Review: The Many Uses of PVC Security Cards

While there are many excellent reasons to consider investing in a PVC security card printing system for your place of business – such as cost, effectivity, company branding or employee management – the following review is focused on the PVC cards themselves, how they work and why they provide the most effective material for such a system.

 

What are PVC Security Cards?

 

PVC, or Polyvinyl Chloride, is a highly durable material used in making ID cards that you can design and print for use in a security system at a public or private location, which requires limiting access to sensitive areas. Besides being durable – lasting effectively for up to 8 years – PVC security cards allow for high-resolution printing, including options like holographic printing for increased protection against counterfeiting.

 

 

Why are PVC Security Badges Superior?

 

It only takes a small amount of experience operating a PVC ID card printing machine in order to get a thorough sense of all of the benefits of PVC cards and why they are used for these systems rather than another type of technology. Some of these benefits are only possible due to the nature of the material that these cards are made from.

 

Due to its durability and versatility as a hard plastic, PVC is used to manufacture an enormous amount of different products, including:

 

·       Pipes for Household Plumbing

·       Medical Equipment

·       Toys

·       Siding and Windows

·       Wire and Cables

·       Packaging for Food

It is due to this versatility that cards made from PVC can offer such high standards in protective technology and also provide companies with one of the most cost-effective security solutions available today. That’s because the PVC material is bonded together by many layers with adhesives and pressure, which allows for compatibility with many different types of protective technology, such as those used in bank cards and identification badges in a wide-spread assortment of government and private organizations.

 

What Kind of Features Do PVC Cards Offer?

 

When the PVC cards have been printed and incorporated into a system for use by a company, they can include a variety of different protective options. The specific options that are available for your system include:

 

·       Contactless Digital Reading

·       Magnetic Strips

·       Colour and Photo Printing

·       Holographic Lamination

·       Overlay Protection

·       Smart Chips with Data Encoding

 

If you’re interested in including any of these features in a security ID printing system for your location or would like to get some advice on determining which kind of printer will work best for your company, you can click here to get in touch with a security expert who can help.

 

Bringing better security to any business today requires experts who have the knowledge to stay one step ahead of the latest criminal activities. PVC security cards use a common material in order to integrate the most secure kinds of technology into a system that is versatile and easy to use.

 

In sum, PVC offers an affordable and dependable option for the manufacture of blank security cards that can be designed and printed individually so that companies can have more control over managing their security.

Badge Holders: Possibly the Most Useful Security Accessory

Security accessories are an all-too-often overlooked part of a complete security ID card system. The reality is that these items are not built merely for the convenience of those who access the system, they actually contribute to ensuring that any system functions at the highest standard possible. As the following information demonstrates, one of the most useful parts to this equation are badge holders.

 

Why Invest in Accessories?

When you’re making an investment in security, it’s essential that you do everything you can to ensure that the system that you’ve chosen is going to work efficiently and at its most secure. People investing in a security system for a small company often believe that foregoing the proper accessories is an easy way to cut costs. Unfortunately, this can result in greater losses later on, which cause management to regret overlooking the larger benefits that accessories offer.

 

What Makes Badge Holders So Important?

 

Outside of the accessories made specifically to contribute to the proper functioning of the security ID printer itself – such as free ID card templatesthe badge holder is the most important part of any security ID system. This may seem like a weighty claim for such a simple device, but it is undeniable on account of the fact that all of the other accessories rely on a sturdy and supportive badge holder to function properly.


Other ID Card Accessories

 

Besides badge holders, there are many security ID card printer accessories available at Avon Security Products that can help to ensure that your system is working at its best. For those who use security ID cards – such as company employees or those who attend conferences – there are several other useful accessories available, which include:

 

·       Breakaway and Non-breakaway Lanyards

·       Badge Reels and Clips

·       Luggage Tags and Holders

·       Neck Straps and Bead Chains

·       Lamination Pouches

·       Arm Bands

 

How Badge Holders Work with Other Accessories

 

The function of any badge holder is to prevent the security badge from damage, loss, or even theft. That’s because it essentially consists of a durable plastic casing to hold the security ID. While the badge holder allows the other accessories to function properly, it also works much better when attached to retractable ID badge reels or one of the mentioned alternative accessories options, which make transport and use much easier.

