Security Badges

Security Badges

As with all aspects of the organization or business you support, the decisions you make regarding security badges involve balancing costs and benefits. A fundamental step is determining what purpose you want your security badges to serve. Are they being printed for a one-time event? Do you need to track where the card is being used? Does the card need to carry information about its bearer? Do you need to be able to change this information?

The quality and expense of various security badges depends on many factors. Most PVC ID card manufacturers and distributors sell cards of varying quality. If a card is being printed for a short-term visitor, there is no reason for that card to be the thickest or most durable card available. It's preferable in this instance to print on plastic security badges that are poorer quality but lower cost. The very best ID card is not always the very best choice.

Security Badges and Access

On the other end of the spectrum are security badges which are also intended for access control. Photo ID cards are often usedfor access to secure rooms within law firms, labs, offices and correctional facilities.Users gain access to these secure areas by swiping their cards against a card reader. Staff members and employees may have to swipe their cards dozens of times each day.

This level of abrasion can be very tough on a card. If you need an access card to last more than a few months, you'll need to buy cards that are built to withstand a great deal of punishment. If you purchase lesser quality cards, they are apt to split, fade, fray or crack.

The quality of an ID card affects the cost of that card. Other factors which determine how expensive a card will be are security features. Some cards come with built in security features that make that card particularly hard to duplicate. For example, some cards are designed with holograms built into the layers of the card. The hologram cannot be scratched away or tampered with, because it is pressed within the layers of plastic.