The procedure
From inquiry to delivery
As soon as we receive your request, we will process it and prepare a customized quote, which you will usually receive on the same working day.
If you have any questions, we will be happy to clarify them personally and send you sample cards from other projects that match your profile.
You supply the print data and, if necessary personalization data - we'll take care of the rest.
To ensure that you are satisfied with the quality and product, you will receive a proof from us and can also test it "LIVE" at your company.
After approval, we immediately go into production and deliver within a few days to weeks, whereby express production is also possible.
Print data
Dimensions card format:
- 85.6 x 54.0 mm. A page size of 89.6 mm x 58.0 mm should be created in the document.
- The card cutting die is positioned in the middle, resulting in a bleed of 2.0 mm per side
- Attention: a punching tolerance of up to 1.0 mm is possible in production
UV offset printing:
- Euroscale colors (CMYK) and spot colors (HKS-K and Pantone-C) are printed
- Rasterized objects should not fall below 8 % and should not exceed 85 %
- The total paint application should not exceed 250 %
- A rich black (e.g. for larger areas) can only be achieved by adding cyan (approx. 40 %). If the slight blue cast is not desired, the color values C50/M40/Y30/K100 are the better choice.
- 100% black for text, graphics, fixed QR codes/barcodes etc. should overprint an even background
- The value for overfilling or underfilling is approx. 0.15 pt
- Minimum line widths (also applies to lettering): Positive, solid = 0.25 pt (0.09 mm); positive, screened = 0.5 pt (0.18 mm); negative, solid or screened = 0.5 pt (0.18 mm)
Screen printing:
- Printed in 24 screen (60 lpi)
- Rasterized objects should be avoided
- Minimum line widths (also applies to fonts, but: do not use serif fonts): Positive, solid = 0.5 pt (0.18 mm); negative, solid = 1 pt (0.35 mm)
Combined screen printing / UV offset printing:
- The screen printing ink should be printed over the entire surface, then the offset ink is printed over it (note: color deviation compared to printing on a white background)
- If offset printing objects are left out of the screen printing background, the value for overfilling or underfilling is approx. 0.2 mm
File formats
The following file formats can be accepted and processed:
- PDF, TIF, JPG or EPS
- EPS (any pixel images included should have a resolution of 300 dpi at image size)
- TIFF (resolution 300 dpi for image size)
- Adobe InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop
Data from older programs can normally also be transferred. Fonts used in the open typesetting files must either be enclosed or converted to curves/paths. The same applies to placed graphics/images. Please either include them or supply them separately. Attention: The so-called Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are not suitable for creating print data for card printing.
General information
- Punch marks and register crosses must be applied in the layout data in accordance with the net card size (85.6 x 54 mm) (but outside the gross card size of 89.6 x 58 mm)
- A bleed allowance must be applied for printing that falls off the edge (2.00 mm right/left and 2.00 mm top/bottom)
- Objects (text, logo, etc.) that do not fall off the edge must have a minimum distance of 2 mm to the edge of the card and to any magnetic strip, chip or writing field that may be present
- Punching form placeholders, magnetic strips, writing fields, chip placeholders, holograms and all other elements that cannot be printed using offset/screen printing must not appear in the print PDF (PDFX3/PDFX4). Possibly provide an additional view PDF
- Only the following color models are permitted: CMYK (Euroscale) and/or spot/special colors (HKS-K, Pantone-C, etc.). No RGB data.
- No liability is accepted for errors (layout, text, figures, etc.) in the data supplied and any resulting costs.
Personalization data
Please send us personalization data in csv format only. csv files are text databases with a field separator. Text databases are in pure ASCII format and can therefore be created in any simple text editor.
The data fields of a data record are directly adjacent to each other, whereby each data field is separated from the next data field by a separator (semicolon).
Generation with Microsoft Excel:
csv files can also be created from any Excel file using “File -> Save as”. Select “CSV (delimited) (*.CSV)” under File type to convert an Excel file into a CSV file. To check the data, please open it afterwards with a text editor, e.g. the Windows editor. One data record can be seen in each line. The data displayed in the editor is decisive for the personalization, not, for example, the data displayed on the website. data displayed in Excel.
We would also like to ask you to name the csv files clearly according to the following scheme to enable clear identification and allocation of the data.
YYYYMMDD_Name.csv (year 4 digits, month 2 digits, day 2 digits)
The structure of the sample file is exemplary. You are welcome to customize the field names according to your needs. Please note that we require a consecutive data record number (field 1) for production.