 

How Accessories Increase Security Potential

 

While a security system is one of the most reliable defences against unwanted access to a secure location, it works better when those authorized to access the system use it properly. Badge holders and other accessories make it much easier for anyone using the system to use it properly, thus decreasing the potential for security breaches significantly.

 

Security ID card accessories are all designed to make day-to-day use of security ID cards easier and quicker. That means that they also come with the added bonus of allowing employees to navigate their way though even the most resilient security system at a much faster rate, allowing them to get down to business at their jobs much faster.


If you’re about to purchase a security ID printer, don’t overlook the power of accessories to enhance your system’s potential. If you’ve already got a security ID printer in use, consider investing in badge holders and other accessories.

How to Get the Best Security Out of Your ID Card Printer

When you’re investing in superior security for your company or institution with a security ID card printing system, it’s important that you consider all of the options available to make your security system function at its maximum potential. Security technology can provide a company with an affordable means through which to boost their security potential enormously, but it takes more than simply purchasing a device and expecting it to do the rest on its own.

 

Investing in an In-House Security ID Card Printer

 

The first step to better ID security is to purchase a printing system outright for day-to-day use. While it’s possible to order a large amount of generic cards, this option can be dramatically limiting. For personnel management and location access to work at its best, anyone that requires access to your location must be immediately issued a personalized card in order to enter. This is especially important when new employees are hired.

 

 

Deciding on a Printer

 

With a security ID card printing system on hand, you can easily design and create as many new ID cards as you require for immediate use on a daily basis. The best way to determine what capacity of printer you’ll require in order to fulfill your personnel needs is to consult with a security ID card printing solutions provider that offers Canada’s widest selection of ID card printers as well as accessories available for purchase.

Considering a Complete Security System

 

Once you’ve decided on a printer and are about to make a purchase, it’s important to consider whether you might benefit from any of the available security system accessories. Part of the reason this option is so important at this stage is that many security ID card printer providers offer system packages that make the ordering process easier by including everything you’ll need in one simple purchase.

A complete security system streamlines the purchasing process by including printer accessories that you will need later on, such as

 

·       Blank Security ID Cards

·       Printer Ribbons

·       Photo ID Software to Help You Design Your Cards

 

This option can prove especially convenient for those that do not have the time to research their printer and its components because it ensures that all of the accessories you purchase are guaranteed to fit the printer you’re buying.


Other Useful Accessories

 

Another option you should consider when buying an ID card security system are accessories like plastic badge holders because when you provide an employee with a plastic ID card holder it becomes easier for them to use the security system properly and prevents the loss of security ID cards.

Using Accessories to Boost Security

Plastic badge holders can be used along with lanyards to make access to security ID cards quick and easy, so that your employees never find it tedious or disruptive to use your security system properly. Keep in mind that while security ID cards represent a technology that is difficult to infiltrate and is used in many industries, any security system is only as powerful as its weakest link, so it is vital that you do everything possible to ensure that it is used correctly.

Purchasing a security ID card printer is one of the wisest decisions that you can make in order to provide a better level of professional security to your company. Ensure that you get the most out of your security system by following this simple advice.

How it’s Made: Digital Security ID Cards – Part Two

In the first installment of this closer look at PVC security ID cards, the focus was on the materials that are used in each photo ID card. This time around, we will take a closer look at the finished product to offer a better understanding of how security ID cards work.

 

Layer Upon Layer: Building Up Security

 

When you think of the kind of security logistics that surround any building, one of the best strategies to take is a layered approach. The first line of defense for any location is parameter fencing. After that, comes outdoor security gates, which may contain guards, then security cameras, security doors, and often another security checkpoint inside the building that requires that security ID cards be displayed for anyone to gain access.

