ID Card Stock and SmartCards

Basic Stock	Magnetic Stripe	Proximity	SmartCard Solutions
PVC or blended material, usually the size of credit card. Used for visual identification.	This well-established technology is used in industries with low- to medium-data storage needs.	Read-only devices that communicate using an antennae embedded in the card.	For the most advanced security options including data storage and biometric info.
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Basic Card Stock

The most basic cards are made of 100% PVC, or 60/40 PVC/Polyester blend and are the size and thickness of standard credit cards. These cards can be manufactured in white or any color under the rainbow. They are cut out of large plastic sheets and left as thin wafers. They can be layered, encapsulating proximity wires. "Smart" (microprocessor or memory) chips. Magnetic stripes may be embedded into or adhered to the card surface for added security or functionality.

The standard credit card size and thickness is called "CR-80;" the dimensions are 3.375" x 2.125" (85.6mm x 54mm). For added visibility and data area, look to oversized cards. Oversized cards are called "CR-90" (3.63" x 2.37"/92mm x 60mm) and "CR-100" (3.88" x 2.63"/98.5mm x 67mm).

Suggested Uses:

Magnetic Stripe Cards

Magnetic stripe cards are simply PVC cards with either black or brown stripes on them made up of magnetic particles of resin.

Brown stripes are generally low-coercivity (LoCo), while black stripes are high-coercivity cards (HiCo). Coercivity is the ability of the magnetic stripe to resist demagnetization. The higher the coercivity, the harder it is to encode (and erase) information from the stripe.

Magnetic stripe cards can be both printed and encoded in a printer/encoder equipped with a magnetic head.

There are several ranges of magnetic stripe card readers that read clock/data and weigand information. They can also have a key pad attached for added security. Different types of readers are used to read either single or multiple tracks of magnetic stripe cards.

Suggested Uses:

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Proximity Cards

A proximity card (also known as prox card) provides greater security than a magnetic stripe, whose data is vulnerable to strong magnetic fields or decoding.

Proximity cards communicate through an internal antenna similar to contactless smart cards except that they are read-only devices that generally have a greater range of operation. The range of operation for proximity cards is typically from 2.5" to 20" (63.5mm to 508mm) depending on the reader.

Prox cards continue to grow in popularity because of the convenience they offer in security, identification, and access control applications, especially door access where fast, hands-free operation is preferred.

Proximity cards are available in both ISO thickness cards from .027" to .033" (.6858mm to .8382mm) and "clamshell" cards from .060" to over .070" thick (1.524mm to over 1.778mm).

Proximity readers come in a wide variety of different read ranges from 1.0" to 24" depending on the type of credential you present. They also offer an optional, fully integrated PIN keypad for heightened security.

Suggested Uses: Access Control, Security Identification

SmartCard Solutions

In just a few short years, the use of ID card systems have expanded from relatively simple visual security systems to more sophisticated security systems for door access, indoor and outdoor applications and asset tracking.

By adding combined security technology of magstripe, proximity, and biometrics, SmartCards are becoming more popular for advanced security and added functionality. SmartCard technology provides: Authentic identification Store and transfer a significant amount of information Tamper resistant cards Machine readable formats Accurate processing Data storage and processing from a central database Call 1-800-325-5260 for more information on using SmartCard Technology for added security at your facility.

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