Custom PVC, PC & PET Magnetic Stripe Films for Cards

PVC, PC & PET Magnetic Stripe Overlay Films for Cards

Wallis supplies PVC, polycarbonate (PC), and PET magnetic stripe overlay films for professional plastic card manufacturers, smart card factories, security printers, distributors, and OEM card projects. Our card lamination materials combine a transparent protective film, compatible bonding treatment, and pre-positioned magnetic stripe to support efficient card production.

Available options include HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripes, custom film thicknesses, sheet dimensions, stripe widths, stripe locations, colors, surface finishes, and coating grades. Applications include hotel key cards, access cards, membership cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, employee ID cards, transportation cards, and hybrid smart cards.

Magnetic Stripe Film Specifications

The following specifications provide a reference for selecting magnetic stripe overlay materials. Exact material grades, stripe configurations, dimensional tolerances, and supply formats should be confirmed against the approved product specification.

Technical note: Listed thicknesses, widths, grades, and colors are selection references, not a guarantee that every combination is available. Final specifications depend on the approved technical data sheet, production drawing, sample, and manufacturing conditions.

What Is Magnetic Stripe Film for Card Manufacturing?

Magnetic stripe film is a functional card material containing a magnetic recording layer that stores machine-readable information. In professional card manufacturing, the magnetic stripe can be supplied on a transparent overlay film so the recording area and protective card surface are integrated into a single lamination component.

During production, the overlay is positioned over printed card-core sheets, laminated with the approved temperature and pressure, cooled, and punched into individual cards. The finished cards can then be encoded and tested with the intended magnetic card equipment.

Pre-positioned magnetic stripe overlay can simplify production by reducing separate stripe-application operations. However, dimensional registration, coating compatibility, and reader performance must be verified for each card structure.

Magnetic Stripe Card Applications

Finished Magnetic Stripe Cards

Prelaid Magnetic Stripe Overlay vs Magnetic Transfer Foil

Buyers should confirm whether they require magnetic stripe overlay sheets, standalone magnetic transfer foil, or completed encoded cards. These products serve different stages of card manufacturing and are not interchangeable without equipment and process changes.

PVC, PC and PET Magnetic Stripe Film Options

PVC Magnetic Stripe Overlay Film

PVC magnetic stripe overlay is widely used for conventional laminated plastic cards. It provides practical printing compatibility, established manufacturing processes, flexibility, and cost-efficient production when paired with suitable PVC card-core materials.

Typical applications include hotel key cards, membership cards, employee badges, loyalty cards, gift cards, campus cards, and general-purpose access cards.

PC Polycarbonate Magnetic Stripe Overlay Film

Polycarbonate magnetic stripe overlay can be considered for durable identification and specialized card constructions. PC offers good toughness, mechanical stability, and heat resistance, but it requires suitable processing conditions and compatible core materials.

Applications may include secure employee credentials, long-life ID cards, driver's licenses, and customized smart cards. Laser engraving is only possible when a suitable laser-reactive PC material is selected and validated.

PET Magnetic Stripe Overlay Film

PET magnetic stripe films are suitable for selected durable commercial and composite-card structures. PET provides tensile strength and dimensional stability, while the coating and processing conditions must be matched to the corresponding card layers.

PET should not be assumed to laminate identically to PVC or PC. The correct adhesive treatment, printing chemistry, temperature, pressure, and cooling process must be evaluated using real production samples.

Overlay Thickness and Finished Card Construction

The thickness of a magnetic stripe overlay must be considered as part of the full card structure. The final card thickness is determined by the front overlay, printed core sheets, any additional inlay or functional layers, and the rear overlay.

For example, a nominal 0.76mm card can be designed with different layer combinations. The following calculation is illustrative only and must be verified after lamination because film compression, adhesive layers, chip components, and manufacturing tolerances can affect the finished result.

HiCo and LoCo Magnetic Stripe Grades

LoCo Magnetic Stripe

LoCo means low coercivity. A commonly referenced LoCo magnetic stripe specification is approximately 300 Oe. It can be suitable for hotel key cards, temporary visitor cards, event cards, and other applications using compatible low-coercivity encoding equipment.

