HID Ultra Card CR-79/CR-80 Durable PVC Cards

The HID UltraCard line represents an industry standard for high-quality, medium-durability, non-technology plastic cards. Specifically engineered to optimize print performance and extend the operational life of card printer printheads, UltraCards feature ultra-clean, polished, and debris-reduced surfaces designed for flawless credential issuance.

Key Specifications & Formats

  • Card Sizes Available:

    • CR-80: Standard credit card dimensions ($3.375^{\prime\prime} \times 2.125^{\prime\prime}$ / $85.6 \text{ mm} \times 54 \text{ mm}$), typically offered in standard 30 mil thickness or specialized 10 mil options.

    • CR-79: Slightly smaller dimensions (typically designed with a narrower cut, e.g., $3.300^{\prime\prime} \times 2.055^{\prime\prime}$), frequently utilized for specialty applications or as adhesive-backed variants meant to be nested directly into the recessed surface of thicker proximity/smart cards.

  • Thickness Options:

    • 30 mil ($0.76 \text{ mm}$): Standard rigid thickness for standalone ID badges.

    • 10 mil ($0.25 \text{ mm}$): Thin profile options, heavily used for adhesive-backed paper/mylar configurations.

  • Material Composition: 100% Graphic-Quality Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).

  • Surface Finish: Clean, ultra-glossy, dye-receptive finish engineered for vibrant color reproduction.

Core Features & Benefits

  • Printhead Protection: Meticulously manufactured and inspected to be free of microscopic burrs and dust particles, significantly reducing premature printhead wear and tear on direct-to-card (DTC) printers.

  • Superior Image Clarity: High-gloss, polished surface maximizes ink and dye adhesion, yielding crisp photo-resolution images, vibrant brand colors, and high-contrast scannable barcodes.

  • Broad Printer Compatibility: Fully optimized for HID Fargo printers as well as virtually all major brands of direct-to-card (DTC) and retransfer printers on the market.

  • Optional Configurations: Available in plain white base finishes, with high-coercivity (HiCo) or low-coercivity (LoCo) magnetic stripes, adhesive backings for credential re-issuance, or specialized visual security elements like custom HoloMark™ or VeriMark™ foils.

Common Applications

  • Standard Photo ID Badges: Corporate, educational, and government employee identification cards.

  • Access Control Patching: CR-79 adhesive cards applied over legacy or technology proximity cards to update employee credentials without replacing core hardware.

  • Loyalty & Membership Programs: High-end retail rewards cards and club credentials requiring photographic print quality.

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