Ivry sur Seine, France - MGI Digital Graphic Technology, the digital press and finishing solutions manufacturer, announced that the world premiere of the JETcard inkjet card printing system will take place at Cartes 2010 (Hall 3, booth #E097), the world's leading event in the secure technologies industry, held in Paris on December 7-9, 2010.
 
Utilizing MGI's award winning and revolutionary inkjet technology, the JETcard provides card manufacturers with an all-inclusive printing solution. JETcard utilizes blank cards (with smart chip, magnetic stripe or RFID) and is ideal for turnkey production from 1 card to millions, all ready to be sold (fully printed, personalized, coated, encoded & verified).
 
The JETcard is targeted for card manufacturers as well as commercial printers, maximizing productivity for high volume applications while still remaining cost-effective for short runs. The JETcard has already been awarded the prestigious "2010 Innovation Grand Prix" in recognition of MGI's R&D achievement.
 
From an individual blank ISO CR-80 card, the JETcard is able to achieve in one pass, the following processes:
- Pre-print coating to ensure a full compatibility with the substrates available on the market (PVC, ABS, etc.)
- Printing in 4 to 6 UV colors including micro text and guilloché patterns
- Full variable data printing including text, barcodes & images
- Spot UV coating or flood UV coating for card protection
- Security inks revealed only under a black light
- Printing of signature panel
- Read & write on the embedded magnetic stripes
- Textured backgrounds printed with a slight embossing effect (wood, leather, etc.)
- Automated quality controls and ejection into a rejection bin of the defective cards
 
Drop-on-demand technology and an integrated RIP enable full variable data printing on all JETcard inks and coatings. For example, the security coating can be used as an anti-counterfeiting feature, revealing inks only when held under a black light.
 
MGI's JETcard is a true Card Factory and can replace up to 5 different pieces of equipment traditionally used in the plastic card production chain: Litho press, a collator, a lamination press, a die cutter and an encoder/personalization printer.
 
Other key features of the JETcard include:
- A production speed up to 8,000 cards per hour (simplex)
- One of the highest print resolutions available (up to 720 x 2160 dpi)
- Accommodates paper & plastic cards from 350-1000 microns (ISO CR-80 format)
- HiCo/LoCo magnetic stripe support (read/write)
- Capability to store up to 2,500 cards within 5 different trays
- Automated controls for ensuring data accuracy between card front and back
 
The JETcard is a marked evolution from traditional plastic card manufacturing due to the utilization of eco-friendly technology, saving resources, eliminating waste (inks, electricity, no plates or screens) and harmful emissions (ozone free, no solvents, no chemical waste) while reducing the overall electrical consumption compared to traditional methods.
 
In addition to the JETcard, MGI will show their complete line of digital printing and finishing solutions for the plastic card manufacturing industry including:
 
- Meteor DP60 Pro 4-color multi-substrate digital press - paper, plastics up to 400 microns/16 mil, envelopes, sheet sizes up to 330 x 1020mm / 13 x 40", full variable data capabilities (up to 32,000 printed cards per hour)
- JETvarnish digital inkjet spot UV coater – sheet sizes up to 52 x 105 cm / 20 x 40", up to 0.5 m/sec, optional 2nd print line for black overprinting or security UV ink formulas
- PressCard Pro – hot platen lamination unit for plastic card creation, accommodates features such as magnetic stripes & smallest footprint in the industry
- PunchCard Pro – CR-80 format die cutter, up to 850 µ & max. 8,500 cards per hour