Access Controls (UK) Limited

                   Magnetic Stripe Cards.

The chances are that you already carry a number of these cards. Magnetic stripes are commonly found on credit cards, bank debit and cashpoint cards, membership cards, supermarket loyalty cards, and many others. Boring Technical bit!  - Magnetic stripe cards have a black or brown magnetic stripe made up of particles of resin. Brown stripes are generally low-coercivity (LoCo), while black stripes are high-coercivity (HiCo). Coercivity is the ability of the magnet stripe to resist demagnetisation. It is measured in ‘Oersteds’ (Oe). The resin particle material determines the Coercivity of the stripe: LoCo stripes at 300 Oe are usually made from Iron Oxide and HiCo stripes at 2750 to 4000 Oe are usually made from Barium Ferrite. The higher the coercivity, the harder it is to encode – and erase – information from the stripe.

Magnetic stripe cards are the same size as credit cards and cashpoint cards. The individual information is stored in the magnetic stripe and is read by ‘swiping’ the card through a card reader.

·                           Benefits. 

Magnetic stripe cards are relatively inexpensive. The are ideal for fairly low security applications where there are a large number of system users. The cards can be easily ‘customised’ to reflect individual site details or reflect sponsorship by a third party, such as a brewery or other supplier.

 ·                         Disadvantages.

Not high security, the cards can be relatively easily replicated.  Magnetic stripe cards and the readers do eventually wear out because they make direct contact as the card is swiped. This type of system is relatively inexpensive to install but the ongoing cost of replacing cards and readers (typically, a reader is good for about 1,000,000 passes or swipes) does add up. Readers can be vandalised if they are exposed, glue, chewing gum and chip forks have all been removed from swipe readers. Cards can lose their programmed data if they are placed too near to large magnetic sources such as the magnetic pads that are used by clothing shops to remove security tags.

               Proximity Cards.

Proximity cards are presented to readers to operate the access control system. The card does not actually have to make direct     contact with the reader but must normally be placed within a few centimetres of the reader. Proximity cards come in a variety of  sizes and types but most modern systems use a card that is of similar size and thickness to a credit card.

Technical Bit. The cards are also known as Radio Frequency Identification Devises (RFID). RFID is, in fact ,a fairly simple process, that can be explained quite easily. Basically, a proximity reader emits an electromagnetic RF field that powers the electronics within the card. The card is referred to as being “passive” i.e. it has no batteries, and is only powered up when presented in close proximity (hence the name) to a reading device. The term ‘proximity’ is used in the access control industry to refer to the application of RFID technology to that particular industry.

Cards used for this particular application are specifically designed to operate on a very low power ratio when activated, and transmit data at low frequency, well within European standards and guidelines.

Because of the card’s ‘passive’ design there is no danger at all of harming other data that you may carry with you on cards such as credit or cashpoint cards. This would be the case even if he RF card was to become ‘active’, because of close proximity with a reading device, as the low power, and frequency combination, emitted from the card cannot generate a sufficiently strong enough electromagnetic field to erase the data contained within these types of cards. The cards actually operate at 125kHz.

·                           Benefits. 

Proximity cards do not require any direct contact: therefore cards and readers do not physically wear out. The cards do not even have to be removed from wallets, purses or handbags, the cards will work right through these materials. Operationally, the proximity systems will read cards more quickly that magnetic stripe cards. This means less inconvenience to system users and helps to maintain the flow of pedestrian traffic in busy areas. Unlike many other companies, our proximity cards cannot be copied or replicated and are therefore suitable for high security applications. Each individual site has its own ‘site code’ which prevents a card from one site being used at another site – unless the system administrator allows it. Labels can be attached to the cards that can be easily ‘customised’ to reflect individual site details or reflect sponsorship by a third party. Cards can also incorporate photos and are ideal for use as identity cards. Readers are small, unobtrusive, maintenance free and extremely resistant to vandal attack. Cards and readers both carry the manufacturers lifetime warranty.

·                           Disadvantages.

The original installation of a proximity system is generally more expensive than a magnetic stripe system. Extra cards are slightly more expensive.

  We are fully accredited by HID to supply both the HID and Indala ranges of proximity cards and key fobs.

                                      Proximity Key Fobs.

 Key fobs work in exactly the same way as proximity cards. They are simply clipped to key rings and provide a more convenient     and robust method of operating the access control reader.

·                           Benefits. 

Are as with proximity cards, except that the small size of the fobs do not allow for personalisation.
As with cards and readers, fobs carry the manufacturers lifetime warranty.

·                            Disadvantages.

Key fobs are more expensive still than proximity cards.