ID Card Printing, Printers, Ribbons, Plastic Badge Printers, ID badge Printing, ID Cards, ID Printer Ribbons

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ID card printing machines are an ideal low cost solution for high quality printing of plastic ID cards.  Card printers are available in mono only versions and the more popular full colour models. Full colour printers can also print mono however mono printers cannot print in full colour.

We provide an ID Card Printing Bureau Service where we will print as little as one ID card (1). These are sometimes called plastic ID badges, badges, visitors cards, hospitality cards,event cards and loyalty cards etc.We do not charge any set up fee providing your artwork is ready to use. We can provide single or dual side printers and these vary in the way they can be utilised because while you can purchase a dual-side card  printer which will print both sides in one pass there are also single side printers available that can be used for printing low volumes on both sides of the card by putting them through a second time. Some printers need to have an operator in attendance as the cards must be fed through one at a time however most have feed-hoppers that will hold 100 cards or more and you can leave the printer unattended while the cards are printed and return to it later.

Typical applications include Visitor Identification, Schools, Colleges, Universities, Care Homes, Training Companies, Conference badges, Sports & Health Clubs, Societies, Loyalty Cards  and many more.

Most printers use a 300dpi print head for the high quality printing of images and text and there are two main print processes employed for the production of ID cards.

1. Dye-sublimation

Dye-sublimation (DS) utilises a printing process that uses heat to transfer dye onto plastic cards. The sublimation name is applied because the dye is actually applied via the application of heat to a carbon ink ribbon which is heated enough to fuse the print into the card but not enough to turn it into a liquid.

Most dye-sublimation printers use CMYO (Cyan Magenta Yellow Overlays) colours which differ from the more recognized CMYK colours in that the black dye is eliminated in favour of a clear overcoating layer. This overlay also forms part of the ribbon and is a thin clear laminate which protects the print from discoloration from UV light whilst rendering the print on the card water-resistant and durable.

Dye-sublimation is the cheapest form of ID card printing. You should be aware that the ink does not completely cover the entire card i.e. it is not true edge-to-edge. DS will always leave between a 1-3mm white edge around the perimeter of the card. This often does not matter with smaller businesses as the required card design can be accommodated to take this factor into account.  It can be an important factor with many corporations however so they would need to consider the more expensive ‘over the edge’ re-transfer print process printers.

The dye sublimation printing process produces extremely professional-looking images. The way the ink is fused into the plastic card using heat and coloured ink panels provides the printed content with an extremely long lifespan. ID cards can be placed in bespoke card holders, wallets, pockets and are very durable, surviving a lot of regular wear and tear usage.

1. Re-transfer

Re-transfer is regarded as the most superior of the two card print processes. This technology is ideal high-security and true photo quality card applications. The images are printed onto a film that then fuses onto the surface of a card through heat and pressure.

This is called re-transfer or reverse transfer because the print-head never comes in contact with the card surface itself as it transfers the image. As such one major benefit is that this method preserves print-head life. Another benefit is because it is the laminate that effectively wraps over the card it is called ‘over the edge’ printing and therefore the entire card can be covered if required.

Most ID card printers print on plastic cards. The size that is most common is often referred to as CR-80. This size is the same as a credit card and fits into badge holders which can be on the lapel or affixed onto a lanyard for wearing around the neck.

The thickness of PVC ID cards is generally measured in mils. The most popular thickness of ID cards used at present is 30 mils. There are a variety of thicknesses available and each one effects the final cost of printing per card, however 30 mils is by far the most popular.

ID Card Printing

- Creation Software is available to assist with the card design and creation process. A number of standard software programs can be used to produce cards such as Word and Photoshop however bespoke software is the best way to go. It is much faster and will give a more accurate reproduction of colours.

If you are in any doubt about choosing the most suitable printer for your requirements then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be pleased to advise you.