Card Testing Services


CTI's Card Testing Services are applied to all Product Testing and Technology Testing. We offer worldwide ISO/IEC 17025 accredited quality assurance testing to certify and also to prevent re-issuance of financial / transport / ID cards.

The services are separated by the different stages of the card manufacturing and card processing equipment, all with the common goal to ensure your cards work worldwide, first time, every time.

If you wish to enquire about our services or for further information, please contact us via our
Contact Page.
 


MasterCard CQM and CSI Testing



Overview
CTI is certified to ISO/IEC for MC CQM tests (MasterCard Card Quality Management) and CSI testing (Card Structure and Integrity Program) for Alternative Materials. These set the specifications and methods required for both conventional and alternative or new technologies to enable manufacturing facilities to gain MasterCard approval. Most of the almost 100 card tests within the MasterCard documents reference the ISO/IEC, ANSI, and EMVCo standards. Both MC CQM/CSI specific and referenced tests can be tested by CTI, with turnaround time dependent on the number of technologies and material types included on the card product. CTI has been recognised by both MasterCard and MC CQM auditors for testing their products for almost 20 years and continues to offer services to manufacturers and card issuers alike.

Please contact us for a copy of our Test Timeline Flowchart for further information.



CQM IC Test Methods

Test Method
IC Dimensions
Passivation Layer Integrity
IC Backside Roughness
IC Visual Aspects
Die Flex Stress Test
X-Rays
Static Magnetic Fields
Electrostatic Discharges (ESD)
Latch-Up
Contact Pads Maximum Input Voltage Ratings
VCC Contact
CLK Contact
I/O Contact
RST Contact
Parametric Electrical Characteristics - Test Methods using ATE (Contact)
ESD at Antenna Pads
Alternating Magnetic Fields
Operational Carrier Frequency
Operational Carrier Amplitude
Influence of the PICC on the Operating Field
PICC Requirements for Power Transfer PCD to PICC
Power-off Time
Power-on Time
Modulation PCD to PICC – Type A/B (PICC Reception)
Measurement of Load Modulation Characteristics (PICC Transmission)
Temperature and Humidity Exposure
Temperature Cycling

CQM Personalisation of ID-1 Test Methods

Test Method
Durability of Tipping
Embossed Character Relief Height Retention:Pressure
Embossed Character Relief Height Retention: Heat
Durability of Surface Printing, Indent Printing, Thermal Transfer, Laser Engraving, and Drop-on- Demand – Sandpaper Rub Test
Durability of Surface Printing, Indent Printing, Thermal Transfer, Laser Engraving, and Drop-on- Demand – Soft Eraser Rub Test
Durability of Surface Printing, Indent Printing, Thermal Transfer, Laser Engraving, and Drop-on- Demand – Tape Pull Test
Mechanical Reliability: Absence of Residual Stress
Integrity of Character Reproduction
CQM ID-1 Test Methods

Test Method
Card Edge
Card Reference Position
ICM-Edge
Pantone-Colors
Metallic Colors
Registration and Positioning
Printing Aspect
Card Aspect
UV-Printing
Printed Security Elements
Security Devices (Hologram, PBM, magnetic stripe with hologram like surface, Signature Panel) - Adhesion,
Aspect and Shape, Size and Positioning
Relative Height of Contacts
Dimension and Location of Contacts
Width and Height
Card Thickness outside Contacts, Embossed Areas and Add-on Areas
Thickness with Add-on Areas
Corners
Card Edges
Bending Stiffness
Durability – Dimensional Stability with Temperature and Humidity
Exposure to Temperature and Humidity
Overall Card Warpage
Resistance to Heat
Peel Strength Test
Advanced Peel Strength Test
Adhesion or Blocking
Dynamic Bending Stress
Dynamic Torsional Stress
Impact Resistance
Corner Impact Test
Surface Abrasion Resistance
Resistance to Chemicals
Opacity
3 Wheel Test
Mechanical Reliability: Wrapping Test
Solidity- ICM Adhesion - Back of Card Spot Pressure Test
ESC - ESD Conductivity of Card
ESC - ESD Conductivity of Materials
 

CSI Test Applicable To All Cards

Test Method
Width and Height
Card Thickness outside Contacts, Embossed Areas and Add-on Areas
Thickness with Add-on Areas
Corners
Card Edges
Bending Stiffness
Durability – Dimensional Stability with Temperature and Humidity
Exposure to Temperature and Humidity
Overall Card Warpage
Resistance to Heat
Peel Strength Test
Adhesion or Blocking
Dynamic Bending Stress
Dynamic Torsional Stress
Impact Resistance
Corner Impact Test
Surface Abrasion Resistance
Toxicity
Resistance to Chemicals
UV Light
Opacity
Delamination cross-hatch
Hologram
Signature Panel
Static Bending
CSI - Embossing Specific Tests

Test Method
Embossed Character Relief Height Retention: Pressure
Embossed Character Relief Height Retention: Heat

CSI Tests Applicable To IC Cards

Test Method
Relative Height of Contacts
Dimension and Location of Contacts
3 Wheel Test
Mechanical Reliability: Wrapping Test
Solidity- ICM Adhesion
Resistance to Plasticizer
Salt mist
Resistance to chemicals - one-minute tests
Resistance to chemicals - 24-hour tests
Flammability
Temperature Cycling
Temperature and Humidity
Vibration
Delamination - Cross-hatch tape test

CSI Magnetic Stripe Specific Tests

Test Method
Location of Magnetic Stripe
Magnetic Stripe Area Warpage
Magnetic Stripe Surface Distortions
Solidity/Adhesion of Stripe to card
Resistance to Abrasion
Wear test of Magnetic Stripe from Read/Write Head
Dynamic Characteristics of a HiCo Mag Stripe
Static Characteristics of a HiCo Mag Stripe
 



Below is a list of Card Products and Card Technologies that are involved with this Card Testing Service.

Products:
Credit Cards / Debit Cards, Loyalty Cards / Gift Cards, Transport Cards, ID Cards & Driver Licences, Passports / MRTD

Technologies:
Magnetic Stripe, Smart Card / Chip Card, RFID / NFC Contactless, EMV Certification, Powered Card / Display Card, Biometric Card, Embossing & Printing

Contact us for further information, and we would also be happy to provide you with a Quotation.
 

Manufacturers




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