Low-coercivity magnetic data may be more susceptible to strong external magnetic fields. Selection should consider the expected service environment, encoding frequency, card life, and reader compatibility.

HiCo Magnetic Stripe

HiCo means high coercivity. Common project references include 2750 Oe, 3000 Oe, and 4000 Oe. HiCo magnetic stripes require appropriately configured encoders and offer increased resistance to accidental magnetic erasure.

Applications may include access cards, employee credentials, membership cards, transportation cards, and selected financial card programs.

Intermediate Magnetic Grades

Intermediate magnetic grades such as 600 Oe or 650 Oe may be available for certain systems. They must be selected according to the actual encoder, reader, and card-system requirements rather than coercivity alone.

How to Select HiCo or LoCo

Choose LoCo when your established system specifically supports low-coercivity magnetic cards and frequent re-encoding is required. Choose HiCo when improved resistance to accidental erasure is needed and the encoding system supports the selected grade. A high coercivity rating does not automatically mean stronger data security.

Magnetic Stripe Width, Track Layout and Reader Compatibility

Magnetic stripe width and recording-track geometry affect the ability of an encoder and reader to write and retrieve data. The finished-card stripe position must be specified according to the card system's required track format and applicable technical standards.

How Magnetic Stripe Films Work

A magnetic stripe contains magnetizable particles that can be encoded with a sequence of magnetic transitions. An encoder writes the required data format, while a compatible reader detects those transitions and converts them into digital information.

The magnetic stripe provides a recording medium rather than a complete authentication system. Card security depends on the encoded information, reader controls, backend verification, credential management, and additional security technologies where applicable.

Magnetic Stripe Film Roll

Magnetic Stripe Film Sheets

Structure of Magnetic Stripe Overlay Film

Transparent Base Film

The transparent PVC, PC, or PET layer provides surface protection and contributes to the card's mechanical and optical performance.

Lamination Bonding Layer

The bonding layer helps attach the overlay to compatible printed card-core materials. Coating chemistry must be matched with the card substrate, ink, and lamination process.

Magnetic Recording Layer

The magnetic recording layer contains particles formulated for the specified HiCo or LoCo performance. Its uniformity, thickness, and magnetic characteristics influence encoding reliability.

Protective Stripe Surface

A protective surface helps the magnetic stripe withstand normal handling and abrasion. Black, brown, metallic, or colored appearances can be considered according to application requirements.

Transfer and Release Layers

Some magnetic stripe products include release or transfer layers, depending on their manufacturing and application methods. Prelaid overlay film and magnetic transfer foil should be treated as different product constructions.

Key Benefits for Plastic Card Manufacturers

Integrated Overlay and Magnetic Function

Prelaid magnetic stripe film combines card-surface protection and magnetic functionality, reducing the need for a separate magnetic stripe transfer stage in compatible manufacturing processes.

Reliable Lamination Bonding

Suitable standard or strong coatings help the film bond to printed card cores. Proper material selection and processing can reduce delamination, bubbles, and edge separation.

Consistent Stripe Position

Magnetic stripes can be positioned according to approved card-layout drawings, supporting registration consistency during lamination, cutting, and finished-card punching.

Protection of Printed Graphics

Transparent overlay protects logos, photographs, text, barcodes, graphics, and printed information from routine scratches, contamination, and handling.

Multiple Base Material Choices

PVC, PC, and PET film options allow card manufacturers to select materials based on expected card life, production equipment, cost, durability, and required lamination performance.

OEM Customization

Wallis supports project-specific discussions covering film thickness, dimensions, magnetic grades, stripe positions, colors, surface finishes, coating types, labeling, and export packaging.

Applications of PVC, PC and PET Magnetic Stripe Films

Hotel Key Cards

Hotel key-card manufacturers can use appropriate magnetic stripe overlay films with compatible room-lock systems. LoCo options are commonly considered where hotel credentials are frequently rewritten.

