FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |

FAQ.

Do you want to find out about a specific term in the ticketing industry?

Use the nagels FAQ, where all background information and additional knowledge is prepared for you. All terms related to ticket solutions are explained briefly and can be looked up quickly and easily. The information is regularly updated, supplemented and expanded.

  • RFID refers to identification/data exchange by means of electromagnetic waves (Radio-Frequency IDentification), i.e. a contactless, wireless transmission of information and data.

    For this purpose, the receiver (read/write device in the form of a terminal, scanner or similar) builds up an electromagnetic field so that the (passive) transponder (ticket, label, tag, etc.) is supplied with energy in this field and an exchange of information can take place.

    The transponder is always made up of an inlay consisting of a microchip and an antenna.

    The antenna can be laid, printed or etched.

  • ◾ Contactless function, even without visual contact

    ◾ Insensitivity to contamination and environmental influences

    ◾ Very high data transmission speed (average 100 milliseconds).

    ◾ Bidirectional communication (read and write in one work step)

    ◾ Reliable function even with extreme temperature differences / fluctuations

    ◾ Time saving due to simultaneous acquisition of several objects (bulk acquisition)

    ◾ High security for data transmission and storage through encryption

  • RFID systems are divided into three frequency ranges:

    Low Frequency (LF 30-500 KHz)

    Low frequency systems have a low range and data transmission rate, so the transponder must be in close proximity to the reader to enable data exchange. There is also only a limited memory size. In return, they are mostly characterized by robustness (insensitive to metal and liquids) and are therefore popular in industrial environments or for animal identification. Another factor in favor of an LF system is its low cost.

    High Frequency (HF, 10-15 MHz)

    High Frequency systems have a much wider range and faster data transmission than the LF systems. The number of different tag sizes is almost unlimited and therefore covers almost all application areas, such as marking of liquids, mobile payment and textile identification, tracking of a variety of objects. Possible interference by RFID-opaque materials.

    Ultra High Frequency (UHF + Microwave, 433 MHz, 850-950 MHz, 2.4-2.5 GHz)

    Ultra High Frequency systems convince both with a very high transmission speed, insensitivity to electromagnetic interference fields, as well as ranges and are mostly used in the warehouse and logistics area. However, they are also comparatively larger and cost correspondingly more. In some cases, they must be supported by an additional external energy source (battery).

  • There are many variations of ticket types that one encounters again and again in everyday life.

    Parking tickets, admission tickets, bus tickets, airline tickets, train tickets, event tickets, coupons and much more.

    To suit each sector, different ticketing technologies are used to simplify and smooth access. We create barcode and magnetic stripe tickets as well as contactless RFID tickets.

  • Specializing a print shop in the production of tickets requires a precise knowledge of the market as well as some technical know-how. Special printing, die-cutting, and coding machines for ticket printing guarantee customers from the parking, leisure & event, public transportation, and sanitation sectors products that are perfectly tailored to their needs.

    Certificates from the system manufacturers of admission systems such as Skidata, Scheidt & Bachmann, Designa, Cale, Flowbird, Hectronic, RTB, Axxteq, ICA, Parkeon and many others also confirm that the certified ticket producer meets the requirements and that flawless functionality of the tickets produced is guaranteed.

  • We produce over 1,000 ticket types for numerous industries. Depending on the area of application, tickets are required in different formats, materials and with different technologies.

    For example, while thermal rolls are usually used for ticket printing, fanfold tickets are best suited for use in parking garages. We produce single tickets, fanfold tickets, rolls or ticket booklets in various sizes, grammages, weight categories and according to the specifications of your vending machine manufacturer. This ensures the functionality in the device.

    Individual ticket formats can also be implemented entirely according to our customers' specifications.

  • In our field, OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) /system manufacturers primarily produce barrier systems, automated pay stations and entry systems that control access.

    We work closely with OEM and system manufacturers of access systems right from the development process to ensure that our tickets work smoothly with the manufactured hardware and software.

  • RFID tickets, manufactured and individually printed as single, fanfold or roll tickets, are used for a wide range of applications.

    The advantages of contactless technology have also proven themselves in public transportation. There, as well as in the area of parking, RFID tickets are becoming increasingly popular and are convincing thanks to their fast, contactless data transmission.

