Choosing a Smart Card Manufacturer
Companies manufacture smart cards with embedded microprocessors and contactless chips for a variety of applications. These include identification cards, mobile phone SIMs, transit tickets and passports.
A smart card communicates with a reader using Application Protocol Data Units (APDUs). These are data bytes that provide commands to and responses from the card.
Identification Cards
ID cards are a great way to provide security and access control for employees, students, and visitors. They can have a variety of features on them, including barcodes, holograms, magstripes, back and front-facing cameras, and fingerprint recognition. When choosing a card printer, it’s important to consider how many cards you want to print each year, what features you need for your specific security systems, and what color options you prefer.
The design of your ID card should reflect the function it will serve. If you need it for building access, make sure to include the cardholder’s photo and any other necessary information. For example, some ID cards contain emergency contact numbers and addresses to ensure the safety of the cardholder and those around them.
You can also choose to add additional security features to the card for extra protection. This may include a hologram overlay that can only be read by special equipment, which makes the card more difficult to counterfeit. Adding lamination is another option for increasing the durability of your ID card and protecting it from damage during daily use or swiping.
Many ID cards are made from polycarbonate plastic because it provides a high level of security and durability. It’s also a good choice for creating ID cards with high-resolution photos. These cards can be customized with a range of personalization features, such as changeable laser images, windows on the card, and positive and negative embossing for tactile recognition.
Bar Code Readers & Keypads
Bar code readers translate the information contained in a barcode into numbers and letters, which can then be interpreted by a computer. They are used in a variety of businesses to improve efficiency, accuracy and productivity by reducing manual input of data. Bar code readers come in several different types and configurations, depending on your needs.
Some are handheld, and have an integral numeric or alphanumeric keypad for user input to override a malfunctioning light source or to adjust product data (such as price). Many also have the ability to take a picture of a badge and read its bar code in both Wiegand and magstripe emulations. Other features include time clock capability for timestamping scans or scheduling access, memory for data and program storage and bi-directional operation to allow scanning in more than one direction.
The presentation scanners you see in grocery stores or retail outlets have desfire ev2 been built to handle the rough treatment they receive. They are designed to sit on smart card manufacturer a countertop and allow clerks or customers to swipe each item’s barcode across it for instant scanning.
Other models have a gun-type interface that can be held a few inches away from a bar code to quickly read it, using a charge-couple device or CCD sensor for the scanning process. Others use a small video camera to capture a bar code, and employ digital image processing to decode the code. All require proper barcode labeling and tag quality to produce a clean, clear scan for accurate results.
Security Systems
A smart card is a plastic card with an embedded microprocessor that enables it to store and process data. These cards are used for security, payment, and identification purposes. They have metal contacts that electronically connect the chip to a reader, allowing them to exchange information with machines or other devices. Smart cards can contain information such as a person’s name, address, or social security number, as well as financial data such as credit card numbers.
A tamper-resistant smart card contains a secure cryptoprocessor that generates one-time passwords (OTPs) to authenticate a person’s identity. This card also has a memory to store data and an input/output port that enables it to communicate with external services. In addition, the card has a display to show the user its status.
Complex cards can support multiple applications, reducing the need for users to carry several different cards. For example, the eMue card, designed by Cyril Lalo and Philippe Guillaud, is a second-generation complex smart card with additional components to support a range of applications including transit and prepaid cards.
Manufacturers provide systems integration of physical security access products, such as electronic door locks and control panels. These systems are installed in hotels, club facilities, and commercial buildings for security access and automation. They can incorporate card readers, encoders, and digital safes to protect valuable items, as well as a host server for secure communications.
Identification Systems & Supplies
If you have an employee ID card system and a building access control system, an identification card printer can help you combine the two, cutting down on paperwork and making it easier for you to keep track of employees as they move between buildings. A photo ID card system can also make a great replacement for paper sign-in sheets and single-use visitor badges, helping you cut down on waste and save money.
If your organization is planning to use ID cards for more than just photo identification, consider choosing one with smart card or proximity reader technology. These technologies allow you to store more data on the card, giving it additional functions such as time and attendance tracking, secure access and even financial transactions.
A strong legal, regulatory and operational framework is crucial to the success of an ID system. This should include an enabling environment that adequately protects individual data and rights, mitigates risks including cyberthreats and cyberattacks, provides clear accountability and operational mandates and ensures equality of access to identity documents and services.
While an ID card system can be purchased as a standalone piece of equipment, most of the supplies needed to start producing ID cards are not included in the price of the printer alone. This makes a bundled system the more economical choice. Our bundled systems contain supplies and equipment that work seamlessly together, and can easily be customized for your specific needs. Most systems include a printer, software, ribbon, camera and cards.
