INFO

Printed Cards with the 13.56 MHz chip MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K are color printed plastic RFID cards with the same shape and size as credit cards (86 x 54 x 0.85 mm) and they contain contactless microchips MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K which are produced by chip manufacturer NXP Semiconductors.

MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K chips operate at a frequency of 13.56 MHz and work according to ISO/IEC 14443 Type A.

Beside the most popular chip version with 1kB of memory and 4-bytes long ID, there are other versions of MIFARE Classic® EV1 chips available upon request:
-    MIFARE Classic® EV1 1 kB with 7-bytes long ID
-    MIFARE Classic® EV1 4 kB with 4-bytes long ID
-    MIFARE Classic® EV1 4 kB with 7-bytes long ID.

Printing options for MIFARE® Cards

For printing MIFARE cards we usually use three options:
1.    Color print with card printers on already produced white cards;
2.    Color print with offset technology during a manufacturing process;
3.    Monochrome print of variable data on white or preprinted cards (serial numbers, bar codes, personal data, etc.).

Color print with Thermal Retransfer Printers for cards 

When ordering 1–500 printed MIFARE cards is the best to print the onto the already produced white cards with use thermo retransfer printers. With this printing technology, we can print single-sided or dual sided color artwork. The printer makes high quality print with bright CMYK colors and the artwork can go from edge-to-edge (there is no white edge).
The advantage of thermo retransfer printers is that they print each card at a time and we can print even a single card when needed.  The disadvantages of a thermal retransfer print are the high costs of ribbons and slow speed, so it makes it less cost effective for higher quantities.
 
Color print with offset technology during the manufacturing process

This option is the best when you need to produce at least 500 printed MIFARE cards. When using the offset printing technology, the cards are printed before they are laminated and die-cut to its final shape. For the printing, we usually use offset digital printing with CMYK colors and combine it with silk screen printing when there is a need for gold or silver background colors or special color shades from Pantone scales.

The card manufacturing process is the following: 

1.    The artworks of the front and back side are printed on a thin plastic layer, which has to be perfectly white and the highest quality as possible. 

2.    After the printing is done, we combine the printed layers with additional transparent protective layers and we add a card core layer containing a MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K chip and antenna.

3.    The sheet with all layers is then heat-treated (laminated) so that the layers stick together and act as a whole. In the next step, we cut out the cards to their final size and shape according to the ISO standard ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1. 

4.    Later, we print variable data like QR codes, barcodes, serial numbers, names, etc. 

5.    And finally, we do a thorough quality check.

During a manufacturing process we can add the following features:

-    Signature panels which allow users to write on the card surface data with pen
-    Magnetic stripe for magnetic card readers (HiCo or LoCo)
-    Card punching – holes on the side of the card for lanyards or clips
-    Chip encoding – writing custom data, change keys
-    Security holograms and other security elements
-    Custom cutting to produce cards in different shapes.

MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K cards printed with offset printing technology are very high quality and durable, but the process is quite complicated, and so the usual production time is 2–3 weeks.

Serialization or personalization of MIFARE cards

When there is a need to print variable data on cards (serial numbers, bar codes, QR codes, names, etc.) we use special thermal printers with monochrome ribbons. The personalization is usually done with black, white, gold, or silver.

 Our services include:
-    Numeration or personalization from an Excel table
-    Printing different kind of barcodes and QR codes
-    Reading and printing the chip ID numbers in various formats
-    chip encoding – writing the URL address, custom data, change keys.

When reading and printing the chip ID numbers on cards, we take extra care that the reading format is correct for the desired application.  

Looking forward to the new cards? Send an email to info@rfidspecialist.eu or call +38641 884 124 and we will be happy to help you.