 

 

Layering Security Cards

To understand the working of each security ID card, it can also help to think about layer. The major difference here is that security ID cards can use every layer at once, so that it isn’t a hierarchical system as much as a system that involves everything simultaneously working together. 

1) Smart Chip with Data Encoding

 

When your security cards contain a smart chip, the card is able to carry unique personalized information about each employee. This helps to ensure that your security system is working in cooperation with the computer database.

2) Overlay Protection

 

This layer functions most like the parameter fencing of a building because its job is to protect the card from damage and to help maintain its glossy, attractive look. You can also include accessories like plastic badge holders to help protect your card further. Other useful accessories are available as well, so call us today to find out more about the many valuable uses of our selection of custom breakaway lanyards used to help keep your security system at its most secure.

 

3) Holographic Lamination

 

This layer adds an extra layer of security to help prevent counterfeiting. If your security ID cards could easily be copied, then the entire system would be compromised. That’s why it’s important that your cards include the maximum amount of compromise resistance available.

 

4) Colour Printed Identification

 

This is the main layer of your card which contains your photo, your company logo, and all of the information required for keeping track of employees. Check out our robust selection of plastic ID card printers to find out more about all of the features that are available for making this layer look great with expert design and ensure that your printer offers all of the security features that you require.

 

5) Proximity Cards

 

When your cards are equipped for proximity reading, their digital information can be passed to the computer with one speedy contactless interaction – just like with your banking cards.

6) PVC Cards

 

This layer gives your card the durable quality that will ensure it has a long lifespan. For more information about this layer, refer to the first installment, where PVC is discussed at length.

 

7) Magnetic Strip

 

Your card’s magnetic strip ensures that it can be read by computers that are not equipped with proximity readers. Some companies decide to opt to only include magnetic strip capabilities, given the reliability of this decades-old, yet extremely secure, technology.

It helps to learn about how your security ID cards are made if you want to ensure that you’re using your security system correctly. 

Pre-Printed Cards or A Complete Security System: How to Decide

Security ID cards can provide an excellent way to increase the security of your business by allowing you to keep better track of your employees and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive areas, but they can also provide a variety of other services. Whatever the reason that you’re deciding to invest in security ID cards, it’s important that you go with a well-established professional company, like Avon Security Products, where you can find all the options you need and advice on every step of the process.

Responding to Your Needs   

One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when investing in a security card option is whether you will need a complete security ID card printing system or whether it will be sufficient to order pre-printed cards. While either option will provide you with one of the most cost-effective and secure systems available to a company of any size, it’s important that you take the time to ensure that your purchase makes the most sense for your needs – and we’re here to help!

What You Get with Pre-Printed Cards

What you get with the custom printing option will be a set number of high-quality PVC cards that can contain your company information and any images that you would like on your printed cards. This option is best for any cards you require that can be used in a generic fashion, rather than for uses that require personalized information on each separate card. Some of the uses that are common for such purposes include:

  • PVC Business Cards
  • Membership Cards
  • Loyalty Cards
  • Gift Cards 

Your Complete Security Card Printing System    

If you’re looking for a security system to provide your employees with ID badges, then you’re going to need a system that can offer two qualities that pre-printed cards do not offer:

 

1)     Personalization

2)     Enhanced Security Features

 

With your own ID card printing system, you can easily accommodate your staff with security ID cards or badges that are custom made for each person. This feature is absolutely essential for any security system to properly function so that unwanted guests do not gain access to areas where they are not authorized to be. The features of an advanced security system are too vast to detail here, but you can click here to learn more about what security ID systems have to offer.

Custom Software and Accessories 

One of the perks that you’ll receive when you invest in your own complete security ID card printing system is ID card printing software that will give you more control over how your cards are designed and allow you to make personalized adjustments. You can also order useful accessories like custom lanyards made in Canada that can carry your company name and logo.

