FAQs- As a reseller, what questions should I ask to best determine what type of plastic card printer my client needs?

An excellent reseller is set on providing intelligent solutions to their client base.

Much like a doctor needs a thorough knowledge of the symptoms of illness and it's relationship to the body to diagnose an illness, resellers need a good understanding of their client's needs and the relationship of those needs to what the market offers.

We have compiled just three questions that will help you assess which plastic card printer will be best for your client.

1. What type of cards are you planning on producing?

Knowing the application for the machine will help you determine which level printer you need to focus on:

For instance if your client answers:

ID Cards with low security: You can start thinking about a simple direct-to-card printer might be suitable

Loyalty or Gift cards: you may need to ask if a printer with a magnetic encoder will be needed

RFID/Prox: You can recommend Retransfer printing as it is the only recommended method for desktop colour printing on smart cards.


2. What monthly volumes are you expecting?

The answer to this question would indicate which line of printer your client would need. Different card printer brands have different spans of use, but for EDIsecure, we judge that a DCP240+ or DCP340+ is perfect for small volumes ( up to 5000) while the DCP360 and XID 8300 is great for large volumes.

3. Budgetary Concerns?

There are two schools of thought in the finance of plastic card printing. One wants the cheapest cost per card. The other, wants the lowest cost for the solution.

There is a significant difference between a cost per card, and a cost per solution.

A cost per card is the simple calculation of ink+plastic=cost per card.

A cost per solution calculates the total inclusive cost of the solution. It includes the cost of the printer, the software, the consumables to print the cards, the ongoing maintence, the speed of the machine and the down time that the printer will require changing ribbons, mantaining the printer etc.

Finding out what your client needs for their budget will help you address the total solution (instead of just the cost per card) and save your client some serious money!


Still aren't sure which printer to ask for? CardsPlus offers free consultations on 086 16 CARDS (22737) or +27 (0)11 894 3914.

Do you think we we missed something important? Go ahead and comment below.

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What is at the Core?

When looking for something new, a new computer, a new car, or even a new pair of pants, I am always trying to figure out what it's made from.

Does this computer have dual core processing that will handle the work I need it to run?

Does this car have a sturdy engine that will give me many long happy years without malfunction?

Is this pair of pants made of material that will suit my lifestyle?

I always want to know what is at the core of the product I am purchasing. If it counts what's inside, I want to know about it.

Same is true for a plastic card supplier. We want to know what is at their core. What are they made out of?

So CardsPlus, What are you made out of?

At our core we are a plastic card solutions company. We facilitate the printing of cards or implementation of plastic card systems.

This means:

- We know our stuff. It's our core business! Want to know something about your plastic card application? We can help! Need software to print cards or to implement your cards in real life? We can help!

- We have really great quality. Because we have no 'plan B'- you can be assured that your cards are going to be manufactured with only the best materials and equipment. Cutting corners is cutting out our livelihood- and no one wants a cut up livelihood.

- We can give really good service. Without all the extra goodies to support and supply, we are able to ensure that you receive one on one attention and care. Plus, once the sale is closed and you are thrilled with the card system, we can provide you additional support and assistance.


But does this mean CardsPlus is a small little business?

Hardly! Being focused on our niche has helped us overcome the small business pitfalls and become South Africa's leading Short-Run plastic card manufacturer. With over 4.2 million cards printed in the last 8 months, CardsPlus is well equipped to handle your next order.

At our core, we are a plastic card solutions provider.

At our core, we are committed to serving you!

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ExpressCards– Get your printed cards in just 24 hours!

Do you have an emergency red-hot need for plastic cards?

Choose:You can now get your cards in just 24 hours!

ExpressCards is the groundbreaking new service offered only by CardsPlus giving you up to 5000 cards in just 24 hours

Enjoy:

• Vibrant CYMK (Full Colour) print quality
• A professional glossy offset finish
• Fastest turnaround available
• Confident, speedy service
• No minimum quantity, set up fees, plate charges or hidden costs
• Cards are manufactured in house ensuring the highest quality output

Your cards can feature:

• Vivid CYMK (Full Colour) print on one or both sides of the card
• Barcodes
• Photo or text inserts
• Serialised number personalisation
• A HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripe for self encoding
• and more

Secure up to 5000 custom printed cards within just 24 hours!

Call 086 16 CARDS (22737) today to find out how ExpressCards can fire up your business! Certain limitations do apply.

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Securex- A great opportunity to see the best in action!

Residing in South Africa, we see that security is at forefront in any South African's mind. We're concerned with not just preventing crimes in ones home or business but crimes of fraud and corruption in corporations or even government institutions. With this in mind, plastic card security is crucial in any application - but even more so in credential management or Identification card programmes. Fraud of any sort completely undermines the control of the card.