    RFID tickets are created at nagels on PVC or paper basis and thus can be used for single or multiple use.

  • The wide range of uses for plastic cards makes them a real all-rounder. A particular advantage of plastic cards: Their durability and technical flexibility.

    The multi-layer structure makes plastic cards extremely robust and durable. It is printed directly onto the carrier material and finally laminated with a scratch-resistant PVC film to protect the colors and the card.

    The international standardized format according to ISO 7810 is 86 mm x 53.98 mm, so that e.g. bank and credit cards can be used across borders without any problems. Our standard plastic cards have a thickness of 0.82 mm (+/- 0.08 mm).

    In addition, plastic cards can be equipped with various security and information features such as magnetic stripes, data chips, holograms, embossing and RFID technology.

  • Magnetic stripe tickets are user-friendly and have therefore been a popular ticket choice for decades.

    The strip consists of tiny iron-based magnetic particles that have been fixed in a plastic-like layer. They can store data by changing the magnetism of these particles in the direction of north or south, thus forming a binary code that can then be read by a reader.

    Our magnetic strips can be glued or sealed onto the cards. We use magnetic strips with high coercivity HiCo (2750Oe/4000Oe) or low coercivity LoCo(300Oe) in different widths.

    High coercivity makes accidental erasure of data by an external magnetic field nearly impossible.

    Low coercivity is the standard (e.g. on credit cards or key cards), but can be accidentally erased by your cell phone or other external magnetic fields.

    Due to our specially developed machinery, we have the possibility to offer hybrid recording. Thus, we are able to accommodate both HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripes on one product.

  • A simple way to describe barcode technology, although it is much more:

    A pattern of black and white bars, each representing a number from 0-9. Each number has exactly 7 units into which the different colored bars are inserted. Example: The number 1 is composed of two white bars, two black bars, two white bars, one black bar.

    When read by the barcode scanner, it is converted into binary digits and again into a number to which a specific function is assigned, e.g. "open barrier".

    Why is not only the number itself printed? There are many more error possibilities if the number is not printed correctly, is damaged or the ticket is held upside down (e.g. 9/6).

    The main advantage of one-dimensional barcodes is that they work so quickly and don't make your customers wait at the barrier.

    The main difference between 1D and 2D barcodes is the data capability. While 1D barcodes usually carry a simple 13-digit number, 2D barcodes can carry up to thousands of characters.

    Probably the best known 2D code is the QR code.

    So 2D barcodes may take a little longer to read than a 1D barcode, but they contain many times more information and can be used for more complex operations.

  • A QR code consists of black and white squares that represent a data set binary. The three squares printed at the corners provide the orientation. The maximum capacity of a QR code is 2,956 bytes. Thanks to its high storage capacity, a QR code can contain all the details of a flight, for example, if it is used on a boarding pass and can be easily scanned by a cell phone using decoding software.

    We offer paper-based one-way tickets with individually imprinted QR codes, making the tickets a cost-effective and forgery-proof alternative to bus and train tickets, for example.

  • In many areas, one of the most important criteria is the counterfeit-proofing of products and the data noted on them.

    We offer many different options to protect your investment and data. These can range from a simple and cost-effective solution such as fluorescent ink or fluorescent fibers in the substrate to holograms via hot stamping and cold foil processes. In addition, secure encryption of the product is available for magnetic stripe or RF technologies.

  • Contact chip cards, which can be used to read or write data, are a widely used type of card. Classically, memory cards are used for applications where storage is the primary requirement. This is the case, for example, with health insurance cards in the healthcare sector. Contact smart cards contrast with contactless RFID smart cards, where the data interface can be read and written without direct physical contact.

    Memory chips hold between 256 bytes and 64 kBytes of data. Some chip types have additional write protection and are thus also suitable for simple bonus or prepaid solutions.

    Processor chips have a processor that can be used to access the chip's data. This means that the data can be processed, securely encrypted and made available for various applications. The advantage of the possible integration of specific program solutions within the microprocessors supports their use as bank cards or SIM cards, for example.

    Smart cards with RFID or NFC technology offer a variety of advantages over conventional card solutions. The range of wireless radio transmission can be up to five meters and thus enables fast processing, especially for parking and public transportation. The areas of application for chip cards thus range from bonus, membership, cash and health insurance cards to parking and travel tickets.

