What Is a PVC Card?

A PVC Card is a plastic card that contains several thin layers, although it may look like one solid chunk of plastic. These cards are used for ID purposes and also have other security features.

They offer a wide range of practical benefits. These include durability, a variety of design options, and the ability to add more information.

What is a PVC Card?

When you hear the term “put it on plastic,” it likely brings to mind a credit card swiped at the store or an ID card printed with your employee or student name, photo and contact info. But this tough, PVC-based card can also hold much more important data that helps keep your business or organization secure.

A PVC Card is made up of multiple, thin layers of material molded together into a single, durable ID card. These cards are often used as employee ID badges, membership cards, or even access control credentials at your organization.

Unlike standard paper, which can be easily faked with a home printer and some common household tools, PVC cards are made to withstand a lot of physical wear and tear, making them incredibly difficult to copy or alter without someone noticing the difference. Additionally, these ID cards can include features like holographic visual security technology that helps to deter forgery and other fraudulent activity within your organization.

Aside from being extremely durable, PVC cards are also very cost-effective, allowing you to get high-quality, professionally-printed ID cards for just pennies per card. And for a few pennies more, you can Paper Card purchase composite cards (which are a mix of PVC and polyester) that offer the added durability to handle higher heat settings when printing with retransfer printers or laminating in-house.

PVC Card Types

PVC cards come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, colors and finishes. This allows for the customization of your card to match your organization’s brand standards and security requirements.

For example, some PVC cards are embedded with holographic visual ID technology to make it nearly impossible for impostors to replicate your card’s authentic look and features without your organization noticing the difference. Other security options include magnetic stripes and newer, more high-tech smart chips that can be used to verify a person’s identity remotely and communicate with other systems on the card.

In addition to securing your cards with ID card security features, you can also increase the durability of PVC cards by selecting the right card material for your needs. Standard CR-80 30 mil PVC ID cards are a great option and compatible with most ID card printers on the market. These are a perfect choice for your basic visual ID cards or when you need to print additional information on the card, such as a barcode, serial number or unique photo.

Composite plastic cards, on the other hand, are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and offer a higher brittle strength than PVC. This makes them a great choice for a card that will be frequently swiped through a magnetic stripe reader or when you need to write on and erase your cards multiple times. They are also able to withstand high temperatures that can cause PVC cards to warp or break.

PVC Card Applications

PVC cards are incredibly versatile and have many applications in the workplace. In addition to providing a secure form of ID, PVC cards can also be used to track data and provide a wide range of benefits that help businesses operate more efficiently.

A PVC card is made of a plastic material that makes it more durable than traditional paper Paper Card or cardboard. It can be printed with a variety of information, including the cardholder’s name, photo, and contact details. This information is then stored in a database that can be accessed by staff who need to verify the cardholder’s identity.

These cards can be used by sports clubs, book stores, and gyms to identify members of their club. They can contain a barcode or magnetic stripe that is read by a scanner and integrated into a software program to track information such as attendance.

When it comes to printing PVC cards, the quality of the materials used and the printing method will have a large impact on the card’s usability and durability. A PVC card that is made with only one chunk of plastic may look thick and sturdy, but it will degrade quickly compared to a composite card that contains a bonded layer of different materials. This allows the card to better resist damage from heat and bending.

PVC Card Printers

There are a variety of ID card printers that can print PVC cards. These include digital and retransfer printers. The type of printer that you choose will depend on the needs of your business or organization. For example, if you need only a few basic one-sided PVC ID cards printed for your employees, you can opt for a less expensive model. If you need to print a lot of full color, dual-sided PVC ID cards for your staff, you should consider a higher-end model.

In addition, a premium access card printer can have anti-fraud watermarks and holographic imprints. These features make the cards harder to reproduce and create a professional appearance for your company.

Another consideration when choosing a PVC card printer is the size of the cards that it can print. The most common card size seen in the market is CR80, which is 3.375″ x 2.2125,” or the same width as a standard credit card. Some of the more popular printer brands that can produce this card size include Fargo, Evolis, Magicard, Zebra and Datacard.

A CR79 card is also available, but only a few ID card printers are capable of producing this card size. This card is often used in a number of specialized applications, including a few government departments. It has a smaller format than a CR80 card, but is still a very durable and functional card.