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For the production of plastic cards, special high-tech printing equipment is used. At the initial stage of production, professional specialists are engaged in the development of product design. This process has its own specifics, therefore, specialists involved in the development of the appearance of a plastic card have in their arsenal a large store of knowledge and skills that they use in practice. When developing a card design, professional specialists take into account many nuances that will fully satisfy the wishes of the customer.
Pre-press stage
At this stage, using special equipment, film photo leads are made, with their further development on plates made of iron. They will be applied during offset printing. In addition, they prepare plastic or paper of the required size. In the production procedure of the product, various ways of displaying the desired pattern are used.
Image application methods
Offset printing
At the moment, this method is one of the most common. This trend is due to the high quality, low price and short period of time spent during the application of the image. In the production procedure in this method, a UV ink must be used. Models of printing mechanisms must be equipped with an additional block designed for drying. The technologies for creating lacquered and laminated plastic cards are different. In the production of a laminated card, sheet-fed printing is used, and in the production of a lacquered card, single-piece printing is used. Thanks to offset printing, it is possible to apply various protective elements to the surface of a plastic card. The implementation of security elements can be expressed in the form of applying information in a micro font,
Sublimation Printing
This method of manufacturing printed products uses sublimation printers. The main advantage of this method is the ability to display information in a small print run, without a preparatory stage. However, sublimation printing also has significant disadvantages, which include low quality of the printed design and high cost. Most often, this type of printing is used when drawing images on identification plastic cards. Silk-screen printing and hot stamping are among the rarest types of printing on a plastic card.
Silk screen printing
To apply a pattern to a product using this method, a special mesh is used that has the desired pattern. A coloring substance is rolled through the mesh, and the necessary image is obtained on printed products. In its structure, the mesh resembles silk, which is why the print got its name.
Hot foil stamping
In this way of displaying the picture, special presses are used. The foil heated to a high temperature is transferred through a cliche to a plastic card by means of strong mechanical pressure. This printing method allows for a flawless metallic sheen in various colors.
Protective coating of plastic cards
After printing the image, a protective layer is applied to the card. It can be applied using the following methods:
In the lamination process, special presses are used in which plastic layers are sintered. Due to this effect, a protective coating is formed on the surface of the card. In a typical card, there are four layers of protective coating. One of the layers of protective plastic is used to protect the image of the front side of the card, the other layer contains the image of the front side of the card, the third layer contains the image of the back side of the card, and the last layer protects the image of the back side of the card. In addition, with the help of lamination, a microchip and a contactless antenna can be placed inside a printed product. The varnishing process consists in applying ultraviolet varnish to the surface of the product. This method is preferred for small print runs. In most cases, the best way to cover cards is
Cutting the card
At this stage of production, marks are made on the sheet in the right places using optical sensors with precise positioning. An impact punching die is then used. The production of high quality cards is ensured through the use of innovative modern technology.
Card identification
The next stage of product development is to personalize the issued plastic card. The production process itself depends on the requirements of the customer. If the products are intended for quick payment or lotteries, a scratch-panel or pin code is used for identification. In cases where the card is issued to automate various processes, a bar code is applied to the product. There are different types of barcodes. Embossing is often used if the products are designed for banking institutions, clubs, cards with a discount. Embossing is a procedure for applying data to products using mechanical extrusion. One of the most common ways to identify a card is to use a magnetic stripe. The magnetic stripe contains a small amount of information. Usually, the encoded information stores the card number and the client's personal data. Often they apply a magnetic stripe on the cards of banking institutions and transport companies
It is not uncommon for a standard panel to be applied to the card, in which the client signs up. This panel is placed in a specific area on the product and looks like a small white square window compared to the card. This identification method is very effective and has a high level of security. It is used mainly by banking institutions and cards that provide the client with a discount when purchasing a product or service. Numbering of plastic cards is rather rare. The product looks like a product of a dark color, which contains a changeable number. This identification method has become widespread in discount cards.
