FARGO Electronics, Incorporated
6533 Flying Cloud Drive
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA

Fargo Electronics Presents Readily Available Options For Enhanced ID Card Security

As security systems around the world receive closer scrutiny today, it’s reassuring to know that the first line of defense – a photo identification card system – is readily available and easily implemented. If enhanced card security is your concern, Fargo can help.

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRGO) is the world’s leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Fargo printing systems create personalized plastic identification cards complete with digital images and text, lamination, and electronically encoded information. The company is exhibiting its advanced card printer/encoders October 23-25 at CARTES 2001, the international forum for smart card technologies and secure applications. More than 400 exhibitors, 13,500 visitors from 110 countries and 1,500 Congress participants will attend CARTES at CNIT Paris la Défense.

“ID badges allow you to visually reconcile a photo with a face. It is the oldest and most basic biometric system. An identification card signifies that an individual has been given clearance; lack of an authorized ID signifies a breach of security,” said Kathleen Phillips, Fargo’s Vice President – Marketing.

“Identification counterfeiters today have access to sophisticated card printers, copiers, cameras, computers and photographic software programs,” said Phillips. “The doors to an organization may be virtually wide open to individuals with false credentials. They can pose a very real threat to both people and property. Using advanced ID card security measures available from Fargo, false ID cards can be easily detected.”

Fargo Enhanced Card Security Measures

Oversized Cards

Printing on oversized cards is an exclusive Fargo Professional Series printing capability. An oversized card is larger than the standard, credit card size card (called CR-80; 3.375" x 2.125"/85.6mm x 54mm) that most people carry. Oversized cards come in two sizes, called CR-90 (3.63" x 2.37"/92mm x 60mm) and CR-100 (3.88" x 2.63"/98.5mm x 67mm).

Oversized cards are excellent for high security applications where fast, at-a-glance visual recognition is vital, such as at airports, conventions, sporting events, government buildings and news conferences. More organizations are turning to oversized cards because they are a great way to set cards apart and make them instantly recognizable.

Holographic Globe PolyGuard™ Overlaminate

PolyGuard Overlaminate, a polyester “patch,” is applied over a printed card in the Pro-L Card Printer/Encoder’s lamination station. It makes card designs tamper-resistant, and also protects printed cards from abrasion and fading. It is available in a 0.6 mil and a 1.0 mil thick version. Holographic PolyGuard, with a globe image and the word “SECURE” in microtext, offers an added level of security by making a card more difficult to forge.

Custom Holographic PolyGuard Overlaminate

For the ultimate in card security, Fargo offers custom holographic overlaminates to help protect against the threat of counterfeiting, and make your entire ID system and facility more secure.

Creating a unique hologram takes a great deal of skill, time, and very costly precision equipment. Embossing the hologram on clear overlaminate material adds another step to the process. To make the equation even trickier, multiple security features can be added to a hologram, such as microtext, UV printing and precision repeats. Only a handful of companies around the world are experts in holographic “art.” The amateur counterfeiter has neither the skill nor the financial resources to invest in creating quality replicas of original holograms.

SmartShield™ Card Security Feature

SmartShield™ allows users to automatically print a custom transparent security image – a logo, symbol or text – directly onto their cards using the clear overlay panel of a standard print ribbon. Once printed, this image appears only when the card is viewed under ultraviolet (black) lighting or when viewed at an angle under normal lighting. These unique security images enhance the security of every card produced and help protect from counterfeiting.

With SmartShield, customers can use existing logos or create new one-of-a kind security images using any standard graphics program, then save it to a proprietary access card. Once saved, the image will be automatically printed onto every card produced. SmartShield images can be changed and resaved onto the access card as often as necessary, but only by those who know the password.

Fargo Enhanced Printer Security Features

SmartGuard™ Printer Security Feature

With SmartGuard, supervisors can ensure that only authorized staff or employees are allowed to print cards. SmartGuard makes this possible by requiring that a custom access card be inserted into the printer before it will operate. If the access card is not inserted, the printer simply will not function.

The SmartGuard feature is enabled by using its software to encode a password onto a SmartGuard Access Card. This access card then serves as a key which can be given to those who are authorized to use the card printing equipment. SmartGuard makes the entire ID card system more secure by ensuring accountability for every card produced.

Lockable Card Hoppers

DTC515 and DTC525 Card Printer/Encoders provide a lockable Card Hopper Door. This lock helps prevent theft of your blank card stock. This feature is especially helpful if using valuable card stock such as preprinted cards, smart cards, or cards with built-in security features such as holograms.

About Fargo

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRGO) is the world’s leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Fargo printing systems create personalized plastic identification cards complete with digital images and text, lamination, and electronically encoded information.

Personalized identification cards provide physical, information and transaction security for a wide variety of applications including retail stores, e-commerce, government installations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, clubs and associations, and correctional facilities. More than 50,000 Fargo systems are currently installed throughout the U.S. and in over 100 other countries. For more information, visit Fargo’s Web site at http://www.fargo.com.