Access Control and Employee Cards

HiCo magnetic stripe materials can be evaluated for corporate access cards, employee badges, facility credentials, parking cards, and campus identification programs.

Membership and Loyalty Cards

Magnetic stripe cards can support retail membership programs, fitness centers, clubs, libraries, entertainment businesses, and customer loyalty systems using magnetic reader infrastructure.

Gift and Promotional Cards

PVC magnetic stripe overlay films are suitable for many gift-card and promotional-card applications requiring competitive manufacturing cost and high-volume production.

Transportation and Ticketing

Customized magnetic card materials can be used for selected transportation, parking, ticketing, and fare-management projects where magnetic cards remain part of the operating system.

Financial Card Applications

HiCo magnetic stripe films may be considered for financial-card manufacturing. Payment applications require additional qualification against the issuer's specifications, payment-network rules, and relevant finished-card requirements.

Hybrid Magnetic and Smart Cards

Magnetic stripes can be incorporated into cards that also include contact chips, RFID or NFC inlays, barcodes, signature panels, or other features. Such multi-function designs require complete layer-structure and equipment testing.

Customized Membership Cards

Printed Magnetic Stripe Cards

Sheet Layout and Magnetic Stripe Position Control

The location of the magnetic stripe must be determined using the dimensions of the finished card, not only the dimensions of the uncut overlay sheet. Accurate positioning is essential for encoder and reader contact after lamination and punching.

How to Select the Correct Magnetic Stripe Film

1. Confirm the Card Application

Define the intended card type, service environment, expected lifetime, magnetic data format, and card-personalization requirements.

2. Select PVC, PC or PET

Match the overlay film material with the printed core, card structure, lamination equipment, finished-card requirements, and budget.

3. Select HiCo or LoCo

Confirm the coercivity and encoding requirements supported by your production encoder and field readers.

4. Specify Magnetic Stripe Width and Tracks

Provide the stripe width, recording-track configuration, encoding format, and any relevant technical standard.

5. Submit the Stripe Position Drawing

Share the finished-card dimensions, layout, stripe position, registration marks, punching tolerances, and material orientation.

6. Confirm Coating and Ink Compatibility

Provide the printing process, ink chemistry, curing method, print coverage, and laminator settings to determine whether standard or strong coating is suitable.

7. Approve Production Samples

Test the magnetic stripe film using your actual card core, lamination equipment, punching machine, encoder, reader, and inspection methods before confirming bulk production.

Printing Ink, Coating and Lamination Compatibility

The bonding performance of magnetic stripe overlay depends on the interaction between the overlay coating, printed ink, core substrate, surface cleanliness, and lamination process. A material that works well with one printed card core may not produce the same result with a different ink formulation.

Card Lamination and Manufacturing Process

Prepare the Printed Core Sheets

Use approved printing inks, drying conditions, and registration marks. Ensure the printed core is clean and free from contamination before lamination.

Check Overlay Orientation

Confirm the coated side, magnetic stripe side, stripe direction, and sheet orientation. Incorrect stacking can affect bonding and magnetic stripe position.

Stack the Card Layers

Arrange the front overlay, printed card cores, optional functional inlay, and rear magnetic stripe overlay according to the approved construction drawing.

Perform Thermal Lamination

Apply the qualified temperature, pressure, heating duration, cooling cycle, and release-plate configuration established through material trials. Processing settings must be appropriate for the selected polymer and coating.

Cooling and Conditioning

Allow laminated sheets to cool and stabilize under the agreed conditions to help manage shrinkage, flatness, and bonding consistency.

Punch the Finished Cards

Punch the sheets into finished cards and inspect card dimensions, magnetic stripe placement, edge quality, surface defects, and thickness.

Encode and Verify Magnetic Data

Encode the required tracks using a compatible production encoder. Read-test the finished cards with the intended equipment, checking data accuracy, swipe direction, and signal reliability.

Quality Control and Inspection

Film and Coating Inspection

Inspect material identity, thickness, dimensions, transparency, haze, coating uniformity, scratches, pinholes, wrinkles, dust, and other surface defects.

