3D Printed Transaction Card Surface for Tactile Customization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dual-interface transaction cards have limited appearance patterns, poor tactile experience, and are difficult to customize, making them less competitive in the market.

Innovation Solution

A transaction card with a 3D printing graphic surface, featuring a card base structure that includes a front and back 3D printing graphic layer with a height of 0.05-0.46mm, allowing for enhanced tactile experience and customizable designs, using a 3D printer like the VGD610UV-MVP with six-color UV ink.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If traditional silk-screen printing or lithographic printing is used for card graphics, then the printing process can be completed, but the graphic surface remains plane with poor tactile experience and limited design flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegraphic surface dimensionalityVSAvoidprinting process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies 3D printing technology to create raised graphic surfaces with heights of 0.05-0.46mm, transforming traditional 2D plane graphics into 3D tactile surfaces. This dimensional change provides enhanced tactile experience and visual depth while enabling complex designs that cannot be achieved with conventional printing methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical printing processes (silk-screen printing requiring screen-stretching, lithographic printing requiring PS version preparation) with 3D printing technology. This substitution eliminates complex preparatory work and directly creates three-dimensional graphics through additive manufacturing, simplifying the manufacturing process while enhancing graphic dimensionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional printing methods are used, then the card can be produced efficiently, but the appearance patterns are single and market competitiveness is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveappearance pattern varietyVSAvoidcard production efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic and customizable card designs through 3D printing technology, allowing appearance patterns to be easily modified and customized without retooling. The digital nature of 3D printing allows for rapid design changes and personalization, providing diverse appearance patterns while maintaining production efficiency through automated printing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If 3D printing graphic layer is added to the card surface, then tactile experience and design flexibility are improved, but the card structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetactile experienceVSAvoidcard structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the graphic layer with the protective film layer into a single integrated structure. The 3D printing graphic layer is applied directly on the protective film layer, combining graphic functionality with protective functionality in one layer, thereby reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining tactile experience and design flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The 3D printing graphic surface enhances the card's quality and market competitiveness, enabling broader applications in finance, transport, security, and healthcare with improved tactile experience and design flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

the upper surface of said front protective film layer is adhered with a 3D printing graphic layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3370974B1A transaction card with 3D printing graphic surface
Publication Date: 2021.01.27 GIESECKE & DEVRIENT EPAYMENTS GMBH
  • EP3370974B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3370974B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to the technical field of a transaction card that is with 3D printing graphic surface and has a card base, said card base comprising in order from top to bottom: a front protective film layer, a front substrate layer, an intermediate INLAY layer, a back substrate layer, a back printing graphic layer, a back protective film layer, in particular: the upper surface of said front protective film layer is adhered with a 3D printing graphic layer with a height of 0.05-0.46mm; the transaction card of the present invention is uniquely designed with new 3D printing graphic effect incorporated in the card surfaces, therefore the overall quality of the card is improved, allowing the transaction card of the present invention to be widely used in financial, transport, social security, medical care, schools, security service and other fields, and thus the transaction card is with broad market prospects and strong domestic and international competitiveness.