Photo ID Cards

Photo ID Cards

There are many different ways to print photo ID cards. Each has its own benefits, and its own shortcomings. It is important to talk to knowledgeable salespeople who can give you unbiased information about what these benefits and shortcomings might be.

For example, some photo ID cards are produced by printing directly onto the plastic card itself. Another way to make an image appear on a blank card is to have the image first printed onto a thin film, and have this film then laid onto the card. The image is "sandwiched" between the film and the plastic card. Layering the image this way helps protect it from tampering. It also helps the image last for a very long time.

This process is called "over the edge" printing - because the image does appear to run right off the edges of the blank plastic card, instead of stopping at the edge (and therebye leaving a thin white line around the card's border.)

This method of creating ID cards can also work well when creating "smart cards". Cards which are encrypted with chips are sometimes difficult to print. They can be oddly shaped, making it difficult to send them through a printer smoothly. Printing an image onto film, and then laying that film onto the plastic substrate of the card's surface, guarantees an image that is free of distortion.

Photo ID Cards and Chips

Photo ID cards can be so much more than just a form of identification. Certainly, being able to identify someone is one of the most basic and powerful forms of security. However, photo identification cards can also be used to increase productivity, loyalty and to manage administrative tasks.

When cards are encrypted, they can communicate and help record information about the carrier. For instance, an employee may be asked to swipe his card every time he leaves the factory floor to step outside. These instances are recorded via tracking software onto the factory information system. If the employee is stepping outside for ten minute breaks a few times each hour, the encrypted card is going to record this interesting information.