A
Access Control Card – Plastic cards that are used for acquiring┬áaccess to specified┬áareas, typically┬áassociated with the use magnetic stripe and proximity card technology.
B
Bar Code – An assortment┬áof┬ábars and spaces arranged in accordance with┬áinternational standards to represent numbers, letters and other commonly understood values of information.
Bleeds – Artwork or images that extends beyond the boundary of the card’s actual size.
C
CR50 Card – A card size which is typically associated with luggage tags.┬á(3 1/2″ x 2 3/32″ x .020).
CR80 Card – A card size which is associated with dimensions of a standard credit card.┬á(3 3/8″ x 2 1/8″ x .030).
D
Dye Sublimation – A method for transferring controlled amounts┬áof printer ribbon dye onto a plastic card. This method is used in thermal printing.
E
Encoding – The process of writing┬áinformation on magnetic stripe or smart card chip technology.
F
Font – The specified size and design of a┬ácharacter set (alphabet and numerals).
Four Color Process (YMCK) – Printing in full color using four color distinctions┬á- Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black. When these four colors are blended in various combinations┬áthey can reproduce the widest range of colors found in nature with the fewest inks.
Fulfillment – The process by which the card is metered and delivered to the post office. Personalization options are available.
G
Gift Card – Stored values of information are┬áplaced on the card using the magnetic strip or bar code. Gift cards can come in┬áStandard CR80 size or another custom size.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) – This is a┬ábitmap image file. Though it has beneficial application, it┬áis not recommended for print production due to limitations in color.
H
Hanger Card – A CR80 sized card that is attached to and hung┬áfrom a display by a piece of plastic.
Hologram – A photographic overlay┬áthat provides a three-dimensional attribute to a card’s┬ásurface, typically┬áused for aesthetic and security purposes.
I
ID Card – A card that is worn by an individual to provide proof of identity.
J
JPEG – A commonly used form of image compression file which can be opened in a variety of┬áprograms.
K
Key Card - Similar to an access control card and is used to gain access to specified areas, typically associated with the use magnetic stripe and proximity card technology.
L
Lamination – The process of laminating and ID card by way of┬átime, heat and pressure.
Loyalty Card – ┬áA card that offers┬áoff line accounting for functionality┬ásuch as merchandise purchases or tracking┬ámileage. Available in standard CR80 or other custom sizes.
M
Machine-Readable – A characters or codes that are readable by machines.
Magnetic Stripe – A strip of magnetic material that is applied to┬áthe surface of a card, used to encode a cardholder’s information.
P
Personalization – The process of programming or encoding a card with information that is┬áspecific to the┬áindividual cardholder.
Phone Card – A card with stored value for pre-paid long distance calling.
Point of Sales (PoS) – The system that is┬áused to process transactions.
PDF (Portable Document Format) – A file format that was created for document layouts┬áand┬áis┬ánot the ideal format for imaging.
Prepay – Permits and individual┬áto purchase┬ágoods or services up to the prepaid amount.
Proximity Card – A┬áform of contactless smart card used primarily for access control functions with technology that includes a┬ámetallic antenna coil.┬áThe coil communicates with an external antenna to transmit information.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – One of the materials used for plastic cards, used┬áin thermal printers.
R
Resolution – Dimension of a bitmap image’s smallest elements and is┬átypically┬ástated as dots-per-inch (dpi). In terms of┬áprinting clear images, 300 dpi is the minimum standard.
S
Safe Design Area – This is .125ΓÇ¥ from the edge of the card. This is the area on a card where┬áimages or other information is safe from being cut off during printing.
Signature Stripe - A strip, typically placed on the back of in ID card, where an individual can write their signature.
Smart Card – A plastic ID card that can store a cardholder’s information within an embedded microchip.
Y
YMC – (Yellow, Magenta, Cyan) Refers to a three color ink ribbon that is used to print a full spectrum of colors. This is similar to the YMCK ribbon, except it does not contain the Black (K) panel.