Magnetic Stripe Inspection

Check magnetic grade, stripe width, position, orientation, coating adhesion, surface continuity, recording-track geometry, and visible defects.

Finished Card Testing

Inspect the completed card for layer adhesion, thickness, flatness, bending performance, stripe position, magnetic encoding, data reading, appearance, and compatibility with the intended system.

Common Magnetic Stripe Film Defects and Troubleshooting

Production defects can arise from the magnetic material, overlay coating, printed core, lamination conditions, stripe registration, or encoder configuration. The table below summarizes common symptoms and first-line checks.

Magnetic Stripe Standards and Reader Compatibility

Magnetic stripe card projects may reference relevant parts of ISO/IEC 7811, depending on coercivity, recording requirements, and intended interchange. The applicable specification must be determined from the end-use requirements.

ISO/IEC 7811-2 addresses low-coercivity magnetic stripes, while ISO/IEC 7811-6 addresses high-coercivity magnetic stripes. The numerical coercivity of a raw magnetic film alone does not establish compliance of a completed encoded card.

For critical projects, buyers should establish finished-card verification criteria for magnetic characteristics, track position, signal performance, mechanical properties, and compatibility with their actual production encoders and field readers.

Golden Sample Approval and Bulk Order Acceptance

Before mass production, card manufacturers should approve a representative sample and record the agreed material specification. The approved sample can serve as a reference for quality control and repeat orders.

Packaging, Storage and International Shipping

Magnetic stripe films require protection from dust, moisture, scratches, excessive pressure, bending, heat, and strong magnetic fields. Appropriate export packaging helps reduce surface damage and material deformation during transportation.

Packaging arrangements may include protective wrapping, moisture-resistant layers, reinforced cartons, edge protection, pallets, and customized labeling. Magnetic grade, stripe direction, thickness, sheet dimensions, and batch identification should be clearly marked where required.

Protective Export Packaging

Palletized International Shipping

Why Choose Wallis as Your Magnetic Stripe Film Supplier?

Wallis supports overseas card manufacturers, smart card factories, security printers, converters, personalization companies, and material distributors with PVC, PC, PET, and related card-material sourcing.

Our service covers material selection, customized film thickness, sheet-size coordination, magnetic stripe specifications, coating and lamination discussions, sample evaluation, and export supply.

• PVC, polycarbonate, PET, and related card material options.

• HiCo, LoCo, and project-specific magnetic stripe grades.

• Customized stripe width, location, direction, and color.

• Coated and strong-coated overlay options.

• Technical sample support for lamination and encoding verification.

• OEM packaging, labeling, and batch documentation.

• Coordinated sourcing of overlay, core sheets, and RFID inlay materials.

Wallis Exhibitions

Global B2B Customers

Wallis Manufacturing

Related Card Material Solutions

For projects requiring ready-positioned magnetic stripes on transparent card overlays, explore our HiCo/LoCo coated overlay with magnetic stripe.

For branded cards requiring decorative stripe colors, explore our custom colored magnetic stripe materials.

Request Custom Magnetic Stripe Film Pricing

For an accurate quotation, please provide your preferred PVC, PC, or PET material, film thickness, sheet or roll dimensions, magnetic stripe grade, width, color, stripe-position drawing, card application, encoder model, reader model, target quantity, and destination.

Frequently Asked Questions About Magnetic Stripe Films

What is magnetic stripe film used for?

Magnetic stripe film provides a machine-readable recording area on plastic cards. When integrated into a transparent overlay, it also serves as a protective card surface.

What is the difference between PVC, PC and PET magnetic stripe films?

PVC is commonly used for general commercial cards. PC is suitable for selected durable and specialized identification structures. PET is considered for compatible durable and composite card constructions.

Which magnetic stripe overlay material is most durable?

Polycarbonate is often selected where toughness and long service life are priorities. However, finished-card durability also depends on the film grade, coating, printed core, lamination process, and completed-card testing.

What is the difference between HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripes?

LoCo stripes require a lower magnetic field for encoding. HiCo stripes require a stronger field and generally provide better resistance to accidental magnetic erasure. The selected grade must match the card's encoder and reader.