  • Many tickets in the parking and transportation sector, such as bus tickets or parking tickets, are made of thermal paper. This type of paper is specially produced for the thermal printing process and has a layer that reacts to heat. When the paper is heated in the printer or ticket vending machine, it forms a dye. This has the advantage that the parking ticket vending machines are much more durable and require less maintenance, and no other consumables such as ink ribbons are needed.

    Use as a parking ticket demands particularly high resilience, as high double-digit temperatures behind the windshield are not uncommon in summer. Parking and driving tickets must also be resistant to other external environmental influences such as moisture and dirt.

    With decades of experience and with customers around the globe, nagels ensures the smooth functionality of your tickets. That is why nagels is certified by many system manufacturers and is considered a recommended supplier for tickets.

    On rolls we supply labels for thermal, thermal transfer printers or ticket rolls, which meet the highest demands due to optimized material.

  • Ticket customization can have design or security reasons.

    Tickets are often kept as mementos of events, and an appealing look helps to enhance the event. Printable with up to eight colors, the design possibilities are almost unlimited.

    Even with conventional parking tickets, individualization offers the opportunity to give local advertising partners space for their ads and promotions. This does not affect the function of the ticket, as long as specified clearances are adhered to. Our internal design department supports our customers in the design process with its many years of experience in ticket production in order to achieve the optimum result while complying with all specifications.

    For operators, however, the counterfeit-proofing of tickets is an important reason for individualization.

  • Certifications from OEMs and system manufacturers provide the assurance that our tickets enable smooth operation of the systems. Close cooperation with the system manufacturers from the very beginning enables us to perfectly coordinate and optimize our tickets.

    In addition, we work in accordance with ISO standards 14001, 27001 and 9001 and are re-certified in accordance with these standards every year.

    Contents of ISO 14001*

    The international standard specifies requirements for an environmental management system that enables an organization to improve its environmental performance, meet legal and other obligations, and achieve environmental objectives. The central elements of ISO 14001 are:

    - Planning: Establishing environmental goals and corresponding measures, responsibilities and procedures;

    - Implementation: Implementation of the defined measures and procedures;

    - Control: Review of responsibilities and procedures, as well as actions, with respect to the organization's environmental goals and guidelines (known as "environmental policy");

    - Improvement: Adjustment of responsibilities, procedures and measures as well as, if necessary, environmental goals and guidelines.

    https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wirtschaft-konsum/wirtschaft-umwelt/umwelt-energiemanagement/iso-14001-umweltmanagementsystemnorm#inhalte-der-iso-14001

    ISO 9001 is a standard for quality management systems and defines the requirements for such systems. An organization must meet these requirements in order to be able to provide products and services that fulfill customer expectations as well as legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the product or service. At the same time, the management system should be subject to a continuous improvement process. The requirements contained in the standard are applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size and product. If the requirements of the standard are met, the organization can have this confirmed with a certificate. https://de. wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9001

    The international standard ISO/IEC 27001 Information technology - Security techniques - Information security management systems - Requirements specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continuously improving a documented information security management system, taking into account the context of an organization. In addition, the standard includes requirements for assessing and addressing information security risks according to the individual needs of the organization,[1] taking into account all types of organizations (e.g., commercial enterprises, government organizations, non-profit organizations). The standard has also been published as a DIN standard and is part of the ISO/IEC 2700x family.

    The standard specifies requirements for the implementation of suitable security mechanisms, which are to be adapted to the circumstances of the individual organizations. The German part of this international standardization project is managed by DIN NIA-01-27 IT Security Procedures. https://de. wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO/IEC_27001

  • RFID smart labels or TAGs are ultra-flat, passive transponders applied to foil. Due to their nature, they are mainly used in labels, for example for shipping labeling or in the clothing industry. The label material can be specified individually: whether direct thermal, thermal transfer paper or foil. RFID Smart Labels can be produced with many materials. Their low production costs make them particularly attractive for individual use.

  • Fare collection systems are most frequently used in the field of public transport. For example, by Scheidt & Bachmann, within their product range of fare collection systems. They indicate whether the passenger's ticket is valid, enable ticket sales, and regulate access control.

    Learn more about our product offerings and ticketing solutions to support your ticketing systems.

