At DSS Plastics Group, we see millions of cards a month go through our production plant. We all have our favorite designs, security features or color scheme. Through years of card evolution and production, we've formed our core card security values.
- 6 colors minimum to defeat CMYK counterfeiting.
- Matching a visible (Overt) feature with an invisible (Covert) feature.
- Our patented watermark feature in the card core is a must. Why? It is colorless and part of the card manufacturing process which makes countefeiting require full card production, not simply a blank card, desktop printer and CMYK ribbons.
- Split-fountain printing. There are only a few card manufacturers in the US that have this capability. Same, worldwide. Using one plate that is split in color to print an image has long been a staple for secure documents. This is a no-brainer.
- Laser Engraving variable data. Why? The process is new to the secure card market. The machinery is readibly available. You are alterning the plastic card when you engrave into the material. This isn't a film or ribbon transfer onto the surface, there are no consumables. Engraving into the card, the identity attributes, is the most secure process in the world.
- MLI - Multiple Laser Image is what holograms have been to cards for 25+ years. Buying stickers overseas has become rampant as a way to counterfeit cards. MLI forms a lens onto the card surface that is then engraved at different angles to give you the "flip/flop" of two images. The MLI feature will be the defacto standard on secure cards moving forward. This is also part of the manufacturing process and incredibly hard to counterfeit without investing in over 2 million dollars of equiptment.
These are just a few of the standards in place. To read more about card design standards, feel free to read the latest 2016 AAMVA published standard. Keep in mind, these were standards 4 years ago. If you aren't meeting standards from 2016, you are falling behind and should strongly consider the risk of one counterfeit card.
Is it worth it?