Securex is an exhibition that focuses on security channels of all kinds, from access control to residential alarming systems. CardsPlus has taken this week to broadcast and demonstrate the high security features of XID retransfer printers at this show. Revealing hidden security features capable on these machines as well as the high print quality that allows for effective visual security features, the XID printers truly demonstrated the difference that 12 years of quality technology can make!

We still feel confident that EDIsecure's XID family of retransfer printers can simply not be beaten.

If you missed us at Securex and are interested in viewing the XID 8300 in action, please give us a call on 086 16 CARDS and book your appointment today!

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Client FAQ: Why does the Datacard SP35 look JUST like the EDIsecure DCP240+?

The SP35 and DCP240+ have similar bodies and look similar on the outside.

However, the two printer brands do not operate the same.

Why we prefer the DCP240+

• Advanced print driver gives the ability to enhance print graphic quality
• The powerful printer drivers have access to every parameter of the card printing job- so you can change any aspect in one central place
• Unmatched Graphic User Interface (GUI) ensures better colour matching from screen to print.
  

To quote a long term Datacard user, “The DCP240+ is like the SP35 except better!” What a great compliment!

Thanks for asking & Print on!

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High-end Card Security is Linked to Specific Covert Tactics

Security on an ID or access control card is imperative for the safety of your organisation.

There are two types of security features – overt features are visible with the naked eye and covert features that require an additional assistant for viewing.

A secure card has a balance of both covert and overt features.

These 3 tips are covert security features and things that those validating entry or identification can recognise as valid or fraudulent using specific tools.

Ultra-violet Ink – Reprint logos, text or card holder’s identification in UV ink. Under a UV light source, the light reflection will be visible. Under normal light, the ink is not visible.

On the right is an example of the UV printing under a UV light.


Invisible Personal Information (IPI) - IPI encodes personal data into the photo. This information is invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen through a simple decoding device as seen on the left.





Optically variable ink (OVI) Printing – Colour shifting inks reflect various wavelengths in white light differently, depending on the angle of incidence to the surface. An unaided eye will observe this effect as a change of colour as the viewing angle is changed.

A colour copier or scanner will only scan the document at one fixed angle relative to the card’s surface making unauthorised replication very difficult.

On the right you can see an example of OVI printing



Call in today to see how we can help amp up your card security!

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Making the Switch

This month, CardsPlus is offering you the opportunity to launch your card printing from the okay into the phenomenal with a trade in and upgrade special. Trade in your Zebra, Evolis, or Datacard printer for over R10 000 off the affordable line of XID Retransfer printers and gain the edge in card printing.

Plastic card printers like the Evolis Tattoo or Evolis Pebble; the Zebra P110i, P330i, or P430i; the Fargo C30 Persona or DTC550; the Datacard SP range and even the EDIsecure DCP range all print with a process termed "direct-to-card printing".

But, what are the actual differences between your direct-to-card Zebra, Evolis, Datacard, Fargo printers and the XID Retransfer printers?

5 Reasons why you need to make the switch

1. Better Print Quality Imaging on the XID retransfer printers is comparable to offset press printed cards- Colours are brighter and crisper; lines are sharper and cleaner.

2. Off-the-edge Printing Direct-to-card printers all leave a faint line on one side of the card to protect the printhead from damage. Yuck! Thankfully, Retransfer print heads do not make contact with the card, allowing a 'over-the-edge' printing appearance.

3. Lifetime Warranty on the Printhead Only the XID printers offer you the assurance of a lifetime warranty on the print head. No shady card count restrictions need apply.

4. Completely Modular The XID printers are fully customisable- meaning you purchase only what you need at this time with the option of adding modules (without requiring an upgrade) when your needs change. Why spend more when you don't have to?

5. Affordability Don't be deceived that the generosity of the CardsPlus discount reveals that the printer is outside of your budgeting bracket. The XID printers give you true value for your money.

You can read a brief introduction on the variety of print processes here and a comprehensive article on direct-to-card and retransfer printing methods here.

As always, please feel free to give us a call on 086 16 CARDS (22737) to hear more about print technology, printers and this offer.

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Amp up your Card Security with these 6 Visual Tricks

Security on an ID or access control card is imperative for the safety of your organisation.

There are two types of security features– overt features are visible with the naked eye and covert features that require an additional assistant for viewing.

These 6 tips are overt security features and things that those validating entry or identification can recognise as valid or fraudulent.


1. Picture perfect—Does the ID photo show both the ears, nose and chin clearly? An ID photo that clearly shows all facial features is much more secure than one with sunglasses, a hat or even just a blurry overcast.

The ideal ID photo has a white background to prevent distraction from the subject.

