Accredited according to DIN EN ISO 17025

The topics "ID Card testing" and "Problem-solving for card manufacture" have been important areas of activity at Fogra since 1988.

Almost all necessary tests can be conducted in a separately set-up test and research laboratory. Fogra is a modern service provider in the field of identification cards and keeps track of the constant technological developments in card production that are reflected in developments in the ID Card market. The experience of the staff of the ID Card testing laboratory and the modern, comprehensive equipment set-up guarantee a precise and objective processing of the testing tasks.
A quality management system is used to document the level of quality in the field of the ID Card Testing. The system’s effectiveness has been validated by an accreditation process based on DIN EN ISO 17025.

Testing of ID Cards

Fogra’s ID Card Testing laboratory is capable of conducting all the common ID Cards tests based on ISO, EN and DIN testing specifications as also on the special requirement catalogues of large customers such as banks and insurance companies. Here, tests according to ISO/IEC 10373ff, ISO/IEC 10536, ISO/ IEC 14443, ISO/IEC 15693 and with regard to the physical requirements on bank and health insurance cards are of special significance.

A timely and flexible processing of test jobs is guaranteed due to the strict organisation of the test laboratory. A clear, comprehensive documentation of the test results is naturally included in the service. For each individual test conducted, a form is generated as a separate annex to the test report. Results can be assigned to the individual test samples here. These annexes to the test report also include numerical values. Hence a special assessment of the tested cards is also possible in addition to the information, whether the requirements of a certain standard are fulfilled.

In addition to the routine testing of identification cards, new test methods are being developed. These are indispensible for the objective assessment of the quality of the manufactured cards, were however not provided for any standard till date. The experience gained from consultation, research and testing in the field of the ID Cards flows into Fogra’s standardisation work. Our staff is in contact with the various standardisation bodies in this relation, or they are represented directly as members.
The vast wealth of experience from the traditional areas of research at Fogra makes it possible for the ID Card testing laboratory to also offer advice in cases of printing problems [e.g. wetting problems or scumming] and other problems during production. The printing process can itself contribute to errors, which possibly become evident only during the following processing steps, such as a deficient adhesion of the ink on the plastic or a blocking of the finished cards.

Research

In addition to contract research for card manufacturers, Fogra also conducts public-aided research projects in the framework of the Industrial Cooperative Research programme. Funding is done by the Bayerische Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Technologie [Bavarian state ministry for economic affairs, transport and technology] or the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen e. V. [AiF] [German Federation of Industrial Research Associations] from funds allocated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour. The objective of these research projects is the optimisation of the process steps in ID Card production and a related improvement in their quality.

Testing of machine-readable passports

Fogra not only tests plastic cards in its ID Card testing laboratory, but passports and intermediate products that are used in the production of passports as well. The clearly rising demand for physical tests of passports can be attributed to the introduction of electronically readable passports [E-Passports] in many countries. The establishment of a distinctly higher standard with regard to forgery protection and the increase in efficiency during border control is possible only with the stored, biometric characteristics and the possibility of an electronic reading of this personal data. As it is to be expected that E-Passports will be introduced worldwide in the future, all well-known manufacturers of passports or of materials that are required for the manufacture of passports have begun with the development of appropriate products.

Fogra has accompanied the development of E-Passports on the testing technology front from the beginning and participated in the development of a testing procedure for passports. We have been part of the German Advisory Board DIN NI 17.3 "Maschinenlesbare Reisedokumente" [Machine-readable travel documents] of the ISO SC 17 WG 3 since its inception in summer 2004. The tests are conducted on the basis of the ICAO Technical Report Durability of Machine Readable Passports.

Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Kuën
Tel. +49 89. 431 82 - 271
E-mail: kuen@fogra.org