| The credit card is made of many plastic | | | | the lamination. |
| layers, laminated together. The center | | | | 3. Lamination: Essentially, lamination |
| is commonly made from a plastic resin | | | | protects the card, and improves its |
| known as polyvinyl chloride acetate | | | | strength. Lamination is done on both |
| (PVCA). This resin is then mixed with | | | | sides of the card. |
| other materials, such as dyes and | | | | 4. Cutting and Embossing: After |
| plasticizers to give it the appropriate | | | | lamination, each sheet is cut into a set |
| look and feel. | | | | of cards. Each sheet gives a yield of |
| A variety of inks or dyes, in various | | | | around 63 cards. The sheet is first cut |
| colors, are also used for printing | | | | into seven sections longitudinally, and |
| credit cards. These inks and dyes are | | | | then each of the seven sections is cut |
| especially made for use on plastic. | | | | into nine cards. Each card is now a |
| Special magnetic ink is also available | | | | separate credit card, and will be |
| to print the magnetic stripe (magstripe) | | | | embossed with account numbers, and other |
| on the rear side of the card. The inks | | | | information. The cards are now ready for |
| are made by dispersing metal oxide | | | | shipment to the cardholders! Each card |
| particles in the appropriate solvents. | | | | has to be of the premium quality. |
| Card issuers, such as VISA, which have | | | | Customers cannot be given cards which |
| their own holograms, use additional | | | | will break or be damaged after a certain |
| special printing processes which are | | | | period of time. Key quality issues are |
| involved for cards, like VISA, with | | | | linked with the compounding of plastic |
| featured holograms. | | | | and color matching of the inks. The |
| The manufacturing of the credit card | | | | American National Standards Institute |
| takes place in the following steps: | | | | has a standard for plastic raw materials |
| 1. Plastic compounding and molding: The | | | | (ANSI specification x4.16-1973). |
| plastic for the core sheet is made my | | | | Ingredients have to be correctly |
| melting PVCA with other materials. This | | | | weighed, mixed and blended under the |
| molten mixture is put in the appropriate | | | | proper temperatures and other |
| molding equipment, and is flattened to | | | | manufacturing conditions. Similarly, the |
| the right thickness by passing it | | | | molding process must be scrutinized to |
| through rollers. This sheet is then | | | | avoid flaws and defects, which could |
| allowed to cool down. | | | | cause the cards to crack or rupture. The |
| 2. Printing: Each card sheet is then | | | | final quality check is to make sure the |
| printed with text as well as graphics. | | | | right numbers are stamped on the cards |
| Silk screening and magnetic ink printing | | | | through the embossing process. |
| are the processes used. The magnetic | | | | The many evolving technologies in this |
| strip can also be created using hot | | | | area will help create the credit cards |
| stamping. Magnetic heads are used to | | | | with better quality and make them more |
| code and decode the iron particles in | | | | cost effective in terms of |
| the strip, so that relevant information | | | | manufacturing. New generations of credit |
| can be stored in them. However, the | | | | cards might carry integrated computer |
| magnetic particles can only be useful if | | | | chips, containing a variety of valuable |
| they are on the surface of the card, | | | | information, making the card more |
| therefore this step is performed after | | | | useful, as well as secure. |