For entering numerical values with leading zeros (e.g. zip codes or barcodes) such as 00236 the cell/column can be formatted in Excel. Right mouse -> Format cells -> user-defined. Enter the desired number of zeros in the “Type” field. In the above case “00000”
Assignment of passport photos in the CSV file
In order to be able to personalize passport photos, the passport photo belonging to each data record must be entered in the csv file. The passport photos must be supplied separately from the csv file. Please compress the csv file and the passport photos into a zip archive and send us the data in encrypted form for data protection reasons.
The photo designations can consist of the following characters: – the letters a-z or A-Z
– the numbers 0-9
– underscore and hyphen
The following characters are not permitted:
– all special characters such as ä,ö,ü ? !
– Accents
– Spaces in the file name e.g. max mustermann.jpg
– Dots in the file name are not permitted. e.g. max.mustermann.jpg
A correct file name would therefore be, for example Max_Mustermann1.jpg
Please ensure that the associated image files are named identically to the file names entered in the csv file. Any deviation will result in an ID card being produced without an image file, as the image cannot be assigned to the data record.
File format of the passport photos
Please note the following for automated processing:
1. all photos must have the same structure:
– same image section
– resolution 300 dpi
– format in the size in which the passport photo is to be personalized (e.g. 20 mm * 30 mm) – same colour depth
– same orientation (usually portrait format)
2. All passport photos must be supplied as a jpg file (RGB)
3. only the image files belonging to the data sets to be produced should be supplied. For example, should 1581 ID cards are produced, then only the corresponding 1581 passport photos should be supplied.
Data transfer and FTP server:
We take the protection of your data and your customer data very seriously. We therefore ask you not to send us any personal or sensitive data by unencrypted e-mail. Please only transfer customer data in encrypted form with password protection. You can download the data directly to our server using the link below. This is also suitable for providing large files, such as print data, which can no longer be sent by e-mail due to the file size.
In order to be able to assign your data correctly, please name the upload clearly as follows: Company – Name – Order number – Order description
After you have successfully uploaded the data, please inform us briefly by e-mail so that we can collect the data.
For long-term and frequent cooperation, we will also be happy to set up your own FTP server for exchanging data. Simply get in touch with us.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Do you have any questions?
Your contact to PPS
Book a consultation
You are welcome to make an appointment for your non-binding consultation with one of our experts directly here.
Inquiry by mail
Send us a message via our contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Request by phone
If you have any questions, you can also contact us directly via phone. We are looking forward to your call.
Make a non-binding inquiry now or calculate directly online!
Our sales contacts will be happy to help you. You can reach us by telephone:
Monday to Thursday
09:00 – 12:00
13:00 – 16:00
Friday
09:00 – 13:00
Online request
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to prepare an offer?
We attach great importance to speed and usually send you your individual offer within 1 working day. However, the processing time can also be longer for special requirements.
I don't have any print data, can I still order?
Of course, you can also order from us without exact print data. We will be happy to create your print data using existing image material and logo. Please feel free to contact us.
Will I receive a sample before the cards are printed?
You will receive a digital proof from us as a PDF file for print approval. Here you can check again whether the print data is correct and give us your approval. Only after approval, we will start production. For larger productions, it may also make sense to print a real proof for release.
How can I convince myself of the quality of your cards?
We will be happy to send you a selection of sample cards free of charge so that you can see the quality of the cards for yourself. If you already have print data available, we will select similar cards from our extensive collection of samples.
How long does it take for the cards to be produced?
The standard production time is approx. 18-20 working days after print approval. The production time for RFID cards is around 20-25 working days. If you need your cards sooner, express production is also possible within a few working days. In addition, the shipping time by parcel service or forwarding agent is 1-3 working days. Simply get in touch with us.
How do I make sure that the barcode/QR code on the cards works?
For cards with barcode personalization, you will receive a proof in PDF format from us in advance. Barcode. You can use the PDF to scan and test the barcode. Quite unlike online print shops.
How do I make sure that the RFID chip or the coding works?
For cards with an RFID chip, we will send you a blank sample with the corresponding chip and coding in advance for testing and approval. This gives you 100% certainty that the cards will work correctly.
Can I have the cards personalized with individual names and photos?
Yes, we can also personalize your cards with individual names, numbers or even coloured passport photos. We attach great importance to high quality and durability.
What is the minimum order quantity?
We can produce short runs from 1 piece in digital printing. The minimum order quantity for cards in offset printing is 250 pieces.
I have regular needs, how does that work?
If you need cards on a regular basis, the card blanks are usually pre-produced and stored free of charge in order to use them for personalization at any given time. The call-offs can then, for example weekly or monthly.