With the modern technology we have today, gone are the days where an identification card used to be a piece of paper which was laminated and punched for a clip to be inserted, and a picture of the owner glued to the paper. In essence, both a laminated identification card and plastic ID cards fulfil the same purpose, which is to identify the person wearing them. There are various reasons why organisations issue ID cards. In hospitals, where patient safety is of paramount importance, ID cards are used to ensure that only qualified practitioners are involved in patient care. In the home care industry ID cards give patients receiving home visits the same reassurance that they are being looked after by a qualified professional. In some industries, such as construction, plastic ID cards are used to display licenses to operate certain machinery or plant and in educational establishments ID cards double as access control and even library cards. The good thing about plastic ID cards is that they are far more durable compared to the traditional paper ID cards which are laminated. These plastic ID cards do not break easily, and in the event that they get wet, they do not disintegrate into soggy mush. Plus, plastic ID cards offer a more formal and sophisticated look and feel to them that regular laminated card cannot match. Modern plastic ID cards can also incorporate additional technology than paper. A magnetic stripe on a plastic ID card can be used to control access to certain areas of a business or organisation. RFID chips can also be incorporated; many businesses use these chips to store "virtual money", allowing their employees to make purchases in staff canteens using their ID cards without the need to carry cash. All it takes to make great looking identification cards from plastic is an ID card printer. Here is a brief description of how plastic ID cards are made. Gather the Data You Need Before printing anything, you need to make sure that you have all the information required about the person who will be using the identification card. For companies and businesses, some may require that the position of the person within the office be indicated in their ID cards, so make sure to note that as well. Taking the time now to make sure that everything is spelled accurately goes a long way in keeping costs down, since it is quite expensive and a waste of resources to keep reprinting ID cards because of typographical errors. Aside from making sure you have all of the information needed from the person who is going to use the ID card, you will also need a scanned copy of a picture of that person. A picture facing the front, staring straight, with no eyeglasses or hairstyles obstructing the face is a great shot. Design the Identification Card This particular step depends on the company or person who will be using the ID cards. Most businesses and organisations already have a style and design in mind, featuring their company, school or university logo and sometimes a template as well. If you are creating a design from scratch, ID production software for use with ID card printers will normally provide pre-designed templates as well as the ability to create your own, allowing you to ensure that your card designs are properly laid out. Printing the Identification Card Once you are satisfied with the style and design that you have prepared for the ID cards you are going to make, it is time to save them onto your computer. Make sure you have a backup copy just in case any unforeseen events should happen. Then, you can begin printing the ID cards. Most desktop ID card printers will print on single cards which are either fed individually into the printer or stacked in a hopper for longer print runs. Protecting the Identification Card Plastic ID cards are pre coated before being placed in the ID card printer so there is no need to laminate them to provide extra protection. If extra durability is required then ID cards can be held in plastic card holders that offer some extra protection against wear and tear. ID card holders can be attached to the person via a lanyard or yo-yo.
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