ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001
(Main)Identification cards — Thin flexible cards — Part 1: Physical characteristics
Identification cards — Thin flexible cards — Part 1: Physical characteristics
Cartes d'identification — Cartes flexibles fines — Partie 1: Caractéristiques physiques
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Standards Content (Sample)
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15457-1
First edition
2001-10-15
Identification cards — Thin flexible cards —
Part 1:
Physical characteristics
Cartes d'identification — Cartes flexibles fines —
Partie 1: Caractéristiques physiques
Reference number
ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2001
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Contents Page
1 Scope .1
2 Normative references.1
3 Terms and definitions .2
4 General characteristics.3
4.1 Introduction.3
4.2 Materials .4
4.3 Finishing.4
4.4 Quality of TFC products.4
4.5 Reference edges .5
4.6 Card life.5
4.7 Environmental conditions.5
5 Outline geometry .6
6 Presentation .9
7 Positioning features .17
7.1 Punched positioning hole.17
7.2 Printed positioning mark .18
Annex A (normative) Paper TFC material characteristics .19
A.1 Paper TFC.0 .19
A.1.1 Regular paper TFC.0.19
A.1.2 Specific paper TFC.0 exceptions.19
A.1.3 Optional additional paper TFC.0 specifications .20
A.2 Paper TFC.1 .20
A.2.1 Regular paper TFC.1.20
A.2.2 Specific paper TFC.1 exceptions.21
A.2.3 Optional additional paper TFC.1 specifications .21
A.3 Paper TFC.5 .22
A.3.1 Regular paper TFC.5.22
A.3.2 Specific paper TFC.5 exceptions.22
A.3.3 Optional additional paper TFC.5 specifications .23
Annex B (normative) Composite TFC material characteristics.24
B.1 Composite TFC.0.24
B.1.1 Regular composite TFC.0.24
B.1.2 Specific composite TFC.0 exceptions .24
B.1.3 Optional additional composite TFC.0 specifications .24
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
B.2 Composite TFC.1.25
B.2.1 Regular composite TFC.1.25
B.2.2 Specific composite TFC.1 exceptions .25
B.2.3 Optional additional composite TFC.1 specifications .26
Annex C (normative) Plastic TFC material characteristics.27
C.1 Plastic TFC.0.27
C.1.1 Regular plastic TFC.0 .27
C.2 Plastic TFC.1.28
C.2.1 Regular plastic TFC.1 .28
C.2.2 Optional additional plastic TFC.1 specifications.28
Annex D (informative) Recommended location of TFC.1 tactile identifiers .29
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission)
form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of ISO or IEC
participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees established by the
respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees
collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
Draft International Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this part of ISO/IEC 15457 may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO/IEC 15457-1 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information
technology, Subcommittee SC 17, Identification cards and related devices.
ISO/IEC 15457 consists of the following parts, under the general title Identification cards — Thin flexible cards:
— Part 1: Physical characteristics
— Part 2: Magnetic recording techniques
— Part 3: Test methods
Annexes A to C form a normative part of this part of ISO/IEC 15457. Annex D is for information only.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Identification cards — Thin flexible cards —
Part 1:
Physical characteristics
1 Scope
Thin flexible cards, the subject of this International Standard, are used to automate the controls for access to goods
or services such as mass transit, highway toll systems, car parks, vouchers, stored value, etc.
For these applications, data can be written and/or read by machines using various recording techniques such as
magnetic stripe, optical character recognition (OCR), bar code, etc.
This part of ISO/IEC 15457 specifies the physical characteristics of thin flexible cards at two points in the card life
cycle:
1. at the point of loading into the card issuing equipment;
2. at the point of issue to the public.
It takes into consideration both human and machine aspects and states the minimum requirements.
The principal card sizes are identified and the characteristics and dimensions are specified.
Guidance concerning the storage and use of cards under various environmental conditions is given.
NOTE Thicker cards, for example ID-1 cards, specified in ISO/IEC 7810, do not come within this scope.
2 Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of
this part of ISO/IEC 15457. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these
publications do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this part of ISO/IEC 15457 are encouraged to
investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For
undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies. Members of ISO and IEC
maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.
