For security functions and visual effects, the application of holograms to cards has become more and more popular. Such as national ID cards, driver’s licenses, and important credentials that need an anti-counterfeiting shield.
In addition, there are child play cards that need shining and attractive decorations, just for fun and cool.
You may wonder how to print a hologram on the card. Here, we will briefly introduce the principle. In fact, it is not through printing, but a kind of micro-structure texture that can achieve dynamic colors, 3D, rotation, and colorful effects through various light diffraction and scattering.
At present, there is no ID card printer on the market that can print holograms. Because holograms are three-dimensional (3D) images, all card printers can only print two-dimensional (2D) images.
Overall, the hologram image is totally different manufacturing and processing methods from the printing colors we see which are with ink, pigments, coating, etc. And it can show high resolution which is difficult to achieve with ordinary printing.
Four Solutions that Applied Holograms to Cards
Suzhou Image Technology provides a complete solution for applying a holographic overlay film to the standard CR80 card. Mainly from the following five types. They can meet different applications, quantities, security levels, and card finishing processing.
The Production Process of Making Holographic Cards
Integrating holograms into cards is a technical difficulty and needs professional technicians to operate. First, we make an optical hologram mould, and make the microstructures on the mould. Then to make the same effect on cards, we need to transfer this microstructure to cards by heating and pressing.
Conventional printing is, in some way, similar to hologram embossing which is the microstructure transfer processing. To make the optical hologram mould, there are various production processes from design, and dot matrix to electroforming/vacuum plating, etc.
After that, to transfer the hologram microstructure to cards, there are more complicated productions. Need a special production facility and well-trained technicians.
As a manufacturer of security hologram products for about 20 years, Suzhou Image focuses on technology R&D, processing, and finishing improvement, to present better security solutions to our clients, for both government agencies and commercial brands. Especially for governmental projects like national ID cards, driver’s licenses, important credentials, notary documents, etc.