2. Get spooky– A ghost image is a less opaque version of the users photo in a smaller size. Ghost image generation is very specific and a fraudulent image is easily detectable.

Keep in mind that a ghost image is not a watermark. In a watermark the brightness of an image is increased so that small detail is washed away. Instead, the ghost image has a dropped opacity which will ensure that the image retains most of the important detail.

3. Embrace the Guilloché– a guilloche pattern is a complex spirograph of curves that are difficult to replicate or scan.

Every guilloche looks different. This one on the right is made with blue and purple lines and a specific step curve.

4. Cast an overlay– A variety of overlays are available from tamper-resistant patches and overlays to security holograms each acting as another barrier against the outside world. Double-team a patch and a holographic overlay for extra assurance.

5. Make it micro (text)– Many passports and security documents have words carefully written in a tiny font along curves of designs. It’s seemingly invisible unless you know to look for it!

On this image can you see the words ‘Royal Importing Corporation’?



6. Printer serialised– Security card printers like the EDIsecure XID retransfer printers have a feature whereby the serial number of the printer and the time printed can be printed automatically on the card to prevent and detect fraudulent cards.

Call in today to see how we can help amp up your card security!

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True CardsPlus Innovation Makes World History

We are incredibly proud to be the very first to offer a secure National ID card on a digital offset press worldwide .

1.2 million cards were printed, barcoded and personalised in a mere 25 days! Production shifts were doubled and extra security measures were brought into place to ensure that the massive print run would go off without a hitch.

The HP s2000, our digital offset press, was the champion behind it all. She gave us the ability to instantly personalize each card with a variety of data fields and still print 21 cards at a time.

Our top-of-the-line finishing equipment gave each card a true gloss and a precision punched card edge.

Due to the offset process, we were able to print the cards at a fraction of the cost of a desktop solution.

• No cutting corners.

• No cheap substitutes.

• True innovation.

Putting the ‘Smart’ into Card Solutions… indeed.

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April was a busy month in the CardsPlus factory...

In just three and a half short weeks, CardsPlus made world history. We are proud to be the first to provide National ID cards on a digital offset press!


1.2 million National ID cards for an African country, were printed, barcoded and personalised within a mere 3 weeks for less than ever imagined!


With another client’s expectations surpassed, CardsPlus wants to give you a chance to experience great service for yourself.

If you mention this ad, you will receive 10% off your custom printed ID card project. Contact us today to hear more about this limited time offer!

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Industry News- Kenyan health care takes a step forward

Kenyan health care is about to take another leap forward with the addition of another 100,000 smart cards to join the MediSmart project in Kenya.

Smart Applications International, a Kenyan health care solutions provider is increasing the MediSmart project by an additional 100,000 cards.

The MediSmart card is a contactless smart card that contains the member’s complete health care records in electronic format including personal and biometric information, emergency contact information, medical history, and payment options.

(Image above: Internals of a contactless smart chip card)

Currently there are over 1,000 points of service at pharmacies, doctors and hospitals across Kenya, and 150,000 issued card holders. There is a planned expansion of an additional 500 points of service where patients can be electronically authenticated, benefits verified and claims processed through a smooth electronic process.

According to Secure ID News, Kenya has a particular problem with fraudulent claims in health care. It is estimated that 35% of the claims are fraudulent and this MediSmart card solution addresses fraud head on by enabling the introduction and effective management of funding in the health care sector.

The program will also help eliminate over-expenditure in line with benefit balances, over servicing such as procedures that are carried out when they are not necessary, over prescribing, such as seen in excessive pharmacy prescriptions,
non-compliance with price guidelines and will promote ethical drug substitution and fair pricing with generics bought in bulk.

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A Different Angle on Recycled Plastic PVC Cards

In the ever growing environmentally conscious world we live in, awareness as to how we are impacting the world is taking a forefront in our consumerism. Because of this awareness, there is a very strong marketing strategy taking place which urges consumers to "think green" and make choices as to how their purchases impact the world.

Companies, on all fronts, are using this angle to market themselves anew - pushing products that are considered "environmentally friendly" and "green". This designation, however is ambiguous (see our recent post on the "corn card"). In addition, it can be narrow minded, not taking into consideration the overall impact.

A new article has been posted by CR80 News regarding one aspect of the "green movement" in plastic card printing - using recycled pvc plastic-gives a balanced glance at many of the issues involved. Using recycled materials is of course, a responsible approach to good consumerism - "reduce, reuse, recycle", however to make a truly educated decision as to whether to chose recycled plastic over "virgin pvc", one must take into full consideration all angles and implications, then base a decision on these facts. Being bullied and guilted into spending more money for the sake of one companies new marketing angle, is not a responsible way to move the world into thoughtful consumerism.

