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ID Card Printers
Entry Level:
Quatro (Full Color)
Uno (Monochrome)
Mid Ranged:
4250 (Full Color)
4225 (Monochrome)
Professional:
Pro-L (Full Color, Built in
Lamination)
Pro (Full Color, No lamination)
ID Card Printers
The original method and equipment for making identification cards (ID Cards) consisted, until recently of: camera (typically Polaroid), hard paper cut to size and a laminator. The person’s picture would be cut to fit the size of the paper and then the card would be laminated. This is referred to as the ‘Film Based Method’. The initial investment was low but time and labor increased the cost per card dramatically. It was more or less a ‘fixed’ application as changes would imply a usually lengthy card re-design.
Digital Printing has revolutionized ID Card technology. The key characteristics of Digital Printing are:
Very fast output - one full ID badge can be printed in as fast as 25 seconds
Low cost per card
Print directly to card - no labor in cutting, sizing, lamination etc. - less error.
Unlimited card design and color options
Automatic magnetic stripe, bar code or ‘smart card’ options, for access or time control and verification.
Easy merging of ID card production with personnel data base for reporting, archiving, auditing and control
Durable cards, difficult to counterfeit
Easier card replacement.
System Operation.
An ID System has (3) basic components:
· Digital Camera (input)
· Computer and ID creation Software
· ID Card Printer
With the software, the user first creates the chosen ID card design. Then the operator enters
into the system person-specific information to be printed on the card. Of course, some
information is repeated and some is specific to the person for whom the ID card is created.
Software is intuitive. Operator can use existing templates or customize them at will.
The Digital Camera captures a person’s image which is immediately loaded into the
software. Previewing and best-image selection is possible.
The Digital Printer takes text, photo and graphics from the software and prints the output ID
card.
Once the user has selected or designed the card format the process is 1-2-3. One, take
picture, two type in name and/or other data, three print. The order of typing in name and
taking picture can be inverted
Digital ID Card Printer Operation.
Images and information is transferred to the card using and combining two distinct methods
in one: the Dye Sublimation Transfer and the Resin Thermal Transfer.
Dye Sublimation is a method whereby differing amounts of color (yellow, cyan and magenta)
are extracted from the ribbon according to the color pattern of the image that must be
reproduced. The result is a 24-bit color image, corresponding to using a 16 million color
palette to reproduce the image. If you are interested to know more about dye sublimation
please read the mini-play "Of Bits and Pixels", featuring Thyrsus, a Greek shepherd,
Eurydia, a nymph and the Dithering Magician.
Resin Thermal Transfer is used to transfer (typically) black text and bar codes, so that they
can be read both by infra-reed and visible light bar code scanners. Here the image-forming
dots are made of a resin suited to the task.
Digital Printer ribbons have both a resin and a dye sublimation component.
Single color resin only ribbons are available. As the amount of information to be processed
and printed is reduced, with resin ribbons the user can print cards in as fast as five seconds
per card.
Is using an ID Card system a good idea?
Unless you have a penchant for mass anonymity you probably will have answered ‘yes’. For
good measure, here are some practical reasons that make an ID card system useful and/or
indispensable
Safety and Security. ID Cards easily identify who is who and who can or cannot go into sensitive areas or use sensitive equipment etc.
Checking personnel’s time and attendance.
Create an ID card paying system based on debit, credit etc.
Special ID Cards can house chips and other additional coding systems for specific applications such as machine, computer access etc.
You can start by using the most basic information for an ID card. As organization needs and applications increase, the ID card system can adapt itself accordingly. As obvious as it sounds, ID Cards are the most efficient way of tagging people working together. Once ID card use becomes, so to speak, second nature, more applications tailored to the need of the organization come to mind. Which, all together, helps make an organization be what it should, i.e. ‘organized’.