ID Cards

Holograms…HoloKote…Help!

I get a lot of calls regarding holograms. I guess it doesn't surprise me; holograms are a very effective tool to add an additional layer of security to your ID cards. However, it can often get confusing unless you have a consultant to help you through the process. The most common misunderstandings about holograms center around how they actually get on your ID cards. People often assume (mistakenly) that holograms are printed on your cards by your ID card printer. However, holograms are NOT printed. There is no ID card printer on the market that can print a hologram because holograms are three-dimensional images and ID card printers (and paper printers) print two-dimensional images. [caption id="attachment_4382" align="alignright" width="248"] Holographic Overlaminate Example[/caption] So how can I add holograms to my cards? Well, the most common way to add holograms to your cards is to use holographic overlaminate. Overlaminate is a roll of film that certain printers can put over the surface of your cards in order to provide you with more durable, longer lasting ID cards. A secondary benefit to this method is that the laminate can be purchased with holographic designs embedded within it. This means you will need an ID card printer that can print AND laminate the plastic card, commonly referred to as "lamination printers.” Popular lamination printers include: All these manufacturers have standard holographic designs available within their laminate offerings. You can also choose to have your own artwork made into the holographic overlaminate (custom overlaminate). One thing to keep in mind if you are considering this is the long lead times (typically about an 8-week process), and because of the minimum order requirements and origination fees, startup costs typically fall into the $10,000-$15,000 range. Looking for a more economical solution? Take a look at your card-based security options such as Fargo’s HoloMark cards. With this option, your cards will come with a holographic foil in the corner of the card. This holographic foil can be a standard generic design directly from Fargo, or you can choose to have cards created with your own custom image. By the way, Fargo has a few other card based security options. Learn more about your security options>> [caption id="attachment_4381" align="alignright" width="285"] HoloKote Example[/caption] One final option for a "holographic” type of card is Magicard’s "HoloKote” feature. HoloKote is not a true hologram, but rather a "watermark” that will appear over the surface of your cards. It's two-dimensional rather than three-dimensional. With Magicard printers, you can purchase a custom key, which is basically a digital copy of your custom artwork. This key is then inserted into the front of the Magicard printer which allows the printer to "burn” the image into the top overlay of the card, giving the appearance of a hologram. No additional laminate or special cards are needed. Again, it’s not a true hologram, but rather a watermark that can be seen when the card is angled properly in the light of the room. Because of its lower start-up costs, this option is very popular among businesses that may not be able to afford custom overlaminate and/or security cards. Whatever option you choose, we’re here to help. Give us a call at (800) 321-4405 – we love talking about card security options!
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