ID Badging Merits Your Attention

At first glance, many of us tend to think of ID card systems as simply a part of the access control system. In fact, photo identification systems occupy a much broader spectrum in the overall security systems and technology world.

This range includes basic photo identification card systems, card access control systems with tightly integrated ID card badging production features, secure visitor management systems for issuing temporary passes, and, finally, high security identification cards with multiple security features designed to deter counterfeiting.

Basic ID Card Systems

The basic ID card normally consists of your organisation information and logo, identification of the cardholder in the form of demographic data, and a photograph. In some cases, part of this information may be encoded into a barcode for automated data capture.

Applications for this type of ID badge include small firms with a need to identify their employees to people outside of the organisation or membership clubs that need to identify members internally at the time of service delivery.

Integrated ID Cards and Access Control

Card access control systems were developed around the concept of electronically identifying the cardholder to the access control system through one of several card data encoding technologies.

Although many simple products will allow the production of inexpensive visitor badges, an effective secure visitor management system must ensure that a badge is only produced after a valid screening and verification process takes place. Furthermore, access privileges must only be granted to those employees, contractors, and visitors who require them.

Applications for a secure visitor management system include schools, government offices, manufacturing facilities, health-care centers, prisons and military bases.

ID Badge Production

The proliferation of inexpensive software programs and printers has resulted in the ability for almost anyone to produce an authentic-looking ID badge, representing a real or fictitious organisation.

While the majority of card access control systems rely on electronically verifying data encoded in the card technology, increased security awareness is placing greater emphasis on visual verification of identity at locations where it would be impractical to control access and identify persons with a card reader.

Visual security elements, usually incorporated in either the film for a high-definition card printer or the overlaminate in a direct-to-card printer, act to deter counterfeit attempts and allow easy, visual verification of authenticity.