One of the most common and simplest ways to make plastic cards is the “puff pie” method. Today, this method is used to produce up to 99% of discount, club and other cards for personal and corporate use. The card consists of four firmly and permanently connected layers: the bottom laminate, the bottom plastic with the reverse image, the upper plastic with the front image, and the upper laminate. All layers together form a standard 0.76 mm card that meets all international standards for plastic cards. This method can be used to make almost any card with any functionality.
Sintering. Sintering and simultaneous lamination takes place in a press laminator, while all layers are firmly connected to each other, forming a monolithic workpiece. The layers are stacked as follows: laminate sheet with glue side up (glossy side), plastic with the reverse side of the card facing down, plastic with the front side facing up, laminate with glue side down. Several such "puff pies" are made, depending on the model of the press-laminator, and they are separated by metal plates included in the kit for the laminator. This is called a press laminator tab. The sintering of the bookmark takes about 10 minutes.
Cutting down. The sintered workpieces must be cut out to fit the standard format of a plastic card 54x86 mm. For these purposes, there are manual and electric cutters. This stage completes the block of mandatory operations for the production of cards, and the card can already be used for its intended purpose. Additional operations exist to increase functionality and improve the appearance of the card.
Embedding. Embossing is the process of extruding characters onto the surface of a card. This operation is used as an additional personalization of a plastic card, which allows, after sintering, to put on it a number, surname, first name, expiration date, etc. The extruded characters cannot be changed in any way. The embossed card looks much more solid and expensive, giving an additional image of the company.
Tipping. Tipping is the coloring of symbols embossed on the card. For staining, a special plastic foil is used. The technology is similar to hot stamping, when a heated press presses the foil to the object, painting the surfaces in contact with it. Colored symbols become easy to read and give a finished look to the plastic card.
Application of a strip for the signature of a scratch-sticker. Often the owner's signature is used to personalize a plastic card. It is impossible to write on ordinary plastic with a simple ballpoint or gel pen, therefore it is necessary to apply a special rough layer on the required area of the plastic card - a signature strip.
Encoding and reading. Coding is necessary to enter information on a plastic card. Reading is necessary to read information from the card.
Package. To ensure that plastic cards do not become scratched and do not lose their presentation during transportation and before they are delivered to the final consumer, they are packed in individual plastic bags.
In our catalog you will find everything you need for the production of plastic cards.
For manufacturing you will need:
- A computer
- Jet printer
- CISS, ink
- Sheet plastic
- Press laminator
- Laminate for plastic cards
- Cutter
- Embosser
- Tipper and foil (optional)
- Signature strip and scratch-off stickers
- Encoder and reader or universal encoder-reader
- Sachets
The process of making plastic cards:
Seal. The image for the future card is printed on an ordinary inkjet printer with water or pigment ink. Printing is done on plastic sheets. The plastic has two sides - one for printing the image (matte, rough), the other has an adhesive layer. The front and back are printed on two different sheets of plastic.Sintering. Sintering and simultaneous lamination takes place in a press laminator, while all layers are firmly connected to each other, forming a monolithic workpiece. The layers are stacked as follows: laminate sheet with glue side up (glossy side), plastic with the reverse side of the card facing down, plastic with the front side facing up, laminate with glue side down. Several such "puff pies" are made, depending on the model of the press-laminator, and they are separated by metal plates included in the kit for the laminator. This is called a press laminator tab. The sintering of the bookmark takes about 10 minutes.
Cutting down. The sintered workpieces must be cut out to fit the standard format of a plastic card 54x86 mm. For these purposes, there are manual and electric cutters. This stage completes the block of mandatory operations for the production of cards, and the card can already be used for its intended purpose. Additional operations exist to increase functionality and improve the appearance of the card.
Embedding. Embossing is the process of extruding characters onto the surface of a card. This operation is used as an additional personalization of a plastic card, which allows, after sintering, to put on it a number, surname, first name, expiration date, etc. The extruded characters cannot be changed in any way. The embossed card looks much more solid and expensive, giving an additional image of the company.
Tipping. Tipping is the coloring of symbols embossed on the card. For staining, a special plastic foil is used. The technology is similar to hot stamping, when a heated press presses the foil to the object, painting the surfaces in contact with it. Colored symbols become easy to read and give a finished look to the plastic card.
Application of a strip for the signature of a scratch-sticker. Often the owner's signature is used to personalize a plastic card. It is impossible to write on ordinary plastic with a simple ballpoint or gel pen, therefore it is necessary to apply a special rough layer on the required area of the plastic card - a signature strip.
Encoding and reading. Coding is necessary to enter information on a plastic card. Reading is necessary to read information from the card.
Package. To ensure that plastic cards do not become scratched and do not lose their presentation during transportation and before they are delivered to the final consumer, they are packed in individual plastic bags.
In our catalog you will find everything you need for the production of plastic cards.
