Embossing process for credit cards using heated tools - to heat thermoplastic card to viscoelastic region enabling old data to be erased

摘要

A thermoplastic credit card with embossed characters is produced in such a way that information may be erased at the same time that new information is substituted. The single layer thermoplastic card (1) is fed between embossing rollers, one containing male versions of the symbols to be produced (5) and the other the female counterparts (6). The two rollers are geared together to ensure synchronous motion. A UHF generator coupled to the rollers raises the temperature of the card and the process occurs in the viscoelastic region. In this way previous data is eliminated and new data entered. An alternative version uses a linear motion embossing tool.