It is estimated that more than 90 per cent of photo ID card inspections are undertaken visually and in the field, with visual inspections often being the primary form of document investigation and validation. Any decisions to use a secondary inspection criteria is often based on the outcome of the visual inspection. For this reason, good badge design and the selection of the right custom ID card printing is critical, according to HID Global, the identity and access control product company.
Authenticity and security are crucial in creating visually secure credentials that incorporate elements that can be scrutinised and validated during the initial inspection, the ID firm says. The speed, cost-effectiveness, convenience and simplicity of visual inspections have made ID cards particularly popular in government applications including national ID cards, permits and enforcement documents. These cards, documents and credentials must be clearly authentic and genuine, so the importance of having a well-designed visual security solution cannot be overstated, the company says.
Josh Nippoldt, director of product marketing with HID Global says: “It’s important to note that most of the visual security solutions that are offered today are one-size-fits-all, meaning they are exactly the same on every single document. While this is still a very effective solution, an additional level of defence can be applied by utilising card printing features including personalising IDs with on-card visual security options. The ID designs can now play a role in the first line of defence against counterfeiting by taking visual security features and customising them to each unique card holder or user.”
Typical visual security features include holographic overlaminates and card pre-printing. Holographic overlaminates may include overt, covert and forensic features, while pre-printing options range from holograms and various types of security printing to special inks, relief structures, laser images, optical variable ink (OVI), hidden features, and randomised UV markings. Dozens of visual security combinations can be considered, the firm says.
Nippoldt adds: “Forgers are becoming more sophisticated as ID cards become more widespread. By implementing a range of diverse and high-level security features, these forgeries can be easily detected, helping to protect the government’s citizens from security threats. The more secure the card, the more secure the citizen.”
Pictured: Fargo identity card printer from HID.
