Glossary

Graphics in a digital format to work with computer design and imaging applications.

Cards with cash value can be provided to consumers or employees as a reward or value-added benefit. In addition, cards are effective cross-promotional tools between interrelated businesses.

Raised letters or numbers usually tipped in either black or gold foil.

A device used to encode data (write) onto the magnetic stripe.
The process of electronically “writing” information on magnetic stripes or smart card chips.

A designated character in an encoding character set which is used to identify the end of a data field, and cannot be used for data.

A designated character in an encoding character set which is used to separate data fields, and cannot be used for data.

Hot stamp printing is achieved by using pressure and heat to affix colored foil in to the plastic surface.

A character set (alphabet and numerals) of a specified design and size.

Printing in full color using four color separation negatives: yellow, magenta, cyan and black. When blended, these four colors reproduce only a small portion of all the colors found in nature, but they can reproduce the widest range with the fewest inks when printing.

The process by which the card is matched to a letter, inserted into an envelope, metered and delivered to the post office. Personalization is available using several different methods along with continuous form equipment or individual piecework.

Standard or custom size CR80 card. Stored value is placed on the card through magnetic striping or bar coding.

A bitmap image file that is not recommended for print production due to its color limitations.

Dot system of color photo’s to black and white.

A CR80 card that is attached to a piece of plastic which can hang from a display.

Usually refers to 2750 or 4000 forested magnetic stripe. 2750 is the recognized ISO standard for transaction cards. 4000 is used primarily in custom narrow stripe read write applications.

A unique photographic printing that provides a three-dimensional effect on a flat surface. Holograms cannot be easily copied and are used for security and aesthetic purposes on cards.

Numbers and or letters imaged below or above the barcode that represent the data encoded in the bar code.

Card which identifies both the bearer and the issuer. All financial transaction cards are I.D. cards.

A hardware and software system used to obtain and save personal data and cardholder photographic images.

An individual or organization that issues identification cards to individual or corporate cardholders.

A very common form of image compression file used. This type of file may be opened in many programs.

Plastic card used to gain access to premises, usually associated with magnetic stripe and proximity cards.

The process of combining lamination material and core material using time, heat and pressure.

Most common process for plastic card printing based on the concept that oil and water are not compatible. The ink represents the oil and the alkaline fountain solution represents the water. These are the two main components which must interact during the printing process, allowing the ink to adhere to the image area of a printing plate while the fountain solution repels the ink from the non-image area.

Standard (CR80) or custom size card that have off line accounting for capabilities such as mileage or merchandise purchases.

Usually refers to 300 oersted magnetic stripe.

A code or characters that can be read by machines.

Magnetic material, applied as a strip in the surface of a card, used to encode cardholder information.

The electromechanical device used to extract data from a previously encoded magnetic stripe.

Usually a club member card for ID purpose.

A type of smart card, also known as an asynchronous card. Features 1 kilobyte to 64 Kbytes of memory and is suitable for portable or confidential files, identification, tokens, electronic purse or any combination of uses.

The unit of measure for corsivity. The values 300OE, 2750OE, etc. refer to the magnetic energy to erase the stripe.

A thin transparent layer applied to cards to resist scratching and fading from exposure to UV radiation.

Printing encoding and programming a card with data specific to an individual cardholder.

A stored value card that allow the user to access pre-paid long distance. The long distance is generally accessed via a PIN number (stored value), which is usually covered by a scratch-off panel for security.

Personal Identification Number.

Pantone Matching System used by printers for color standardization.

Point of Sale. The term also refers to two types of terminals used in retail stores: (a) A terminal with magnetic stripe reader, keyboard, display and auto dialer modem, connected to the telephone network and used for on-line credit/debit authorization; (b) A more complex terminal including the above features less modem, connected to a host computer, which handles all transaction processing including item price look-up, data collection, and credit/debit authorization.

A card paid for at Point of Sale, permitting the holder to buy goods or services up to the prepaid value.

Complete art file that is ready to be put into production.

Short for Proximity card; a form of contact-free smart card used for access control applications. Embedded in the card is a metallic antenna coil, which allows it to communicate with an external antenna. Because the cards require only close “proximity” to a RF antenna to be read, they are also referred to as contactless cards.

Polyvinyl Chloride. The primary material used for typical plastic cards.

A device used to read data encoded on the magnetic stripe.

Dimension of the smallest element of an image that can be printed. Usually stated as dots-per-inch (dpi).

The printable area in which important information or images will be safe from being cut off, usually .125” from the edge of the plastic card

Applying a destructible top coating covering printed data to conceal from public viewing (similar to a lottery ticket).

Applying a destructible top coating covering printed data to conceal from public viewing (similar to a lottery ticket).

Determined by percentage of colors.

The area of an I.D. card where the cardholder enters a signature.

Also called a “chip” card or IC card. A plastic card with an embedded microchip, which may be used to store information about the cardholder or record card transactions as they occur.

A designated character in an encoding character set which is used to identify the start of a data field, and cannot be used for data.

A designated character in an encoding character set which is used to identify the start of a data field, and cannot be used for data.

A durable plastic substrate made predominately of silica manufactured by PPG Industries.

The process of creating an image on a plastic card using a heated print head.

A strip of specified width and location running the length of the magnetic stripe on which data is encoded. ANSI/ISO standards define three track locations for the magnetic stripe on credit/financial cards, called Track 1, 2 and 3; the tracks are 0.110″ wide, with Track 1 closest to the card edge.