WHITE PAPER
Crack Prevention Solution for Polycarbonate eID Cards
HID Global
One of the major challenges facing the new generation of multi-technology, polycarbonate-based smart cards is that of delivering on the promise of longevity and durability. Governments and agencies investing in new programs are hoping to offset the costs of new infrastructures, technologies and sophisticated card design with longer-lasting credentials with a lifespan of up to ten years. New technology solutions and manufacturing processes are now proving their effectiveness in overcoming the historical barriers to realizing the promise of the ten-year credential.
This whitepaper examines an innovative solution to one of the biggest challenges faced by governments in achieving this goal. Polycarbonate, due to its unique properties, has won the trust of governments as the material of choice for durability and tamper-resistance. However, the incorporation of onboard technologies such as RFID or contact and contactless chips can create unexpected stresses in the surface of ID credentials and passport datapages ultimately diminishing their usable life. Innovative developments such as anti-crack technologies are critical to protect the structural integrity of the credential, while conforming to international standards. HID Global’s innovative Crack Prevention Feature (CPF) is now used to protect and extend the durability of more than 15 million cards in a major European national eID program as well as the datapages in Ireland’s new ePassport.
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