Pre-printed with Your Image

 

If you’re still having trouble deciding which option is right for you, you may be interested in going for a middle-of-the-road option like having cards pre-printed with you company logo or any other graphics you desire, but that allow for the addition of custom information, such as employee names.

Avon Security Products can supply you with whatever solution will work best for your security ID card needs, but for the majority of situations we recommend that companies invest in a complete security ID card printing solution.

How it’s Made: Digital Security ID Cards – Part One

Products made for exceptional security systems require the highest quality in materials. Short lifespans mean that components require replacement more often and that causes a greater likelihood for compromises within even the most advanced and impenetrable of security systems.

That’s why digital security ID cards must be made from only the best materials to ensure longer product lifespans, efficient cost, and unsurpassable protection of a properly functioning system for the safety of your company, employees, and customers. This following information will provide everything you need to learn about PVC ID cards such as what materials they are made from and why those materials are used.

The Nuts and Bolts

 

What materials are security ID cards made from and why are these the best quality materials to ensure a well-functioning system? When you’re looking to buy plastic security badge printers here at your source of security badge printers – Avon Security Products – you’ll only find the best quality machines in the industry, and that includes all of the materials that go into the making of security cards themselves.


High-Quality PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC, is a very strong and versatile synthetic plastic polymer. As the third most widely-used synthetic in the world, it is abundantly used in an extraordinary number of ways. In its rigid form, PVC is used in plumbing, packaging, water-resistant fabrics and, importantly, security ID cards.

A High Quality and Versatile Material

 

It isn’t just security ID aren’t the only cards that are made of PVC, but the majority of all banking cards and various kinds of membership cards are made of this material as well. PVC is also used for things like:

 

·       Signage

·       Building and Construction Materials

·       Piping

·       Residential Siding

 

PVC is also available in another less rigid form that is much more pliable and can be used for things like:

 

·       Blood Bags

·       Plastic Wrap

·       Flexible Wall Covering

 

It can be clear or printed with virtually any colour, which is part of the reason why it is as ubiquitous as it is.

 

Why PVC Instead of Other Plastics?

 

PVC isn’t only used because it is durable, versatile and inexpensive, it’s also an excellent option in comparison to other plastics because it’s easier to recycle than other plastics.


Security ID Cards: The Finished Product

The great thing about a security ID card system is that it allows you to design and print on blank cards so that there’s no need to cut the PVC materials yourself. Your finished cards will be about the size of a standard credit card. From there, you simply need to decide the security options that you require for your company cards. Some of these include:

 

·       Adhesive-backed Cards

·       Magnetic Stripe Cards

·       Cards with Signature Panels

·       Barcodes

·       Sequential Number Encoding

 

When you’re investing in a top-of-the-line security system for your company, it doesn’t hurt to know a little something about how it’s made and how it works. Stay tuned to our feature blog for more information and, as always, when you’re deciding on a security printing system for your company, you can get the answers to any questions you need by contacting us here at Avon Security Products. 

Spotlight on the Security Features of ID Card Printing Systems

Whether or not you’ve already invested in a security ID card printing system, you may not be aware of the extent of features that they have to offer. That’s why it’s important to learn more in-depth information on exactly what security ID cards are and how to use them effectively. In this spotlight, three security features are covered in some detail.

 

Proximity Cards and Contactless Readers


While some of the digital features of security ID cards exist for the primary purpose of increasing their level of security capabilities, others make them more convenient for your employees to use. The purpose of the contactless cards and readers that are provided by a
proximity card supplier like industry leader Avon Security Products is to fulfill both of these requirements by providing employees with a simple and quick way to gain access to their work environment that also uses heavily encrypted digital technology.

Proximity ID cards may seem to work like magic, but two proximity card advantages are that they are easy to use while they also offer one of the most commonly used and secure digital security technology systems available. 