ISO 534, Paper and board — Determination of thickness and apparent bulk density or apparent sheet density
ISO 1184, Plastics — Determination of tensile properties of films
ISO 1831, Printing specifications for optical character recognition
ISO 1924-2, Paper and board — Determination of tensile properties — Part 2: Constant rate of elongation method
ISO 2144, Paper board and pulps — Determination of residue (ash) on ignition at 900 °C
ISO 2471, Paper and board — Determination of opacity (paper backing) — Diffuse reflectance method
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
ISO 2758, Paper — Determination of bursting strength
ISO 4593 Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning
ISO 5626, Paper — Determination of folding endurance
ISO 5627, Paper and board — Determination of smoothness (Bekk method)
ISO 5629, Paper and board — Determination of bending stiffness — Resonance method
ISO 5636-3, Paper and board — Determination of air permeance (medium range) — Part 3: Bendtsen method
ISO 6383-2, Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of tear resistance — Part 2: Elmendorf method
ISO 8226-2, Paper and board — Measurement of hygroexpansivity — Part 2: Hygroexpansivity up to a maximum
relative humidity of 86 %
ISO 8295, Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of the coefficients of friction
ISO 8570, Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of cold-crack temperature
ISO/IEC 15457-2, Identification cards — Thin flexible cards — Part 2: Magnetic recording techniques
ISO/IEC 15457-3, Identification cards — Thin flexible cards — Part 3: Test methods
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this International Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
back face
face of the card opposite the front
3.2
finished card
card at the point of issue to the public
3.3
front face
reference face of the card (which normally bears printed information relating to its origin and ownership).
3.4
height
dimension parallel to the shortest edge of the card
3.5
print contrast signal
PCS
the print contrast of a machine readable printed mark, defined as:
R -R
wp
PCS=
R
w
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
where
R is the reflectance of the printed mark, measured in accordance with ISO 1831 for the B 900 spectral band
p
R is the reflectance of the background surrounding the printed mark, measured in accordance with ISO 1831 for
W
the B 900 spectral band
3.6
recording technique
technique, such as magnetic or optical encoding etc., used to store data on the card
3.7
reference edges
datum edges for dimensioning and orientation, having a fixed relationship to the front of the card
3.8
regular card
card without thermal sensitive coating
3.9
tactile identifier
a feature used to determine the orientation of the card
3.10
thermal card
card with thermal sensitive coating
3.11
width
dimension parallel to the longest edge of the card
3.12
wood free
(of paper) 100 % chemical pulp, containing no ground wood
3.13
normal use
use as an identification card involving equipment processes appropriate to the card technology and storage as a
personal document between equipment processes
3.14
twist
off-axis curl resulting in the four corners of the card not being co-planar
3.15
sizing and pen writing factor
capacity of a paper for receiving lines of aqueous ink (pen ink) without smudging or going through the paper
4 General characteristics
4.1 Introduction
Three card formats are recognized, and classified as follows to correspond with other existing schemes of
classification:
TFC.0, size 66 mm ¥ 30 mm;
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
TFC.1, size 85 mm ¥ 54 mm;
TFC.5, size 187 mm or 203 mm ¥ 83 mm.
For each format of card, the geometrical and topographical characteristics are specified separately in the relevant
clause of this part of the standard. The remaining physical characteristics, which are common to all sizes, are
specified in this clause.
Magnetic stripe and track characteristics are specified in ISO/IEC 15457-2.
All clauses in all parts of ISO/IEC 15457 apply to finished cards or to the reels/packs from which such cards are
taken. Certain clauses however concern the characteristics of the card throughout its life.
As a matter of convenience and practicality, certain tests can be carried out on unfinished cards where it can be
demonstrated that no significant change in that characteristic can arise during subsequent processing.
4.2 Materials
Materials for TFCs of various thicknesses are defined in Annexes A, B and C, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1 — Permitted materials
1
TFC size 1 5
0
Paper A270 A178, A250, A270 A178
Composite B270 B250 not specified
Plastic C270 C250, C270 not specified
NOTE Table entries refer to the nominal thickness of the material and the annex in which its
specification is given, e.g. A178 refers to 178 micron material from annex A.
4.3 Finishing
Thin flexible cards are finished in a variety of ways, in accordance with the requirements of the system in which
they are to be used. They may be
printed or pre-printed except in areas used by recording techniques and machine functions (e.g. magnetic
stripes, positioning marks, where used);
equipped for one or more recording techniques (e.g. magnetic stripes, optical bar codes).
Thin flexible cards shall not be embossed.
Regardless of any of these finishing processes, the finished cards shall continue to conform to the requirements of
this standard.
4.4 Quality of TFC products
All cards, however presented, shall be generally free from minor defects which could interfere with the performance
of TFCs or which detract from their visual appearance, such as joins, excessive dust, cutting debris, folds, tears,
creases and thick spots.
