ID Card Print Processes and Card Features
Dye Sublimation
The quickest and cheapest print option available.
A 300dpi print process, suitable for basic designs. Colour replication is accurate but exact Pantone matching is not possible.
Does not print to the edge so not suitable for cards requiring a full edge to edge background design.
Same day service available on most orders.
Retransfer
Also a 300dpi print process but retransfer offers full edge to edge printing.
A two phase process that works by first printing the full design on to a clear film and then bonding this film to the surface of the card.
Heat and pressure ensure a flawless finish even when printing on uneven surfaces such as smart technology cards.
Digital Printing
Digital printing, at 600dpi, gives a higher quality print than retransfer and dye-sublimation and is a more resilient print.
Digital printing also allows for secure features to be added to the card design such as guilloche/fine line designs, microtext and UV printing, along with secure holograms.
It is available on quantities of 100+ cards.
Allow 14-21 working days for delivery although an expedited service is available at extra cost.
Litho Printing
Litho printed cards offer the most superior finish (1200dpi as opposed to 300dpi for standard desktop card printers), allow for highly intricate designs and can be fully Pantone matched.
They are however only suitable for large print runs and minimum orders start from 1000 cards.
Allow 14-21 working days for delivery although an expedited service is available at extra cost.
Hot Foil
Add a luxury feel, and added security, to your cards with hot foil stamping available in gold or silver.
Suitable for text and block images.
Flexible so won’t crack or split if cards are bent.
Allow 14-21 working days for delivery.
Personalisation
Cards can be personalised in a number of ways including.
Photos Add card holder photos in monochrome or full colour.
Printed Signatures or variable images.
Barcodes & QR Codes Can be positioned anywhere on the card. Printed in black resin for crisp lines and easy scanning.
Personal details Include any details relevant to your organisation such as name, title, access rights and expiry dates.
Rewrite Cards
Rewrite cards have a heat sensitive surface that changes colour (available in black or blue) when ‘printed’ with a special rewrite printer.
The text or image printed can be removed with the reapplication of heat via the printer, leaving the card blank and ready to be printed again.
Cards can also be printed in full colour in any of the above formats.
Smart technology rewrite cards also available.
Environmentally Friendly Cards
Biodegradable cards Look and perform exactly the same as standard white cards but naturally degrade over a 3 year period when composted.
Security Features
Card forgeries are on the increase due to the growing number and reduced cost of card printers. Card issuers battle against forgeries and card copiers but these can be avoided by introducing simple security features in to card design. Depending on the level of security required, there are a range of printing techniques that can be used
Smart Cards
We can supply, print and encode a variety of contact and contactless smart technology cards including MIFARE®, HID, Paxton, PAC, TDSi and Cotag, to work with whatever on-site systems you require such as access control, cashless catering, print & copy release or library management.
We also offer MIFARE® chip serial number (CSN) capture and sector encoding/encryption and can supply this information back to you for integration in to your own systems.
Teslin Cards & Fobs
TESLIN® substrate is a synthetic paper material, which provides superior strength over standard PVC cards, plus stronger lamination secures data and prolongs the life of the card. The lamination material bonds into the card as opposed to sitting on top of the surface.
Print and data is further protected through the inks being locked in to the card surface(as opposed to being printed on top).
The flexibility of TESLIN® helps to protect mag stripes and built in card electronics in addition to dissipating static.
Can be cut to any shape or size.
Print on Demand
This service is ideal for organisations that need personalised cards for new members or replacements for lost cards on an ad hoc basis.
Rather than having to own the printing equipment yourself, or wait until you have a large quantity to print, you can send us your requirements as you need them.
We hold your design on file and as and when you require a card, just email us the details and we’ll print the new cards and post them out to you.
Get a Quote
In order to speed up your enquiry, please provide us with as much information as possible such as:
- How many cards you would like and how quickly you need them.
- Then give us as much information as possible about the type of card you’re trying to produce, what and how long it will be used for, and what you would like to be printed on the card.
- Also let us know about any encoding or security features required, such as chip encoding, mag stripe encoding or barcodes and scratch off panels.
- We’ll then get back to you within 24 hours with a quote or we’ll be in touch within 2 hours if we need any more information.