At Cards Plus, it is our desire to be responsible citizens. We offer a range of plastics to choose from - some more environmentally friendly than others. We also recycle our waste material whenever possible. However, it is not our desire to jump on the newest environmental bandwagon, for the sake of seeming to be "green" when in fact, it is not. Yes, we must be responsible. Yes, we must take care of the world we have been blessed with - but our clients will never be guilted or bullied into putting their hard earned money into a product that does not fit their needs and requirements. This is our committment to them, and to you.

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HOT NEWS!!

Cards Plus is very excited to announce being awarded the supply of printers and consumables for a large scale project in Ethiopia. For this project, involving printing of 3,000,000 cards over a period of 18 months, the Edisecure DCP 360i was chosen as the perfect solution for the project due to its reliability, portrait print mode and print speed.

Edisecure printers have a fabulous reputation in large scale government projects including US Department of Motor Vehicles, NASA, UAE National ID, Oman National ID, as well as large government projects in Mexico, Indonesia and now Africa.

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Can Do Files - The Perfect Match

Can Do Files!

Sometimes, knowing what has been done helps when formulating a plan. This is one of the reasons we have our Can Do Files - not just to show you WHAT we can do, but HOW you can put your project together as well.

One of our latest projects has melded our high tech Edisecure XID Card Printers with a very well organized database management company.

This company's challenge is in printing medium volume sporting credentials for athletes who compete both on amateur and professional levels. Local and national clubs sign up for this great service and request their member cards on an as needed basis. Our client assembles this information and makes it available to us via their own internet based database. Once we've printed the card, their database marks it as "finished", eliminating the possibilities of duplicate prints and follow up on missed cards.

Orders varying from 100 - 300 cards are printed in a matter of 3-5 days, and by weeks end, the athletes have a finished card, with identification, photo, ranking and more printed on a stunning, durable PVC card, which will enable them to compete at the levels they are qualified for.

It's a perfect match.

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ID Cards - A Multi Purpose Tool

When I was a kid, everyone wanted a Swiss Army Knife - this little pocket knife could whittle the finest point on a stick, open a can, trim your nails and cut the wrapper off your favorite candy bar. Leatherman has made a more manly version now - complete with screwdriver, pliers and beer bottle opener - no guy can be without one.

Multi purpose tools are convenient, lets face it. If one thing can accomplish more than one task, it becomes worth not only the investment, but also the effort to carry it.

With the advancing technology in digital card printing, it is now possible to make what used to be a very simple item, the basic ID Card into a multi purpose tool.

Deciding whether your company needs an Identification system is the first step - and answering a few questions will help make this initial decision.

1. Do you have a need to monitor access to your building for safety or security reasons?
2. Do you have certain rooms or equipment that you would like to restrict access to?
3. Would your company benefit from some of the technology available with features available on a plastic ID card - barcodes, magnetic stripes, smart chips - enabling things such as attendance management, canteen management, computer and copy machine management, parking lot management?

Once you have decided to upgrade or institute an Access Control/Credential Management system, we can assist you in getting the right card for the job - one that will provide all the features your company requires. With our advanced print technology, we at Cards Plus are able to print onto standard issue Proximity cards without damaging or shortening the life of the card. In addition we have a convenient Card Bureau service which will enable you to have cards printed in a very short turnaround time - 5 days or less - and to continue ordering on a batch order system as needed throughout the year.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your company's needs, please call us at Cards Plus - 011 894 3914 (South Africa) or visit us at our website - www.cardsplus.co.za

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Keeping Up With Technology

Hot tickets today could very well be old news tomorrow, and keeping up with it all can be quite a task! Remember the days when having a mobile phone required carrying it by a strap across your shoulders? Look at how far we’ve come!

At Cards Plus, we do our best to live up to our by-line the “Smart” Card solution provider, by keeping ourselves up to date on the latest technologies available so we can offer our clients the best solution for their needs.

It was our honour to be included in Digital Identification Solution’s 5^th year anniversary in early October, 2008. Partners and VIPs from around the world joined to celebrate the great strides this company has made in a relatively short period of time. During this time, we were able to network with many in the ID industry and receive sneak previews of exciting upcoming products offered by DIS. (Stay tuned!!)

Digital Identification Solutions is the leading the pack with technological advances in Secure ID credential management. With products such as their XID retransfer printers, Encoders, Inline lamination modules, Overlaminate Modules and their range of holographic overlays, laminates and UV imaging ribbons, DIS sets the bar high in providing multiple options for secure ID solutions.

We are very proud to be Certified Partner for Digital Identification Solutions in sub Sahara Africa. Their advanced technology, combined with straight forward, user friendly systems make their card printers the best in the industry.

Give us a call if you would like more information!

+27 11 894 3914

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