Employee Management System


When you have the ability to quickly and easily issue a personalized ID card to every employee in your company, you gain more control over monitoring activity at your place of business. This type of advanced employee management system can provide a number of attractive security capabilities, including:

 

1)     Limiting access to sensitive areas

2)     Keeping track of everyone who accesses your company

3)     Recording their time of use


Advanced Visitor Access and Tracking

A professional level security ID card printer can also grant you the option to issue visitor passes on the spot to anyone who will be accessing your location on a temporary basis. One of the reasons that visitor passes are an important part of your security system as a whole is that they ensure that no person will come or go from your premises that are not issued a pass. 


Another way that visitor passes to enhance the security on your site is that they can be programmed to expire at a set point in time, so that no security ID card may be reused after they are no longer valid.

Beyond Security

Part of what makes digital ID cards so secure it that they are extremely difficult to override or counterfeit. Beyond their security uses, some companies use their cards for uses that extend beyond the prevue of professional security, such as company branding or to boost team morale with company branding. 


When you invest in a high-calibre security system for your company, it’s important that you continue to learn more about how it can be used to offer you a reliable security option. When it comes to security systems, the more you know the safer you are. Contact Avon Security Products today to learn more about what security ID card printing system will work best for you.

5 Applications for PVC Security ID Cards You Probably Don’t Know

When you install a PVC security ID card system at your place of business, you’re investing in more than security. That’s because PVC ID cards have a wide variety of applications that can help to provide businesses with technology-driven solutions to old problems. They can also make life more convenient on a day-to-day basis. Here are 5 of the most useful ways that you can use PVC ID cards that you probably didn’t realize were possible. 

1.     Tracking Employees

 

This feature combines a security feature with a capability that can help a business to function more efficiently. That’s because it can be useful for a company to keep track of their employees for a variety of reasons.

If your employees are clocking in and out at specified hours, then by using PVC ID card printing software to keep track of employees, you can easily track every minute that each person on your team spends at the office. This can be a very useful tool when monitoring employee performance for a variety of reasons.

 



2.     Helping New Employees to Become a Part of the Team

 

It’s difficult for anyone new to get comfortably situated within the culture and habits of a new work environment. It’s also difficult for a large number of employees to get to know each other well and remember everyone’s name. Since employees are often required to keep their ID cards visible at all times by wearing lanyards or badge reels, having security ID cards as part of your security system allows your employees to be able to easily recognize each other and learn one another’s names.

 

3.     Acquainting Customers with Employees

 

When you’re looking for a PVC ID card printer for your business, don’t forget to also consider investing in accessories for your employees to ensure that they wear their PVC security ID cards visibly. Any business that involves an interaction between customers and staff necessitates positive interactions. Giving your customers a way to remember the faces and names of your employees will help to ensure that more positive interactions occur and increase customer satisfaction.

 

4.     Promote Company Branding

 

When your employees carry your company name and brand on their ID cards, they take it with them everywhere they go. If your customers associate your company brand with personnel that are kind and courteous, then their loyalty will increase and so will your revenues.

 

5.     Digital Connectivity

 

PVC ID card printers – like the Polaroid ID Card systemcan include a wide variety of security technology features, and that technology can also be used for a wide range of digital services. Beyond advanced lamination and magnetic stripe encoding, PVC Security ID cards can be printed to include contact card encoding and contactless card encoding.

 

These features are commonly used in

 

·       Bank Cards

·       Access Control Security IDs,

·       Government IDs

·       Healthcare Cards

 

In order to take advantage of all of these applications, you’ll want to invest in a complete security ID card printing system. By owning your own ID card printer for your company, you can decide on the best services for your company.

Using Security ID Cards at Your Private Sports Club

There’s nothing quite like the luxury of belonging to a members-only sports club. You get access to the best equipment and the best services. You don’t have to worry about crowds, and you don’t have to worry about unwanted guests disturbing your enjoyment or interrupting gameplay.

The key to such luxuries is proper security. It isn’t very useful to have your members pay premium membership fees to belong to an elite club if non-members can sneak in and gain access to the facilities, crowding things up and potentially damaging club equipment and facilities. To ensure this situation doesn’t come to pass, you’ve got to do more than simply keep your entrances staffed with security and put up fencing.  


