.
Laminate layers protect the card from mechanical damage and paint wear even with active use.
The second method is printing on ready-made templates. Such blanks also consist of three layers: inlay + 2 sheets of white plastic. Printing here is done using special printers. But there is one drawback: the paint is not sufficiently resistant to damage (in comparison with the first method).
Our company offers both sheet-by-sheet production and white blanks of proximity cards for printing. Is it possible to print on templates from other manufacturers? Yes, it is possible. Using a special printer, we can apply an image to a “blank”. BUT! It is important that these blanks are perfectly clean and smooth. If there is dust, fingerprints or mechanical damage on them, application will be impossible. Also, the number of templates should be 5-10% more than the print run. This is the necessary reserve for defects and color rendering adjustment.
All this personalization is needed for additional protection of the card from counterfeiting. It will also allow the security system to be gradually transferred, for example, from barcode readers to contactless readers.
Important! Embossing cannot be done on electronic cards. It involves mechanically pressing the number onto the surface. And since the inner layer – the inlay – contains a microcircuit and an antenna, they can be damaged.
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Today, smart cards are becoming increasingly popular. The main reason is the spread of RFID technology and, accordingly, the reduction in the price of products with chips. But this popularity also has its drawbacks, for example, an insufficient level of protection from fraudsters. It has become much easier to copy information from the module's memory and forge an identifier, so both module manufacturers and manufacturers of the cards with tags themselves are constantly developing new methods of protection.
RFID identifiers are widely used in a variety of fields: from access control systems to loyalty systems, from entrance tickets to room keys. All this became possible due to the multifunctionality of the cards. Mifare and EM-Marine are most often used.
Contactless cards EM-Marine
Their undoubted advantage is their low cost. But it is worth considering that they are only suitable for systems that do not require high security.EM-Marine are low-frequency (LF) chips: they operate in the 125 kHz range. The module's memory contains its unique serial number - UID, which is read during identification. It is not copy-protected, so it cannot provide security. Another feature is that the number cannot be rewritten to the chip.
With each identification, the reader receives this number and compares it with the database. If it is there, access is granted, and the guard instantly receives all the information about the card owner. This is why it is important to enter this identifier into the database in advance.
Such RFID cards are suitable for business centers, fitness clubs, etc. They offer fast and convenient verification of guest identity, but do not guarantee protection.
Mifare Smart Cards
The most widely used cards in highly protected systems are those with Mifare chips. They are more expensive, but they cannot be copied.These modules are high-frequency – HF – and operate at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. To read information from these smart cards, you need to bring them to the reader at a distance of up to 10 cm.
An important advantage is that information can be rewritten onto the tags. The module memory is divided into several sectors, each of which contains data, and then access to it is closed using cryptographic keys. Only the reader that stores these keys will be able to obtain the information. This operating principle simultaneously protects the cards from illegal copying and counterfeiting and does not allow outsiders into the enterprise.
Also, with the help of the Mifare identifier, access to different zones is regulated. For example, everyone can enter the office, but only certain employees can enter the production department. This allows, firstly, to keep the company's unique developments secret. Secondly, some production processes may require special knowledge of safety precautions, which not all employees have.
We produce RFID cards with a wide range of Mifare chips. The most suitable option can be selected for each task.
- Mifare Classic – easy to use, but the least secure;
- Mifare Plus – the optimal ratio of price and security level;
- Mifare DESFire – the highest level of protection for maximum security;
- Mifare Ultralight is a convenient chip for specialized systems.
How are they produced?
There are two ways to produce contactless smart cards. The first is sheet printing and the second is printing on templates.In production, white plastic sheets are used, which are covered with a primer so that the paint sticks to the smooth surface. The front and back sides are printed on these sheets. The chips with the antenna are placed on a separate layer - inlay. The card itself consists of several such parts at once: laminate - front side - inlay - back side - laminate. All this is baked in an oven at a certain temperature.
Laminate layers protect the card from mechanical damage and paint wear even with active use.
The second method is printing on ready-made templates. Such blanks also consist of three layers: inlay + 2 sheets of white plastic. Printing here is done using special printers. But there is one drawback: the paint is not sufficiently resistant to damage (in comparison with the first method).
Our company offers both sheet-by-sheet production and white blanks of proximity cards for printing. Is it possible to print on templates from other manufacturers? Yes, it is possible. Using a special printer, we can apply an image to a “blank”. BUT! It is important that these blanks are perfectly clean and smooth. If there is dust, fingerprints or mechanical damage on them, application will be impossible. Also, the number of templates should be 5-10% more than the print run. This is the necessary reserve for defects and color rendering adjustment.
How do they work?
The middle layer, the inlay, is responsible for the operation of the identifiers. It contains a crystal (microcircuit) and an antenna. The tags we are considering, EM-Marine and Mifare, are passive tags, i.e. they do not require an additional power source. As soon as the module enters the reader's field, the antenna creates a current, which powers the microcircuit. Then the reader and the chip exchange information.What kind of personalization is possible?
A contactless card can only be with a chip. But since it differs from a regular plastic card only in thickness – 0.98 mm instead of 0.76 mm, it is also possible to combine other personalization with the module. For example, we apply: a barcode and a QR code, a magnetic strip and a number, a scratch panel and a strip for signature. We can also print a photo of its owner on the card.All this personalization is needed for additional protection of the card from counterfeiting. It will also allow the security system to be gradually transferred, for example, from barcode readers to contactless readers.
Important! Embossing cannot be done on electronic cards. It involves mechanically pressing the number onto the surface. And since the inner layer – the inlay – contains a microcircuit and an antenna, they can be damaged.
Where are they used?
Identifiers are becoming more and more widespread in a wide range of fields of activity. In each of them, they perform many functions.- Access control system passes. In an access control system, this is a convenient identifier that will instantly identify the owner and allow or deny access to the company's territory or department. An employee will only need one card to open the barrier, enter the building, open and close their locker, enter the production area, and even pay for lunch in the canteen.
- Multi-task cards for fitness clubs, swimming pools, etc. Contactless chips allow not only to confirm the identity of clients, but also to work with each of them individually. For example, with the help of the card, you can set up notifications about promotions, account status and subscription renewal. Also, fitness club employees will receive all the information about how often a specific client goes to classes, what he prefers to buy at the bar and who his personal trainer is.
- Loyalty cards. Chips are usually rarely used for discount, bonus cards, gift certificates, etc.: mainly when additional protection is needed, for example, for VIP customer cards. As a rule, modules complement other personalization methods - a barcode, magnetic strip or numbering.
- Business cards. Paper business cards have long been replaced by plastic ones, and now they are often equipped with an NFC chip. What is the advantage? Such business cards are convenient for a large company. Corporate information can be printed on them. But the personal manager's data can be written on the tag. In this case, the client will only need to hold the phone with NFC to the card to receive up-to-date information.
- NFC cards for smartphones. Today, almost every smartphone is a portable reader. If it has the NFC function, it will definitely be able to read tags and most likely write information to them. Smart cards can be part of a board game, a key to a hotel, etc.
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