Safekeeping and Handling

Chip cards are high-tech products. In order to ensure that they function properly, they must be handled properly, in particular to avoid permanently damaging the microchip that is on the card.

Please avoid the following:

  • Bending the card to much (the antenna may break),
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  • Permanently bending the card slightly or exposing it to high temperatures (causes problems when writing data onot the TRW strip when validating the card),
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  • Seriously soiling or scratching the card surface as well as other mechanical impact (damaging the thermo-chrome layer, sticking items onto the card or regular writing on it)
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  • Exposing the card to chemicals (e.e. by washing the card)

Chip cards should always be kept in a protective sleeve to ensure they last a long time. Sleeves should not contain sofeners or plasticisers. Plasticiser migration can make plastic cards brittle and thus cause the card to break.

If chip cards are not handle properly and thus become unusable, a replacement card will not be free.