The plastic cards are generally made up of PVC which is polyvinyl chloride. This is the main plastic material in the card. When in its pure state, this substance is hard and rigid. As a result, it may break easily. Hence, to provide the required flexibility to the card, PVC is used in combination with other substances.

The procedure through which the plastic materials go through results in different qualities of cards. Before understanding these qualities, it is important to understand the production process for a card.

Production process

The plastic material is converted into thin sheets. These are then layered one over another. Generally, there are 3-7 layers in a card. The layers use strong adhesives in combination with heat to hold themselves together. Such cards may not work properly. The card thus formed gets its final shape in the manufacturing facility.

Another procedure which some of the manufacturers apply is that of injection molding. Here, the excessive force molds out the plastic material into a card. This technique is similar to the one many toy manufacturers use.

Having discussed the process of producing these cards, here are the different qualities of cards available.

Platen lamination cards

Here, the card goes through a machine that provides heat and pressure to it. Due to the high degree of heat and pressure, the card gets a two-sided lamination. This ensures that the layers of the card remain together. The lamination also allows the print to remain intact on the card.

This method of making cards is the best in the industry. It produces the highest quality of the card. However, it also involves the highest cost.

Roll lamination cards

Unlike the previous method, the cards do not go through heat and pressure. Instead, an adhesive is applied in between the layers. This results in a weak hold between them. The layers may split apart with time. Hence, these cards have a shorter life than the previous ones.

Cards with UV coating

This type of card lacks any lamination. Instead, it has a UV coating. Such coating protects the cards at a low cost. Though they are not as durable as the other two, they are best for businesses requiring a specific type of plastic cards for a short period.

Surface printed cards

These cards are of the lowest quality. They mainly serve the one-time use requirements.

Which one to choose

It is important to understand that the best quality card will not always prove to be the best option for you. Depending upon your requirements, you may need to have different quality cards at different times.

For example, where you need a card for a short period, paying a high price for the platen laminated cards would not be a wise choice. This is because the long life of the cards will not be of any use for you. Instead, cards with UV coating may serve your purpose better. On the other hand, membership cards generally require frequent use. Also, they must have long durability. To achieve this purpose, the platen lamination cards would be the most suitable option.

Maintaining the quality of cards

The different qualities of cards discussed above have their utility. However, if they do not match the required criteria of a particular quality, it would not be wise to use such cards. For example, if the platen lamination cards do not get sufficient heat and pressure, they may not hold the layers properly. Such cards will not serve their main purpose of being durable. One should avoid poor-quality cards like those. To prevent such mistakes, regular inspection and quality checks are important.

Also, the data present in the card should be intact. Any compromise with these data may result in a huge loss to the company.

Harmful effects of these cards

Since these are made up of PVC, they release toxic substances when destroyed. This has also led many to search for other alternatives to manufacture cards. The PET is another type of plastic that contains characteristics similar to that of PVC. However, they do not release toxic substances when destroyed.

It doesn’t matter whether your card has a lamination or not. Nor does it matter whether it has a UV coating or not. If you choose your card wisely as per your requirement, it will surely serve your purpose.