ID card printers are a great way to improve office security. When properly set up, a photo ID card system can create full color cards in a matter of seconds. Most ID card printers aren’t any harder to set up than a traditional paper printer. There are a few questions you will want to ask yourself prior to making a purchase to assure you get the right model.
How many employees or students do you have?
Different printers print at different speeds. The more employees or students you have, the faster you will want your printer to run. You will also want to take into consideration whether or not the cards will be printed in a single bulk run, or over a long period of time. The printing time can take anywhere from 3 to 80 seconds, depending on the model and the resolution.
Would you like color or monochrome cards?
ID card printers are available in color and monochrome designs. Monochrome-only printers print faster than full-color printers and the ribbons typically cost less. Full color ID cards are more vibrant and are preferred by many businesses, schools and organizations. Most full-color printers are capable of using monochrome ribbons should the need arise.
Do you need single or double-sided printing?
Photo ID printers are usually available in single and double-sided designs. If you don’t need double-sided ID cards, you should be fine with a single-side printer. If you think the need may arise later down the road for a double-sided printer, you may want to get it now. Most single-sided printers cannot be upgraded to double-sided printing.
Many people will purchase a single-sided printer for double-sided printing. They print one side, put it back in upside down and print the other side. The downside to doing this is that it takes much longer and you risk scratching the already-printed side.
Many people don’t want full color on both sides of the double-sided ID. Many people prefer full color on one side and black monochrome on the reverse side. For this reason there are six panel ribbons with two black panels. These special ribbons for one-sided monochrome printing cost less and waste less.
Do you require a magnetic strip, smart card or proximity RFID?
Many people like to include a mag stripe or a smart card for doorway access, time attendance, for use on gift cards and for many other purposes. The card is encoded in the printer as it is printed. This is a very convenient way to create ID cards without having to use a separate magnetic stripe encoder.
What kind of software will you need?
Some type of software will be needed to create ID cards. ID card software usually includes a grid template where the card can be designed, photos can be included and text can be added. These programs are very easy to use and are 100% compatible with our ID card printers. Most ID card software allows pictures to be taken with a camera real time (with a video capture card) in the software itself prior to printing.
We sell EPISuite, Card 5 and Assure ID software. Various packages are available depending on whether or not you need to batch print, maintain a database of employees and other features. You can find our software here. Each software product page includes a spreadsheet showing the differences in packages.
Are there any additional accessories I may need?
Many people like to use a badge holder and lanyard with their ID cards. The badge holder helps prevent scratching and damage to the card. Lanyards make it easy to keep the ID card accessible. We also sell badge reels, clips and pins for use with ID cards. You can find our ID card supplies and accessories here.