  • Passive transponders do not require their own power supply (battery), they obtain their energy from the electromagnetic field that they create with the reader. However, they can only be used at a short distance of up to 5 meters.

    Compared to active transponders, they have a shorter transmission range but an almost unlimited service life. Typical applications here are access control systems, but also pet registration via chip.

  • Significantly more information can be stored on the transponders of RFID products than with a barcode. This information can not only be read, but also (re)written.

    The frequency of the respective chip penetrates a wide variety of materials, so that RFID products can also be attached inside packaging, or directly to the product, and are resistant to environmental influences.

    A readout of the chips is no problem even with high contamination or slight damage and is also faster than with a barcode.

    High security factor due to encryption and copy protection.

  • Fleet cards are mostly used for payment of fuel (gasoline, diesel, etc.) in companies. They are, so to speak, credit cards that can be used to pay at selected gas stations. The driver refuels his car and pays with this fleet card, whereupon the amount is debited directly from the company account and not from his own account. To ensure that not too much is purchased or refueled than is actually necessary, individual merchandise authorization or payment levels can be set. Fleet cards also minimize the work of accounting or administration departments, as no receipts or vouchers have to be submitted.

  • With RFID labels, the data carrier is not a barcode but an integrated microchip sandwiched between two thin, glued layers of paper. All relevant data is stored on this chip. By means of an antenna connected to the microchip, the data can be transmitted to the respective readers via electromagnetic waves and read out. Radio frequency waves can penetrate materials. Therefore, the label does not have to be applied outside the object to be marked. It can also be applied inside the packaging of the respective product or behind an adhesive film that is intended to protect the label and, above all, the chip.

    Due to the wide range of applications that these products bring, nagels can offer you a variety of customized solutions, ranging from the type of paper used for the label to the range of the microchip.

  • A transponder, which responds to a specific access system, is nothing more than a key and a lock. The transponder contains, thanks to a coded chip inside it, the information necessary to gain access to the respective area. Thanks to RFID technology, it sends information to the access system without contact.

  • Personalized RFID access products are individualized by encoding the chip used with personal information. This means, for example, that certain areas can only be made accessible to selected persons.

    For example, if the entrance door to your company can be opened with an RFID TAG, and if this is also responsible for securing some areas, the TAG of certain people who should not have access to the screened area can be personalized to deny access.

  • Contactless chip cards, also known as transponder cards, are used for automatic identification and data capture, by means of chip and RFID technology. The plastic chip card has an integrated circuit (chip), which can be controlled by special card readers. In the case of contactless chip cards, the card only needs to be held in front of a reader, without the need to touch the device, in order to retrieve the data that the chip contains.

  • Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical commonly used in the manufacture of plastics and resins or as an antioxidant in plasticizers.

    BPA is also present in the coating of some types of thermal paper.

    Since March 1, 2017, BPA has been considered toxic to reproduction (category 1B) according to the EU regulation of July 20, 2016.

    With us you can order any parking ticket Bisphenol A-free (BPA-free). Contact us to check if your system also allows the use of BPA-free tickets.

  • To control access to an area defined by the operator, nagels offers reliable solutions for access systems.

    Only authorized persons can gain access to this area using, for example, a coded key card (barcode, magnetic strip or RFID). This protects rooms containing important documents or valuables, for example. The access card contains information that is checked by the technical control system before access is granted or denied.

    Access systems are also used in swimming pools, at events and sports events, or in hotels and on cruises. Whether barcode, magnetic, thermal or RFID tickets, access systems can be adapted to every conceivable ticket type and are secure and effective in every case.

  • Limited use media or disposable media (LUMs) are generally utilised by customers who require access to public transit but do not use a plastic card.

    These LUM tickets are designed for a one time use and they are disposable. nagels offers LUM tickets for areas like: Train, bus, tram, ferry, metro and airline.

    Parking management: season, payment on foot, display. Leisure: sports, events, theme parks, museums, festivals, attractions, galleries. Identification and access control: security, tracking.

    In addition to their main function as travel or access cards, we can incorporate electronic wallets for the purchase of adjacent products or services such as food, refreshments, parking, magazines, newspapers and merchandise. We can also combine radio frequency chips for close-range reading with UHF remote reading technology for motion monitoring to provide our customers with a complete data picture.