Are you thinking about printing your own PVC cards or identification cards? There are various reasons why you may want to print small plastic cards. They may be used for simple identification or for loyalty reasons. Maybe the cards will be used to access secure areas or to track various company activities.
Many organizations are obtaining their own in house photo id card system to be able to print the cards exactly as they are needed in a quick time frame. It is expensive to have this function outsourced and the process can be frustrating when even the most minute of mistakes are made. Having to wait additional days to receive a corrected card may be detrimental to your security processes. By having a complete system in house, it is easy to reprint cards as needed and adjust changes needed on badges on the fly. When printing your own cards, the control is in your hands as far as what the card looks like, who may receive them, and when they are issued.
Printing with your own photo id system is not difficult. The printer connects to your computer like any normal office printer. The printer takes directions from the software being used and prints images on plastic cards. If you do print these cards in house, there are a number of supplies for the system you will need to obtain to complete the card printing.
There are a number of different styles and qualities of cards that you can choose. The most popular is the image grade CR-80 30 ml PVC card. This is a standard white card the size of your credit card that can be printed on with full color. This card allows maximum flexibility in card design and provides professional results.
Like any printer, the id card printer needs to have a ribbon cartridge to provide the ink that prints on the card. The ribbons are made full color or single color and provide correct color combinations to provide realistic images on a plastic card.
Laminates
Many cards are able to last longer with the use of a laminate. There are a number of different ways to provide this protection. Some printers have modules that automatically place a protective layer on the card after printing. Some choose to purchase individual laminates (also called holograms) to place one by one on the printed cards. Other groups purchase plastic pouches and require their card holders to wear the card in the pouch to increase the durability of the card.
Cleaning Kits
Cleaning kits are important to keep your machine in top quality condition. The printer manufacturers provide specific kits for various printer models. The kit provides the swabs, pens and cleaning rollers needed to keep the internal parts of the printer working efficiently for years to come.
Additional items may be needed based on specific needs of your organization. Badge attachments and badge holders are varied and many be needed.
Printing your own id badges and plastic cards does have additional benefits. Printing cards in house provides a faster, less expensive and easier way to provide id cards for your group members. Here are some additional reasons to consider having your own id card system:
1. You can print any number of cards at one time-from one to thousands.
2. You can change the badge design any time you need.
3. There is no time wait to receive the needed badges.
4. Mistakes can be quickly corrected.
5. The cost per badge is significantly reduced when a medium to large size number of badges are needed.
Consider a photo id card system a worthwhile investment if increasing security is on your organizational agenda. The system is easy to install and use. The flexibility provides a medium of expression in design and a cost effective way to provide identification.