In sheet form, it can be printed using standard color electrophotographic (laser) printers or inkjet printers. It is receptive to conventional offset printing used for high-security designs. Teslin is a synthetic porous material produced by PPG Industries. Composite ID cards are often used for government ID cards that require a longer life.ģ. PVC/PET/PC) to add specific performance characteristics. Manufacturers continue to develop new composite constructions (e.g. It has the same offset printing and card construction characteristics as PVC and can be easily configured with RFID, IC, and contactless technology. The outer layer of the construction is PVC to facilitate digital ID card printing, and the inner core is PET for greater flexibility and durability. Developed initially for the college and university ID card market, ID card constructions combine varying amounts of each material to meet a range of durability requirements and price points. Composite Cards typically combine layers of PVC and PET. PVC is generally the lowest cost of the materials used for ID cards and is primarily used for ID cards with 1 – 3 year durability requirements.Ģ. Material can be printed as pre-cut cards or sheet material (on large digital presses). Although there is a wide quality range of PVC materials, durability is limited for applications with high usage. Low in cost, the smooth surface of photo-quality PVC material accepts dyes for high-quality image printing on ID cards and is compatible with most laminate materials. PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is the most widely used material for plastic blank ID cards, and has been used for photo ID cards for more than 10 years. There is no “best” method, so the technology choices should be carefully evaluated against program requirements, and rigorously tested using the components selected.ġ. There are many trade-offs involved in a decision on the appropriate combination. ID card body or ID card substrate materialĪll three elements must be compatible for a successful ID card printing program and each component impacts the cost, durability, and security of the ID card.There are three major components of this decision: This white paper is intended as a reference for government officials considering technologies available for issuing secure ID cards.

Id card print