Looking for a comprehensive list of definitions for many of the industry terms used on our site? Check out our Glossary for more information.

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Describes fast, efficient printing processes used to produce large quantities of cards with minimal downtime for media loading or maintenance.

A unique photographic overlay that provides a three-dimensional effect on a flat surface. Holograms cannot be easily copied and are often used for security purposes on cards.

HOS is a process that tracks number of hours driven by a particular driver. Defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the purpose of the HOS is to reduce accidents caused by driver fatigue.

A method of printing using liquid ink projected a drop at a time against a substrate.

The process of combining lamination material and core material using time, heat and pressure. Laminate patches used in card printers come on rolls, with and without carriers/liners.

The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a small screen that displays the current status of the printer. LCD communicates an error with text, making it easier to interpret than LED lights.

A web material formed by bonding two or more materials together.

A virtual spot on a map that can be used to trigger alerts when tracked items are nearby.

A non-impact electro-photographic process utilizing a laser beam to scan the surface of the drum creating a latent image which attracts toner. The toner is then transfer fused into the print surface.

A type of service in which wireless technology is integrated with global positioning services (GPS), providing multiple ways of managing mobile resources.

Mag stripe refers to the black or brown magnetic stripe on a card. The stripe is made of magnetic particles of resin, the type of which determines how difficult it is to encode or erase information from the stripe. Magnetic stripes are often used in logical access, time and attendance, lunch programs, library cards, and other applications.

The ability to manage your field personnel more efficiently using wireless technology and devices.

A vehicle’s self-diagnostic and reporting capability. OBD systems give the vehicle owner or repair technician access to the status of the various vehicle sub-systems such as oil pressure, airbag system, and low tire pressure warning system.

Oversized cards are used for more efficient visual identification and are available in many nonstandard sizes.

Series of small cuts made in labels and/or their release liner to facilitate tearing along a predetermined line.

A standard software utility used to test the stability of network connections. It is also used to describe how often a GPS device ?checks in?, allowing the user to view updated location data.

One of many high-polymeric substances, including both natural and synthetic products, but excluding the rubbers. Plastic is capable of flowing and pressure or tensile stress, if necessary, into the desired final shape.

A strong film having good resistance to moisture, solvents, oils and many other chemicals. It is usually transparent.

Proximity cards (sometimes called “prox” cards) allow access and tracking utilizing contactless technology (usually by communicating through a built-in antenna.)

A pressure-sensitive adhesive characterized by low ultimate adhesion to a wide variety of surfaces that can be removed without damage to either the label or the substrate.

Adhesive left on a substrate when a label is removed.

Dimension of the smallest element of an image that can be printed. Usually stated as dots-per-inch (dpi).

A machine which takes rolls from the winder, slits or rewinds into smaller rolls.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless technology for communication between electronic devices. In the barcode industry, RFID tags are used in proximity label scanning, while in the card industry, it is RFID technology that enables a contactless smart card to communicate with a card reader.

Pressure-sensitive labels that are produced in a continuous roll form.

To make an impression or a partial cut in a material for the purpose of bending, creasing, folding or tearing.

Smart cards have an embedded computer circuit that contains either a memory chip or a microprocessor chip, and are often used for Contact, Contactless, and Proximity cards, among others.

Method of printing in which the ink is forced through a design on a tout screen and onto the object to be printed. This process results in a heavy ink deposit that provides excellent outdoor durability.

This is typically a clear film with adhesive on one side, and no liner. This is a lower cost alternative to liner over laminations. Sometime there is a release coating on the top side of the film to allow for smooth and easy unwinding.

Internal or cohesive strength of the adhesive.