Choosing the Right ID Card Printer
With so many brands and models to choose from, selecting the right ID
Card Printer for your needs may seem like a difficult task – but it doesn’t
have to be.
“Today’s business owner has more choices than ever when purchasing an
ID Card Printer,” says Billy Kim, sales manager for ID Card Group. “Making
the right choice becomes easier once you determine what features and functionality
you require.”
Assess Your Needs
When selecting a printer as the heart of your in-house card printing
setup, it’s important to consider factors like the printer’s speed and
output capacity, as well as its physical dimensions. Another basic factor
to consider is whether your organization requires cards in full color or
monochrome.
Most full color printers utilize Dye Sublimation printing, a technology
once reserved for industrial and high end printing tasks, but one that
has come down substantially in price. As a result, it’s possible to achieve
super high resolution in full color at a reasonable price. An advantage
of the Dye Sublimation printing process is a superior range of colors,
and cards that dry instantly.
Monochrome card printers typically utilize Thermal Transfer printing,
as Thermal Transfer technology is perfect for monochrome applications,
though not as effective printing full color, which is why virtually all
manufactures use Dye Sublimation printing for their color ID Card Printers.
A Myriad of Features
Some printers, like those in the relatively newer and very powerful
Evolis lineup offer a host of features in affordable, space-saving packages
designed for use by smaller organizations and businesses that need professional
cards at a moderate level of output.
Other ID Card printer manufacturers such as Fargo specialize in printers
that excel in producing state-of-the-art cards for applications requiring
the utmost in security such as government and corporate environments. The
selection process is complicated by the fact that most manufacturers produce
ID Card Printers for both moderate security, lower volume environments
as well those designed for the most stringent demands.
For example, while the Evolis Pebble is an excellent choice for those
who need quick reproduction of monochrome cards in a very compact package,
Evolis also manufactures the Quantum, a powerful, maximum volume printer
with an 1000 card hopper that allows businesses to produce cards in brilliant
full color on two sides almost continuously.
Similarly, the C30 from Fargo allows quick and easy production of monochrome
cards on a single side from a deceptively small package, while another
Fargo workhorse, the HDP600, offers the absolute utmost in power and functionality
to meet virtually any card printing situation. This amazing printer is
one of the top choices of governments and offices of multinational corporations
around the world.
Most card printers will print on CR80 cards – like the Magicard Opera,
a very easy to operate single feed card printer with an attractively low
price. Yet some, like the Magicard RioG, utilize CR100 card stock to provide
even greater visibility, allowing for larger images and easier to read
text while accommodating moderate and high output cycles. The Magicard
Tango offers some of the same Magicard functionality while supporting two
sided output.
A look at other manufacturers will offer similar results. The Zebra
P110i is a compact, space saving printer delivering affordable cards on
a single side easily. It’s more powerful older brother is the Zebra P420i,
a very powerful dual-sided printer designed for rapid reproduction of cards
in brilliant color along with a host of options.
Yet price and size can be deceptive. Take the SP55 by DataCard. For
a very attractive price, the SP55 prints cards in full color on both sides
in a package that integrates easily with existing payroll and attendance
functions, an is available with a host of options. For even more power
and higher volume output, the DataCard Select Imagecard is available
in a number of configurations and options to meet your needs.
Other leading brands offer printers ranging from the very basic models
manufactured by Dymo, to those by photography experts Polaroid, with two
models offered by ID Card Group, the P75i and the P100i. Nisca offers powerful,
easy to use models like the PR53LE and the PR5310, which delivers cards
in full color on both sides.
It Pays to Ask Questions
It really helps to know what you need up front. Many models come with
options like magnetic stripe encoding and lamination modules and innovations
like smart card encoding. By assessing your requirements ahead of
time, you’ll find it easier to sort through the hundreds of available features.
Start by asking yourself questions like: “how many cards will we be
issuing on an average week?”, “what are my security requirements?”, or
“how can magnetic striping and smart card capabilities enhance my payroll
and security operations?”
In addition, many models offer USB compatibility with Windows® software,
so checking for system compatibility in advance is a good idea. Other models
function as stand alone units – so be sure to know what your business calls
for.
Once you’ve identified your needs and requirements, it becomes much
easier to make decisions based on information provided about the dozens
of ID Card Printing models available at ID Card Group.
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