A PVC card fits neatly into the folds of your wallet, slips seamlessly into a back pocket, or hangs conveniently from a custom or branded lanyards. But it’s more than the real estate it takes up on your person.
This plastic identification card is a powerful security tool used in a wide variety of industries — from construction to education, retail, healthcare, and more.
On the surface, they’re a simple identification system that reliably controls access to confidential sites, facilities, and information. But there’s a lot more behind a typical PVC card.
If you’re planning on purchasing a security system, or upgrading your current printer machine, keep scrolling. Here, you’ll learn more about what they can do for your business.
PVC Cards: Defined
If you were to ask, what are PVC ID cards, then part of this question finds its answer in Polyvinyl Chloride. It’s one of the most wildly manufactured materials today. Some 40 million tons of it is produced each year.
PVC has a wide application, finding form in a variety of construction materials (such as piping, doors and windows) and household items (such as non-food coverings and bottles).
In terms of your security system, PVC is a relatively inexpensive material that creates durable, flexible, and versatile ID badges. A PVC card makes it easy to print text, photographs, and graphics you need to verify owner’s identity.
How a PVC ID Card Works
Although PVC ID card paper is a low-cost item, it can house advanced identification technology. You have the option of choosing badges equipped with encrypted magnetic stripes, electronic chips, or contactless readers to control access to locations and data.
Contactless badges, or proximity cards, rely on RFID technology to transmit data electronically to a reader for verification. If the data matches the information programmed into the reader, the cardholder will gain access to a location or piece of equipment.
Badges with magnetic stripes or electronic chips share the same kind of information, but they need physical contact with a card reader to verify and authorize a person’s identity.
Where to Print PVC Cards
Outsourcing this task doesn’t make sense; it takes time for another company to receive and process your request — time you can’t waste if you need to print employee and visitor badges at a moment’s notice.
An in-house PVC card printer puts the power in your hands, making it possible for your HR or reception team to issue ID badges as needed. It also helps you manage the cost of this task, as you won’t have to pay a servicing charge to customize blank PVC cards.
ID Badges Provide a Quick Visual Security
Regardless of what tech powers a PVC card, it provides visual security for your business. When you make it so every employee and visitor must wear an ID badge, it’s easy for your security personnel to spot anyone who doesn’t belong.
You can maximize the visual security of these cards by going above and beyond a person’s name and picture. Customized holographic imprint, watermark, and high-resolution graphics make it harder for anyone to fake your ID badges.
What starts as a set of blank PVC cards ends with a sophisticated security system. Now that you understand the basics behind what they are and how they work, get in touch with an ID card system provider to discuss how you can improve PVC cards to protect your business.
