Beyond PVC or composite plastic cards, there is now a variety of technology card types to choose from – one of which may be helpful in constructing a card encoding solution. Below are descriptions of the most significant technology cards being used today.
 
Contact smart cards are the size of a conventional credit or debit card with a single embedded integrated circuit chip that contains just memory, or memory plus a microprocessor.
 
Memory-only chips are functionally similar to a small floppy disk. They are less expensive than microprocessor chips, but they also offer less security and should therefore not be used to store sensitive or valuable information.
 
Chips that contain both memory and a microprocessor are also similar to a small floppy disk, except they contain an "intelligent" controller used to securely add, delete, change and update information contained in memory. The more sophisticated microprocessor chips have state-of-the-art security features built in to protect the contents of memory from unauthorized access.
 
Contact smart cards must be inserted into a card acceptor device where pins attached to the reader make "contact" with pads on the surface of the card to read and store information in the chip. This type of e-card is used in a wide variety of applications including network security, vending, meal plans, loyalty, electronic cash, government IDs, campus IDs, e-commerce, health cards and many more.
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In addition to the features and functions found in contact smart cards, contactless smart cards contain an embedded antenna instead of contact pads attached to the chip for reading and writing information contained in the chip's memory. Contactless
cards do not have to be inserted into a card acceptor device.
Instead, they need only be passed within range of a radio frequency acceptor to read and store information in the chip. The range of operation is typically from about 2.5" to 3.9" (63.5 mm o 99.06 mm) depending on the acceptor.
 
 Contactless smart cards are used in many of the same applications as contact smart cards, especially where the added convenience and speed of not having to insert the card into a reader is desirable. There is a growing acceptance of this type of card for both physical and logical access control applications. Student identification, electronic passport, vending, parking and tolls are common applications for contactless cards.

PRINTHOUSE supplies customized membership solutions and MLM system riding on the wave of contactless smart technology evolution.
 
For more information, please talk to your customer service personnel for assistance.