Polycarbonate

Issuing polycarbonate cards presents new opportunities for advanced security features to ensure the integrity, reduce counterfeit and enhance the security of your DL/ID credentials. Polycarbonate (PC) polymers or simply polycarbonate is an increasingly popular choice in many countries across the world, as it significantly enhances the level of ID document security. 

What makes polycarbonate so exceptional? What sets it apart from other materials is also its non-delaminable property. When laminated under heat and pressure without adhesives, and not mixed with other plastics, the the intertwined layers of polycarbonate make it virtually impossible to swap document information or photos without destroying the document. It's the same material used to make bulletproof glass and you can hear the difference: polycarbonate driver's licenses are so rigid they sound like a compact disc when dropped.

Yes it's true. 

Any attempt to change the photo destroys a portion of the printed features. The same is true for attempts to separate the document surface and the laser-engraved layer. Any alteration of the document requires front side or back side plastic layer grinding before modifying the personalized data and recombining the ID document with the use of material from a second identical document. This requires a highly sophisticated process and evidence of tampering is usually visible.

Why Engrave?

Tactile laser marking creates a kind of recast on the top layer. This kind of marking can be found on all PC Real ID cards where the name, card and account number is marked that way. The combination of the above-mentioned methods makes these cards fraud safe. Tactile engraving creates a raised surface of the text or image (for instance, signature) that can be used to quickly authenticate a card. All features, secure element and ID document holder data are integrated in such a way that they protect each other from any fraud attempt. For example, the holder's photo, laser engraved in the card body,  is fully or partially interlocked with the secure artwork, printed features are in between the document surface and laser engraved layer, the photo side can be protected by tactile features such as positive/negative embossing,  Multiple Laser Image (MLI) or tactile laser, and the photo can be protected by embedded Diffractive Optically Variable Image Devices (DOVID). The entire card is sophisticated and truly hard to counterfeit. Issuing with a ribbon printer now? Think again, the risk simply isn't worth it!

The Solution

DSS Plastics Group set out in 2017 to develop an engraving solution that was affordable, yet secure. We have linked together 4 companies to sell one solution to the market with US distribution rights. The software to power our PCD was built in a way that combines normal ribbon printing logic, yet engraves. As your PC card manufacturer, we help develop and set up your software templates and test to ensure everything works prior to shipment of the secure cards. The card template is loaded at the customer location and you are issuing secure cards in minutes. It's truly plug-and-play. 

The cost of engravers have been a barrier. Managing risk because a game of hope. You know the process you are using isn't safe but budget doesn't allow for the expense of a secure solution. Look no further than the PCD solution. Secure design, pc card manufacturing, issuance software and the PCD engraver. No finger-pointing as this all falls under one roof.