1
Note that TFC.0 materials are not necessarily the same as TFC.1 materials of the same thickness.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
4.5 Reference edges
Any specification for a thin flexible card conforming to this standard shall nominate a reference face (the front) and
two reference edges, having the relationship shown in Figure 1, such that all features of the finished card can be
located within the same frame of reference.
Front
Figure 1 — Relationship between card front and reference edges
It is preferred that the front of the card should be that which is designated to carry the major printed identification
information (e.g. system logo or name) and that human readable information on the front shall be upright when the
card is held with one of the two reference edges at the top.
Once identified, these same reference edges shall be used exclusively and consistently when locating all features
specified in this and the other applicable parts of ISO/IEC 15457.
4.6 Card life
4.6.1 Before issue
Cards stored in their original packing, under conditions specified in 4.7.2, shall remain in conformance with this
standard for at least one year.
Cards stored in operational devices (e.g. issuing machines), under the conditions specified in 4.7.3, shall remain in
conformance with this standard for at least two months.
4.6.2 After issue
Finished cards stored under the conditions specified in 4.7.2, without further use, shall remain in conformance with
this standard for at least one year.
NOTE Paper materials specified in Annex A may be expected to withstand up to 50 transaction cycles, composite materials
specified in Annex B may be expected to withstand up to 500 transaction cycles; plastic materials specified in Annex C may be
expected to withstand up to 2 500 transaction cycles. The actual lifetimes achieved will of course be affected by many external
factors.
Cards shall resist deterioration from exposure to light and other environmental factors encountered in normal use.
Where abnormally demanding conditions of use are likely to affect life expectancy, these shall be taken into
account when selecting suitable card materials and methods of manufacture.
4.7 Environmental conditions
4.7.1 Testing environment
Each of the characteristics specified in this standard shall be measured under the environmental conditions
specified in ISO/IEC 15457-3. For most characteristics, these conditions are 23 °C and 50 % relative humidity.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
NOTE Under different conditions, certain characteristics will change significantly, including dimensions (width, height,
thickness), weight, flatness and many of the physical parameters listed in Tables A.1, B.1 and C.1. At the extremes of the
operating environment (see 4.7.3), these changes can be substantial, and should be taken into account in the design of TFC
handling devices.
4.7.2 Storage environment and packaging
Thin flexible cards shall be stored under the conditions specified in Table 2.
Table 2 — Storage conditions
Card type Relative humidity %
Temperature °C
Regular cards 0 to 50 30 to 65
Thermal cards 0 to 40 30 to 65
The purpose of the packaging is to protect cards from physical damage and to reduce the rate of humidity variation.
As a consequence:
cards shall be kept in their original packaging for as long as is practical;
boxes shall be stored on a flat surface, respecting "top" and "bottom" indications;
boxes shall not show any apparent distortion or other damage.
The packaging may be defined by the user but shall enable the above conditions to be met.
4.7.3 Operating environment
Sudden changes in environmental conditions can cause card distortion. Packages containing cards shall therefore
be approximately in equilibrium with surrounding conditions before they are opened.
Cards shall remain in conformance with Table 4, retain their structural integrity and remain usable within the range
of ambient conditions specified in Table 3.
Table 3 — Operating conditions
1
Card type Relative humidity %
Temperature °C
All cards –35 to 50 15 to 85
1
In some applications, the temperature range can be limited by the cold
crack temperature (see Annex C).
5 Outline geometry
Table 4 shows, for each TFC format, the values of the quantities specified in clause 5.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Table 4 — Quantity values for outline geometry
Dimensions in millimetres except where indicated otherwise
TFC size
Quantity Quantity symbol 0 1 5
1
Width W 66,0 +1,0/–0,5 85,6 +1,0/-0,5
203,20 ± 0,38
2
187,33 ± 0,38
Height under testing H
30,0±0,1 53,98±0,2 82,55 ± 0,18
conditions (see
4.7.1)
Height variation H 29,8 to 30,3 53,6 to 54,5 82,10 to 83,25
under operating
conditions (see
Table 3)
Corners
α (Figures 2, 3, 4) 90°±1° 90°±1° 90°±1°
R (Figure 4)
3,20±0,05 3,20±0,05 6,35±0,05
a (Figures 3, 4)
3,20±0,10 3,20±0,10 6,35±0,10
b (Figures 4) not specified not specified
3,2±0,5
not specified not specified
β (Figure 3) 45°±1°
Edge straightness
±0,05 ±0,05 ±0,05
Mismatch (barb) C 0,1 0,1 0,1
Discontinuity D 0,1 0,1 0,1
1 TFC.5 with stub.
2 TFC.5 without stub.
5.1 Dimensions
Dimensions shall be as shown in Table 4 for the selected card format.