Keeping track of all of the members of a private sports club requires advanced digital services. The answer is to opt to 
get your members their own cards that have the technological ability to provide an expert security solution to ensure that only club members are able to access facilities – and can also be used by club members to access services and equipment.

Given the current boom in popularity of private clubs, you’ll require a security system with the capacity to keep track of a large number of guests. For a facility with a large membership, you’ll want to invest in a top-of-the-line, high-resolution security ID card printer, like the Fargo HDP5600 ID card system, which has the capacity to print more than 5000 security ID cards in a single year. The high-resolution capabilities of this type of printer will also satisfy members who expect high-quality services to be provided at an elite club.

A security system that uses membership ID cards and printers can offer your security crew the ability to keep digital records on every single person who gains access to your location. Such a system acts as a preventative measure, ensuring your best recourse to keeping non-members from gaining entrance to facilities. Since these records are kept in a database on your security system computer, they can also help authorities to identify perpetrators if any kind of crime takes place on your property.

Digital security ID cards can be programmed to contain data about every single guest in your club, so they can be used by members to gain access to various areas and obtain equipment within the club.

Each one of these services then acts as a security checkpoint to enable security to identify any non-members who might have gained entrance. These abilities make the function of your security ID cards more dynamic while reducing the potential for security breaches or criminal activity.

A professional security ID card system offers your private sports club a way to increase its security capabilities while providing an increased number of enhanced services to its members. Don’t underestimate your club’s security, contact Avon Security Products to see what’s available for elite customers. 

Providing Temporary Security ID Cards to Company Visitors

A digital ID card system is an incomparable way to offer your company an advanced security option that’s easy for your employees to use and is also affordable. If you want to get the most out of your security system, however, it’s important that you learn about the extra features it can offer – such as the ability to issue temporary visitor ID cards to anyone that requires access to your property for a short period of time.

The Benefits of a Security ID Card System

If you’ve ever gone through the process of researching security products for your business or organization then you probably already have a professional security ID cards system in place at your company to help ensure the safety of all of your employees, provide higher security clearance to anyone that requires access to sensitive areas, and  keep track of any valuable goods on the premises.

Other Available Security Features

With all of these services included in such a system, it can be easy to overlook something as simple as the ability to issue temporary ID cards to anyone who visits your company, but chances are that there are a number of  of visitor and lobby security products available for the security solution that you’re currently using at your place of business.

Investing in a Company Security ID Card Printer

Companies that recognize the value of their security solution usually invest in a security ID card printer to use at their business. A variety of security ID card printers are available to meet the needs of any sized company – from machines that can print up to 200 cards per year, like the Javelin PRO ID card system, to those that can supply over 5000 employees with security ID cards, like the Fargo DTC4500e printer.

Scaling Up the Size of Your Company and Upgrading Your System

If your company has increased its number of employees since you last invested in your security solution, then you should consider reviewing the options currently available to ensure that you have the best security ID printer to match your current personnel requirements.

Options for Visitor ID Cards

In addition to the many benefits of security ID cards that you already know about, you can get more out of your system by offering temporary passes to any visitor who comes to access your property. Visitor passes are a good way to reinforce your company brand to outsiders, but they also help to ensure that your whole system is working at its best capacity. It’s vital that every single person who enters your location be issued an ID card so that they are registered in your system.

Using Visitor Passes as Branding

An additional benefit of temporary visitor passes is that when a visitor’s security ID card expires, it can also act as a company business card and thus provide anyone who visits your company with a unique souvenir of their trip. When the visitors who come to your offices are potential future clients, this aspect of the visitor security pass can help to boost future revenue and turn a security expense into an investment with a calculable ROI.

For the purpose of security, an ID card printer is a worthwhile investment for a company of any size. If you already have such a security solution in use, then you should expand its capabilities to include the use of visitor passes – it’s an easy feature to use and will provide an enormous benefit to your company.