Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Methods Used While Printing On Plastic Cards

By Nita McKinney


Globally, printing on plastic cards has become more popular since many companies and institutions prefer using them for several purposes. One can therefore print a membership card, business card, loyalty card, gift card, key access card, identity card, and fund-raising card among others. Preferably, plastic cards are extensively used because they are durable and resistant to water.

The printing and designing of these products is quite a demanding task that poses different challenges to manufacturers. As a result, designers need to implement certain printing tips in order to meet the specific requirements of designing them. This also includes following the international regulations which say that a plastic card is standard when it is 53.92 millimeters to 54.03 millimeters in breadth, 85.47 millimeters to 85.72 millimeters in length, and 0.82 millimeters thick.

There are other regulations which dictate that a credit card should measure 3.375 inches by 2.125 inches, a business card to measure 3.5 inches by 2 inches and a postcard to measure 4 inches by 6 inches. In addition, there are certain factors that should be considered when printing a card. For instance, spot color and four color systems should always be used in the process.

The spot color should therefore be devoted to a specific ink color to print the same color on the card. With the aid of a computer, the spot color system ensures that the color printed on the card is more accurate. Generally, it is claimed that products can be printed on a wide range of substrates such that the plastic gets a stark white quality and warmth.

It is recommended that graphic designers should avoid polishing the card so that the printings remain clear. Instead, they can bump it in order to avoid darkening and erasing the details on the surface. They also need to give an allowance of 0.125 inches to cater for ink bleeds that occur during the process. This also caters for the extra piece needed for die cutting of the card.

Most designers often use different kinds of plastics in their designing work. The major types of plastics used includes the composite laminated plastics and traditional PVC plastics. Most designers prefer using the composite laminated plastics since they are more cheaper than PVC types.

The traditional PVC materials however last longer and have higher quality than the composite laminates. To be effective, there are other designing options that can be carried out in order to improve the quality of the products. These include; bar coding, using different types of lengths, gloss finishing, variable data, magnetic striping, holographic security systems, and tip-on gluing method.

The designing system upgrades the qualities of the card, makes it long lasting and ensures it is according to the concurrent requirements of new technological devices. For instance, gloss finish makes a card durable, while magnetic stripes and holographic security system are detectable to electronic security gadgets. Similarly, these qualities add uniqueness while printing on plastic cards, thereby making it distinguishable from other cards.




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