5.2 Corners
Corners shall be rectangular, bevelled or rounded, as shown in Table 4.
The parameters of corner geometry for which values are given in Table 4 are shown in Figure 2, Figure 3 and
Figure 4.
NOTE For safety reasons, neither plastic nor composite cards should be cut with rectangular corners.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
α
Figure 2 — Rectangular corner
α
β
a
Figure 3 — Bevelled corner
α
a
R
b
Figure 4 — Rounded corner
5.3 Edges
Each card edge and corner bevel (as applicable to the card format) shall be straight to within the value given in
Table 4 except, in the case of a rounded corner, within a corner arc.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Any mismatch (barb) between a rounded corner and either of its adjacent sides shall be limited to the value of
maximum displacement given in Table 4 of the side from the parallel tangent on the corner arc.
Discontinuities in any rounded corner (cut-ins, fibre clusters, single fibres) shall be limited to the value of maximum
deviation given in Table 4 from a smooth corner arc of the same radius.
Cut-in
Barb
Single fibre
Fibre Cluster
Figure 4 — Edge defects illustrated on rounded corner example
6 Presentation
Table 5 shows, for each TFC format, the permitted methods of presentation and the values of the quantities
specified in clause 6.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
Table 5 — Quantity values for presentation
Dimensions in millimetres except where indicated otherwise
TFC size
Quantity Quantity symbol 0 1 5
or remark
Single card Allowed Allowed Allowed
overall flatness
≤2 ≤2 ≤6,35
Transverse curl
≤1 ≤1 ≤3,04
twist
≤1 ≤1 ≤6,35
Separation force
no fold perforation line A not specified not specified 300±40 N
no fold perforation line C not specified not specified
200±40 N
5 folds Perforation line A not specified not specified
≥60N
5 folds Perforation line C not specified not specified
≥40N
Fan-fold not specified Allowed Allowed
Separation force
2
Perforation line not specified not specified
no fold 80±15 N
bridge not specified not specified
80±15 N
1 fold
1
Perforation line not specified not specified 80±20 N
bridge not specified not specified
not specified
1
5 folds Perforation line not specified
≥20N ≥20N
bridge not specified
not specified
≥40N
Reel Allowed Allowed Allowed
width Wr not specified
<32 <56
Diameter D not specified
≤280 ≤280
o
end cut angle not specified
α 90°±1° 90°±1°
Plastic hub
external diameter D not specified
80±0,5 80±0,5
internal diameter D not specified
70±0,1 70±0,1
i
Width W not specified
h 30±0,2 54±0,2
Paper hub
external diameter D not specified
80±1 80±1
internal diameter D not specified
i 70±1 70±1
Width W 30 +0,5/–1,0 54 +0,5/–1,0 not specified
h
1 Perforation line B (see Figure 10)
2
Note that the "no fold" requirement applies to perforation samples that have NEVER been folded.
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
6.1 Single card
6.1.1 Overall flatness
The maximum perpendicular distance which can be measured from any point on the concave surface of the card to
a plane defined by any three corners of the card, shall be as shown in Table 5.
6.1.2 Transverse curl
The maximum perpendicular distance which can be measured from any point on either of the short edges to a line
defined by the two adjacent corners, shall be as shown in Table 5.
6.1.3 Twist
The maximum perpendicular distance that can be measured from any corner to the plane defined by the other
three corners shall be as shown in Table 5.
6.1.4 Perforations
Perforation lines within the outline of the single card are permitted only for TFC.5, which may be divided into parts
by the perforated lines shown in Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7.
Any text or design printed on either side of the card shall be upright when the longest reference edge is uppermost.
STUB PART 1 PART 2
perforated line A
perforated line C
(optional)
132,08 m m ± 0,38 mm
15,87 mm ± 0,38 mm
203,2 mm ± 0,38 mm
NOTE 1 The purpose of the stub is to hold cards into a binder when issued. In use the card is detached from the stub to
expose a new edge along perforation line C. This perforated line is therefore designated as the reference edge and datum for all
subsequent card processing.
NOTE 2 The dimensions of the card are specified in the manner shown to avoid the effects of cumulative tolerances.
Figure 5 — Card with stub (default)
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ISO/IEC 15457-1:2001(E)
PART 1 PART 2
perforated line A
(optional)
147,95 mm ± 0,38
...
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