Embossing is the raised character printing that you find on traditional credit cards for your account number, name, etc. Each letter and number are individually pressed into the plastic card with alphanumeric punches and dies. Character selection is either 10 characters per inch or 7 characters per inch.

Thermal printing is a flat type of printing similar in appearance to a laser printer's print on paper. Character size and font selection are variable. Various colors are available for the printed characters.

Tipping or topping is the process where embossed (raised) letters & numbers have a color applied to the top of the characters. A plastic card that has the characters tipped with color are easily read and provide a more attractive appearance helping to insure a greater sense of value to your customer. Colors most often used are gold, silver, black, white or blue. Other colors are available.

No. An imprinter is designed to make an ink or carbon impression on paper of a plastic card's already embossed characters. For example, manual sales slips are done this way.

Encoding is the process that places electronic information onto the magnetic stripe on the back of a plastic card. This allows the card to be swiped through a card reading device that is designed to retrieve the information on the magnetic stripe and then process some type of transaction such as a sale when a credit card is used. The encoded information is usually an account number or some other type of specific identification data for the user of the card.

LoCo & HiCo encoding relates to the intensity of the electronic process that encodes the magnetic stripe. This is called coercivity. LoCo (low coercivity) is calibrated at 300 oersted which is what has been the normal encoding for most magnetic stripe cards for many years. HiCo (high coercivity) is calibrated at 2750 oersted or 4000 oersted. The 2750 HiCo is becoming more common as many of the major credit card companies are now making their cards conform to these standards. A card with HiCo encoding is more stable and less likely to become corrupted by outside magnetic or electrical fields. Currently, card readers can read LoCo and HiCo cards.

The biggest advantage of buying used equipment over new equipment is cost. Used equipment prices are significantly less than that of new equipment. Many companies have discovered that the cost savings then allows them to conserve capital that can be directed to other areas of their companies or put aside for future investment. Additionally, purchasing used equipment from Pittsburgh Embossing Services gets you equipment value along with strong technical support.

The most common size plastic card is the CR-80 size. This card is 3.375" wide and 2.125" high with rounded corners. Thickness will vary; however, the usual credit card such as a Visa or MasterCard is 0.030" (30 mil) thick. Most embossed cards are 0.030" or 0.024" thick. Thermal printed cards will range from 0.030" to 0.015" thick.

Another size is the CR-50 (3.5" wide and 1.75" high) with rounded corners. Thicknesses will vary as above.

Embossing and thermal printing equipment must be configured for a specific card size. Most of our equipment is configured for the CR-80 size cards.