Whatever the application, card security is always vitally important, and in some applications, it may literally be a matter of life or death. Card security should never be taken for granted, and should be consciously built into every single application, right from the start.

The Magicard printer family provides high security features on all of its products, which means that even the most basic card application can be completely protected from the risk of card counterfeiting and card tampering.

Too often in the past, the addition of effective counterfeit and tamper protection has been considered a luxury, and consequently it has only been used on high-budget projects.

Unfortunately this has meant a proliferation of easy-to-fake ID and Membership card systems which are actually less secure than having no system at all. Anyone with a PC, a scanner, and a low-cost dye-sub printer can produce convincing fakes and gain access to whatever these unprotected cards are intended to safeguard.

Ultra's patented HoloKote™ and HoloPatch™ technologies bring complete card security at very low, even zero, cost to all card users.

If physical wear resistance is also required, Ultra's Sicura laminator can be added to any CR-80 badge printer installation.

For the ultimate in security, any of the above features can be used, together with an electronically encoded biometric signature using Ultra's Magstripe, smartcard, or Contactless smartcard encoder options.

HoloKote The No Cost Solution

Large Portrait Card

The Magicard Rio 2, and Tango 2 printers are all equipped with a patented process which can put a unique, frosted, HoloKote™ "watermark" across the entire face of the card during the printing process.

Each printer is supplied with one overcoat security logo already programmed into its memory during manufacture. This "Ultra Secure" logo provides only a basic level of security protection because intending counterfeiters could be successful if they have access to an identical Ultra Printer. It does however, provide complete protection from card alteration or tampering.

Used in this way, HoloKote™ costs absolutely nothing to use. No extra investment cost, no extra consumables to buy, and no extra time or significant complexity of use.

HoloKote™ with Custom Key™

For the highest level of protection, HoloKote™ should be used with a Custom Key™ logo which is unique to the card issuer.

This logo is created in a single List-X security location from customer supplied artwork and is encrypted into a "Flash-Card" size electronic key which can be inserted into a slot on the front of the Rio 2, and Tango 2 printers.

Rio 2 Printer Secure KeyThe lead-time for Custom Key™ programming is about two weeks and the cost of supplying and programming a key is only $550. Subsequent keys with the same design, (which will only be supplied to the original customer) are just $250.

A built-in encryption engine running the DES algorithm, completely preventing would-be counterfeiters from replicating a Custom Key™, protects the data in the key.

Securing the printer so that it can be used for training or maintenance is easy. Just remove the Custom Key™ and lock it away. The printer still operates normally but without the customer's unique authenticating logo.

Ultra Secure KeyThere is no custom laminate material to be accounted for and secured. Once again, Custom HoloKote™ involves no additional consumable costs, just that one-time Custom Key charge.

Yes, a Custom Key can be added to any existing Magicard installation which currently only uses the basic "Ultra Secure" protection level. Upgrade your card security today!

HoloPatch™ : The Visible Edge

While HoloKote™ can protect all kinds of cards from tampering and forgery, the nature of the "watermark" image means that arms-length inspection is required to check that the frosted security logo is intact.

HoloPatch & HoloKote CardTo make inspection easier at a distance, Ultra has invented a new process which is used alongside the existing HoloKote™ technology.

This new process is called HoloPatch. It is incorporated into all new Rio 2 and Tango 2 generation printers and can be selected via the driver when required.

HoloPatch™ involves the use of special card stock which features a gold "super diffuser" patch which is used to highlight one of the 24 separate HoloKote™ logos which cover the front of the card.

The end result, when used with the Ultra Secure or Custom Key™ logo, is a distance-visible security mark which gives a security guard or work colleague easy visibility of the authenticating mark from a distance of 6 feet or more.

HoloPatch™ with HoloKote™ makes attractive and highly secure cards and badges, but it does involve some additional consumable costs for the special HoloPatch™ card stock. The consumable cost of a single sided full color HoloPatch™ card is around $0.85, including dye ribbon & HoloPatch card.

One frequent requirement is to use the HoloPatch™ system with customer supplied prox cards. This can be achieved in two ways.