Physical characterization

Laboratory and physical analyses
To help our customers during the development of materials and products and reduce time-to-market, ELITT continuously updates and maintains a physical testing laboratory. The following types of analyses are proposed:

• Dimensional evaluations:
  • 3D measurements
  • Roughness and profile measurements
  • Dimensional stability under temperature and humidity variations
  • Dimensional tolerance
• Mechanical evaluations:
  • Resistance to flexion and torsion
  • Resistance to heat, cold and humidity variations
  • Resistance to peeling
• Physical evaluations:
  • Opacity
  • Resistance to chemicals
  • Flammability
  • Electrical tests
• Contactless tests:
  • ELITT is currently working on testing equipment for resistance to alternating magnetic fields, data reception and retromodulation.

Smart card physical evaluation

International standards describing ICC card tests methods are consolidated in the ISO 10373 series. ELITT is equipped for performing many of the tests and also gives advice on the implementation of the described methods.
Prior to issuing payment cards and generally new card products are tested at various levels for conformity with the national and international specifications. Physical tests are realized on the plastic card supports as well as on embedded ICC (Integrated Circuit Card).
A scope of analyses, ranging from visual verifications to toxicity and temperature cycle tests can be required on plastic supports. Also the magnetic stripe is subjected to a number of analyses.
As for the embedded ICC, the standardized analyses cover among others, visual verifications, salt mist resilience as well as torsion and electrical resistance tests.
ELITT is an expert on the analyses of physical conformity and consultancy on the way to reach this conformity.

Physical tests on the embedded ICC form part of the functional evaluation for payment cards.