Plastic Card Printer Support
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Overview
For laminating and card printing, quality is of utmost importance. So, the right plastic card printer is the most important tool in the whole process. The right plastic card printer needs to be able to print high quality photographs and high-res graphics. Trust these world class printers from brands like Zebra to generate ID cards, hospitality cards, loyalty cards, or staff IDs.
Plastic Card Printers Supported by MarkMagic
Industries & Applications
- Arts & Entertainment
- Government and DOD
- Hotels & Hospitality
- Luxury Goods and Jewelry
- Retail
Plastic Card Printing FAQs
What Kind of Plastic Card Printers are There?
There are currently four types of plastic card printers – single sided, dual sided, laminating, and retransfer printers. Single sided printers are direct-to-card printers that are able to print on one side of a card. Dual sided printers are direct-to-card printers that can print on both sides of a card. Laminating printers can automatically laminate cards which can extend the life of ID cards and prevent forgeries and other security issues. Lastly, retransfer printers use a different kind of technology that can print on uneven surfaces. While slower and more expensive, retransfer printers can provide the best image quality.
What is the Difference Between Direct-to-Card and Retransfer Printing?
Direct-to-card and retransfer printing use different technology to print on plastic cards. Also known as dye sublimation printers, direct-to-card are the more common plastic card printer type. The printhead within these printers use glass pixels to press ink onto cards directly, though they can’t go over the edges of cards. Direct-to-card printers give faster print speeds at lower costs. Retransfer printers, also known as “reverse transfer” or “over-the-edge” printers, allow users to print on uneven surfaces, and provide full bleed printing capabilities. For these printers, the printhead does not come into contact with the cards. Instead, ink is printed on the reverse side of a clear plastic film, which gets transferred onto the cards. Retransfer printing is typically slower and more costly. However, output quality is better with retransfer printers.
Do I Need a Special Plastic Card Printer to Print Barcodes?
Just about all plastic card printers can support the printing of 1d and 2d barcodes such as QR codes. You will need a specialty printer for printing RFID tags and other smart tag technology. If you need this in your label printer, be sure to check the specs of the printer before buying.
Choosing the Right Plastic Card Printer
CYBRA’s MarkMagic barcode labeling printer supports several plastic card printers. If your current plastic card printing system is slowing down your operations, it may be time to move to a more streamlined approach. With the right barcode and printing software, you can improve your organization’s efficiency while reducing costs. Request a demo today from one of our barcoding experts.