Selecting a Material

Here at Universal Smart Cards we take pride in the fact that we have a vast amount of knowledge in the smart card industry, meaning we can help you with all your smart card needs. We typically produce cards using PVC, PET, PETG, PC, ABS and Luc-Bio, which is eco-friendly and degradable.

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PVC - PVC is the most common material used for card bodies; it is the least expensive and can be used for both contact and contactless cards. However, PVC can have a shorter life expectancy than other materials due to a lower resistance to heat, UV and bending stress which can cause your card to lose its quality finish over time; this is because the lamination and finishing layers can begin to peel away.

PET & PETG - PET and PETG are unique polyester materials that are eco-friendly and also durable. They have been designed and developed to enhance the physical durability of your cards for your applications. One of the key developments of these materials is that they can reduce the incidence of antenna connection breaks and contact plate separation caused by everyday use, flexing and bending of the card. Polyester cards are suitable for long-life application or where cards are required to withstand a certain amount of duress, such as ID Cards for education environments, military credentials, construction access, passports and more.

PCOffset Example 2 - PC stands for polycarbonate and this material offers a more rigid card body with a high resistance to damage from heat, flexing and UV. However, as a knowledgeable organization, we feel you should know that PC cards have a tendency toward breakability due to continuous automated handling which can create shatter cracks.

ABS - ABS cards are resistant to impact, heat and chemicals although they can become flammable, as it is possible for the material to reach a boiling point and burst into flames when exposed to high temperatures.. ABS cards have a high print quality making them the ideal material for graphic-heavy card applications such as branded access cards and ID cards for universities and high end organizations. When personalizing these cards, a re-transfer printer is required as ABS cards are not compatible with standard direct printers.

LUC-BIO - recycle image hi resLuc-Bio is a green PVC range that will degrade within 39 months of its introduction to the environment, without any residual negative impact on the eco-system. It is a new PVC formulation designed to answer the growing demand for green products. The Luc-Bio range, developed by our supplier's R&D laboratory, brings the added benefits of 100% degradability, without any change in the physical or mechanical properties of Lucprint PVC film which our customers value so highly. This means Luc-Bio can be run under standard conditions.

Luc-Bio has received certification from an independent laboratory under agreement with the University of Milan. The Luc-Bio formulation also complies with REACH requirements, which certifies its complete safety in use.

We are proud to offer a product that has a highly positive impact on the eco system, yet meets the full technical and production requirements of our industry.