Are 300 Oe, 600 Oe, 2750 Oe and 3000 Oe grades available?

These are common project specifications that can be evaluated. Availability depends on material, stripe width, color, supply format, order quantity, and required magnetic performance.

What magnetic stripe widths can be supplied?

Common reference widths include 6.35mm, 8.4mm, and 12.7mm. Other widths can be evaluated according to the required recording tracks, card design, and manufacturing conditions.

Can the magnetic stripe position be customized?

Yes. Buyers should provide a dimensioned drawing showing the finished-card dimensions, stripe width, distance from the card edge, stripe orientation, cutting marks, and agreed tolerance.

Can magnetic stripe films be supplied in sheets and rolls?

Sheet and roll supply formats can be discussed. Availability depends on the film material, magnetic stripe construction, coating, thickness, and order quantity.

Can magnetic stripe film be combined with RFID cards?

Yes. Magnetic stripe functionality can be included in hybrid cards containing contact chips, RFID or NFC inlays, barcodes, and other features. The complete card structure must be tested before mass production.

Is magnetic stripe film compatible with every card reader?

No. Compatibility depends on the magnetic grade, stripe geometry, encoded-track position, signal performance, card construction, encoder, and reader configuration.

Can magnetic stripe colors be customized?

Black and brown are common options. Gold, silver, blue, red, and other colors may be evaluated according to the magnetic grade, approved sample, order volume, and production feasibility.

Does a magnetic stripe provide encryption or strong card security?

A conventional magnetic stripe is a data-recording medium, not a complete secure authentication system. Overall security depends on credential design, backend verification, access controls, and any additional chip or authentication technology.

What is the difference between prelaid overlay and magnetic transfer foil?

Prelaid overlay has the stripe positioned on the card overlay material before lamination. Transfer foil is designed for applying magnetic material through a separate transfer process using suitable equipment.

Do all magnetic stripe overlay films have adhesive coatings?

No. The coating depends on the material and application. Coated and strong-coated grades may be required for certain printed cores, while other constructions use different bonding treatments.

What is the difference between overlay thickness and finished-card thickness?

Overlay thickness refers to the individual film layer. Finished-card thickness includes all overlay, printed core, and internal functional layers after lamination.

Does higher coercivity automatically mean higher card security?

No. Higher coercivity improves resistance to accidental magnetic erasure, but does not by itself provide encryption, authentication, or protection against unauthorized copying.

How are magnetic stripe films tested after lamination?

Testing can include card dimensions, stripe position, bonding, surface appearance, encoding, track-data verification, magnetic signal performance, and reading with the intended card readers.

Can magnetic stripe overlay be used with UV-printed card cores?

It may be possible with a suitable coating. UV ink chemistry, curing level, print coverage, card-core material, and lamination conditions must be checked using actual printed samples.

Can PC magnetic stripe film be laser engraved?

Standard PC overlay is not necessarily laserable. A dedicated laser-reactive material grade and validated card construction are required for laser personalization.

Does the magnetic stripe material automatically meet ISO/IEC 7811?

No. Conformity of the completed magnetic stripe card must be evaluated against the applicable requirements, including magnetic characteristics, stripe position, encoding, and finished-card properties.

What should a golden sample include?

The golden sample should confirm base material, film thickness, sheet size, coating, magnetic grade, stripe color and position, lamination appearance, and encoding and reading performance.

Can I request samples before placing a bulk order?

Yes. Sample testing is recommended to confirm material suitability, coating adhesion, stripe registration, card flatness, encoding, and reader compatibility before mass production.

What is the minimum order quantity?

Minimum order quantity depends on the selected material, thickness, magnetic grade, color, stripe width, coating, and sheet or roll format. Contact Wallis for a project-specific quotation.

What information is needed for a quotation?

Please provide your PVC, PC, or PET material requirement, thickness, dimensions, magnetic grade, coercivity, stripe width and position, coating, card application, encoder and reader information, quantity, packaging, and delivery destination.