PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip

Submission specifications for PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip

Add 3 mm bleed.

To allow leeway for cutting differences in production, always add a bleed of 3 mm around all edges of your design. Make sure colours, background pictures and layouts extend into the bleed area so as to avoid leaving white lines as a result of cutting tolerances.

Keep 4 mm safety margin

Keep all important text and images at least 4 mm away from the edge of the finished size.

Use CMYK as the colour mode.

Prepare your files using CMYK as the colour mode, not RGB. Use colourmode FOGRA39 (ISO Coated v2) for coated papertypes and colourmode FOGRA47 (PSO Uncoated ISO12647) for uncoated papertypes. If you are unsure of the colour mode of your file, don't worry we can always convert this for you. Keep in mind this can cause the colours to differ from the original file.

Resolution of at least 300 dpi.

Make sure the resolution of the images and graphics in your artwork are at least 300 dpi.

Convert fonts to outlines or embed all the fonts.

Make sure you convert fonts to outlines or embed all the fonts when saving it to PDF.

Make sure the ink coverage isn't higher than 300%.

Force Colour Images to CMYK with a 260% ink limit (in Photoshop > Convert Colour Profile > Photoshop 5 Default CMYK). Make sure the ink coverage isn't higher than 300%.

Save your files in uneditable, print-ready file formats.

Save your files in uneditable, print-ready file formats (PDF (1.4 or higher), TIFF, EPS, JPG). Deliver your files in one layer: the background layer.

Use the right values for full colour black.

Use Rich Black (C:63% M:52% Y:51% K:100%) for larger areas and text to get a deep black colour. Do not use this value for text smaller than 15 pt or plain text. This can only be used in full colour printing. For designing black smaller texts use 100% black.

Check line thickness.

Lines should be at least 0.25 pt. Negative lines should be at least 0.5 pt.

Check your artwork on overprint.

Make sure no elements in your artwork are set on overprint unless you want this effect in your design. You can read more about overprint in our Help Centre.

Frequently Asked Questions for PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip

What is this product exactly? And what can I use it for?

• PVC cards with HiCo are durable plastic cards with magnetic identification strips for added security. They are most often used as:
  - Access passes
  - Membership cards
  - Badges
  - ID's
  - Business cards
  

How does the magnetic strip work?

• You will need to install and activate the magnetic coercivity strips yourself; we recommend ensuring that this technology is compatible with your system before placing an order.

What materials can I choose from?

• PVC: choose PVC if you are looking for solid material, which is comparable to a credit card.

What is the fastest possible turnaround?

• The fastest possible turnaround varies depending on the specifications you select, and will always be stated at the bottom of the page. To make sure that your order is delivered at the indicated time, it is important that we receive your file with your design for the product by the stated cut-off time. This way, the product can be moved into production promptly.
  Please note: The delivery date shifts a day every time the deadline for submission has passed. This is also the case if the file is rejected by us and corrected artwork isn't submitted before the next cut-off time.

Which production techniques do you use?

• For the production of PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip, we use the following technique(s):
• Digital (up to 250 pieces): printed on professional HP Indigo printers, directly after your order is received. Digital printing is cheaper in lower order quantities.
• 
  Offset Lithography/Litho printing: This technique uses wet ink and aluminium and rubber plates to transfer images and text onto paper sheets, resulting in sharp, vibrant, and consistent prints. While this method may require slightly more setup than digital printing, it's the most cost-effective option for larger print runs.

Which carriers are used for the delivery?

• For the delivery of PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip, we use our most reliable carriers which, in most cases, are UPS or DPD.
• We also use DHL and our own courier service. However, these carriers are only used for certain products (depending on the size, the turnaround and the quantity).
• The PVC Cards HiCo Magnetic Strip that is chosen in most cases can be selected via our website.
• Depending on the complexity, this can take a bit longer.