It is not necessary to know the remaining stages of the production of plastic cards thoroughly, it is enough to have a superficial understanding of them. These stages include the production of packaging, quality control and delivery of products to the final consumer.
Pre-press stage
At this stage, using special equipment, film photo leads are made, with their further development on plates made of iron. They will be applied during offset printing. In addition, they prepare plastic or paper of the required size. In the production procedure of the product, various ways of displaying the desired pattern are used.
Image application methods
Offset printing
At the moment, this method is one of the most common. This trend is due to the high quality, low price and short period of time spent during the application of the image. In the production procedure in this method, a UV ink must be used. Models of printing mechanisms must be equipped with an additional block designed for drying. The technologies for creating lacquered and laminated plastic cards are different. In the production of a laminated card, sheet-fed printing is used, and in the production of a lacquered card, single-piece printing is used. Thanks to offset printing, it is possible to apply various protective elements to the surface of a plastic card. The implementation of security elements can be expressed in the form of applying information in a micro font,
Sublimation Printing
This method of manufacturing printed products uses sublimation printers. The main advantage of this method is the ability to display information in a small print run, without a preparatory stage. However, sublimation printing also has significant disadvantages, which include low quality of the printed design and high cost. Most often, this type of printing is used when drawing images on identification plastic cards. Silk-screen printing and hot stamping are among the rarest types of printing on a plastic card.
Silk screen printing
To apply a pattern to a product using this method, a special mesh is used that has the desired pattern. A coloring substance is rolled through the mesh, and the necessary image is obtained on printed products. In its structure, the mesh resembles silk, which is why the print got its name.
Hot foil stamping
In this way of displaying the picture, special presses are used. The foil heated to a high temperature is transferred through a cliche to a plastic card by means of strong mechanical pressure. This printing method allows for a flawless metallic sheen in various colors.
Protective coating of plastic cards
After printing the image, a protective layer is applied to the card. It can be applied using the following methods:
- Lamination;
- Varnishing.
In the lamination process, special presses are used in which plastic layers are sintered. Due to this effect, a protective coating is formed on the surface of the card. In a typical card, there are four layers of protective coating. One of the layers of protective plastic is used to protect the image of the front side of the card, the other layer contains the image of the front side of the card, the third layer contains the image of the back side of the card, and the last layer protects the image of the back side of the card. In addition, with the help of lamination, a microchip and a contactless antenna can be placed inside a printed product. The varnishing process consists in applying ultraviolet varnish to the surface of the product. This method is preferred for small print runs. In most cases, the best way to cover cards is
Cutting the card
At this stage of production, marks are made on the sheet in the right places using optical sensors with precise positioning. An impact punching die is then used. The production of high quality cards is ensured through the use of innovative modern technology.
Card identification
The next stage of product development is to personalize the issued plastic card. The production process itself depends on the requirements of the customer. If the products are intended for quick payment or lotteries, a scratch-panel or pin code is used for identification. In cases where the card is issued to automate various processes, a bar code is applied to the product. There are different types of barcodes. Embossing is often used if the products are designed for banking institutions, clubs, cards with a discount. Embossing is a procedure for applying data to products using mechanical extrusion. One of the most common ways to identify a card is to use a magnetic stripe. The magnetic stripe contains a small amount of information. Usually, the encoded information stores the card number and the client's personal data. Often they apply a magnetic stripe on the cards of banking institutions and transport companies
It is not uncommon for a standard panel to be applied to the card, in which the client signs up. This panel is placed in a specific area on the product and looks like a small white square window compared to the card. This identification method is very effective and has a high level of security. It is used mainly by banking institutions and cards that provide the client with a discount when purchasing a product or service. Numbering of plastic cards is rather rare. The product looks like a product of a dark color, which contains a changeable number. This identification method has become widespread in discount cards.
It is not necessary to know the remaining stages of the production of plastic cards thoroughly, it is enough to have a superficial understanding of them. These stages include the production of packaging, quality control and delivery of products to the final consumer.
