Plastic cards - production and structure

Production and structure of a glossy, laminated plastic-card according the ISO 7810 et sqq.

Maxicard offers exclusively glossy laminated plastic-cards (multi-layer-cards) according the ISO 7810 et sqq. The production procedure is identical with the production procedure of creditcards.

The cards are normally composed of 4 or 5 single layers of PVC-foil (polyvinyl chloride).

The printing of the individual layout of front and rearside is made by screenprint or offsetprint methods. The selection of the printing process always depends on the wished layout of the card. Depending on the circulation, first the recto is put in multiple-ups on the PVC print sheets (e.g. 18- or 40-ups) and accordingly the rearside on separate sheets.

Afterwards the printed sheets must dry. The drying time is, on the one hand, depending on the used printing method, and on the other hand, on the amount of the colour application. In some cases this time can last several days.

The individual layers of the card are collected after drying. In doing so, the front and rear images of the printed sheets are opposed with the unprinted backsides and "covered" with a transparent, glossy laminate-foil, in each case. Prevalently a so-called PVC-core-foil is put between both printed sheets. This is in any case if the cards should be thicker than the average 0.76 mm. With the additional attaching of a contact chip module, the card should at least have a thickness of approx. 0.80 mm. When integrating a contactless chip module, the inlay (ready-made foil incl. chip module and coils) is positioned between both printed sheets as well. The thickness of the card may reach up to 1 mm and above, with the use of different foils.

The collected layers are pressed together (laminated) by means of heat and pressure at a temperature of approximately 120-150°C. This process is carried out in varying sized lamination presses. According to the capacity of the presses, different amounts of multi-layer-sheets can be laminated. In-between all printed sheets, so-called lamination-plates are laid, that make sure, that the surfaces get pressed smoothly. The duration of this process is likewise depending on the number of sheets which are in the press. The average dwell time of the sheets in the machine amounts approx. 30 minutes.

The completing work-step, after laminating, is the mechanical punching of the cards to the ISO-format of 85.60 x 53.98 mm. The punch press heads for the punch-markings, located on the printed sheet. This allows an exact punching of the cards on the necessary dimension. Nevertheless, it is to be noted, that the punching implements can offset slightly during this process. This minimal variation of punching edges is to considered by the creation of the card layout.

Result of this production procedure is a high-quality, glossy laminated plastic-card, that is suitable for all usual refining- and personalisation methods. In order to deliver a perfect card to the customer, a control is enforced after each work-step.


The superimposing of holograms, signature fields or -stipes, hotstamps (hot embossing), the attaching of contact chip modules as well as the personalisation of the cards by means of thermo printing or embossing are always carried out after the production of the card. However, magnetic stripes are included into the lamination foils (prefabricatd foils) and become laminated during the production process automatically.