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Other Factors to Consider: Lamination - Most paper
cards can be designed either with or without lamination on
the front and/or back of the card. Some laminates can be laser printed and
others cannot, but all lamination adds to the overall cost of the card.
Lamination is generally used to either improve the durability of the card,
to protect the printed information, or both.
Barcoding and Mag Stripes - As
mentioned above, Magnetic Stripes are typically not available for laser
applications, as cards that are rigid enough to support a Mag Stripe are far
too thick to pass through a laser printer. A LaserWell card, for example, is about 7 mil thick (1 mil = 1/1,000th
of an inch), while the standard for non-laser plastic cards is 30 mil. The
most common alternative to the Mag Stripe is to use a printed bar code
instead, as there is no particular thickness or rigidity requirement to
accommodate a bar code. Therefore, any of the cards described above can be
successfully barcoded.
Unique Shapes and Sizes – Standard
ID cards are the same size as a basic credit card – 3 3/8” x 2 1/8” with
rounded corners. Occasionally, however, clients request different sized
“cards” for their applications. If your application calls for
something other than a standard sized ID Card, there may be a stock die or
layout that will work for you, and we can also create custom shapes and
sizes as needed.
Based
on the number of different styles outlined above, for many of our customers
who come to us looking for ID and Membership Cards, the experience is often
not as straightforward as they anticipated. “I had no idea there were so
many options to choose from!” is a common refrain, and with all the options
to consider, it’s little wonder. Once they get over the initial shock,
however, we find that simply answering a few basic questions makes the
decision a much easier one.
What is your budget? Needless to say, some products cost more than others. If you are
operating with a strict budget, that alone may determine which ID Card will
work best for you. When possible, however, we find that clients have more
success when they let the application dictate which product they choose.
What is the application? How the
card will ultimately be used is one of the best indicators for which type of
ID Card to choose. For example, if the card is being used as a coupon or a
temporary gym membership, a paper card might be satisfactory, whereas a
student ID or a health insurance card would probably require something more
durable.
What kind of information will be printed on the card?
We once had a client order cards that were being given to patients who had
pacemakers, and that contained information about where to call in the event
of a problem with the device. If you were having an issue with your
pacemaker, how would you like to pull the card form your wallet, only to
find that the toner had scraped off enough to render the emergency telephone
number illegible?
How long will the card need to last?
Is the card for one-time use, or will it be re-used over and over again?
Are new cards issued each semester, or is it a 3–year membership card?
Answering questions like these will help determine whether a plain paper, a
laminated paper or a plastic card should be used.
What type of laser printer is being used?
Some cards may work better than others in certain pieces of equipment. No
matter which card you think is best suited for your application, we always
recommend that the card be tested in the equipment that will be used to
print it.
Now
that we’ve got you good and scared about the prospect of having to purchase
a product with so many different available options, here’s the good news.
The Relyco sales team has been trained to guide you through the process,
asking the necessary questions, gathering information and providing product
samples for you to evaluate.
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