Choosing an ID Card Printer

Newbart Products carries all major ID Printer models however, choosing the correct printer can seem overwhelming. With so many brands available Newbart Products helps to you choose the correct model to fit your needs. Having chosen the correct printer can help with future expansion, over use of printer, cost effectiveness and overall satisfaction. We’ve put together several important questions that can help to narrow down your choices.

1.)Will the printer be used for purposes of more than just Identification cards?

               Many customers want high quality cards that can be used for gift cards or membership cards

2.)Full Color or Monochrome Print

Mono

Single-color printing can be an economical choice if you are personalizing pre-printed cards or blank cards with a name, ID number, black and white photo or bar code. A wide range of colors is available, including metallic silver, gold and scratch-off. Print time is FAST – averaging just 5 seconds. Not all printers provide this feature and not all have the same monochrome colors available.

Full Color

Provides more variety of colors and is the preferred choice for picture or colored logos

3.) Single or Dual Sided

 Single Side

You may choose to personalize just the front of your card with a photograph, ID number, bar code or other data.

Dual Sided

Depending on the amount of data you want to display and the graphic design of your card, you may choose to print on both sides of your ID cards. Very often, printed ID cards feature photographs, ID numbers and bar codes on the front, and a standard blurb about an organization – such as physical and/or Web address, and phone and fax numbers – on the back.

4.)Durability (Lamination)

Will you need a card lasting longer than the standard 1-year? Will you need a cards that will be used for constant swiping? If so lamination may be the choice you need. Laminating cards puts a layer of film over the card that protects the cards from scratching or fading.

5.)How many cards will you print in a year?

If you print large quantities of cards each year, you’ll want features such as: high-speed printing, long-lasting self-cleaning materials, high-volume print ribbons and print technologies with a high tolerance to imperfect card stocks, for long, uniterrupted print runs. You will also want a printer that can handle the high volumes.

6.)Are security features important?

Will you need a magstripe, HID cards, or other smart cards? Not all printers have these features available.

7.)What OS driver will you need?

While most models will only work with Windows O/S some will work with Mac or Windows Server.

8.) Will you need a USB, parallel or Ethernet Interface?

Depending on your technology available and needed we can help you choose the correct model

References: www.hidglobal.com