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Archive for the ‘Hologram Printer’ Category

It is common to find ID cards at the office, at events and in many other areas of our daily life. Cards such as these are made at a desk sized printer that is commonly located on a desk at the organizations main office.  ID cards can be printed and provided to employees, guests and members of the organization.  Often an ID badge holder is included with the badge for easily displaying the card.

Mainstream photo ID card printers offer full color or monochrome ribbons with an overcoat later to provide extra protection for the printed card.  This overcoat does provide protection to the card and provides a method of securing the text and custom information printed on the card.  There have been tests, however, to show that this overlay can be stripped and the text can be manipulated with the right chemicals.

For this reason, corporations and government needs often require the use of a lamination of the plastic card.  With the use of a laminate overlay, any tampering with the card surface will be noticeable as the removal of the overlay will also damage the surface of the card.  The overlaminate will provide additional protection for the card

Clear overlaminates are available for cards that are need the additional layer for security or increased durability.  Some overlaminates are holograms.  These provide an extra flair to the card that can be appealing and indicate a highly secure card.  By using a custom hologram, an organization can display a unique look using their choice of logo or text that signifies that the card is branded to them and that it has not be tampered with since issue.

Many of the professional ID card printers have the capability to add holograms to the ID card at the time of card printing.  The module in the printer can be purchased at the time of card printer purchase. Some current printers are able to be purchased without this module initially, with the understanding that the lamination capability can be added by purchasing it in the future and adding it in the field by the end user.  Lamination capabilities vary, but many printers have the option of a single side card lamination option or a dual sided lamination capability.  These printers are more costly than a basic entry level printer, but they provide extra security and are generally more durable.

The majority of printer manufacturers have a secure level line of ID card printer models to choose from.  Some of the models which provide the lamination option are below:

The Evolis secure printer is called the Securion.  It is a dual sided printer and contains additional security features that are attractive to many organizations.  The warranty for this printer is 2 years or 100,000 card prints.

Fargo provides a flexible printer that can be upgraded with a lamination unit in the field after purchase.  The HDP means high definition.  This type of printing provides excellent printing results by using a reverse transfer printing method. This printer has a two year warranty with a lifetime printhead warranty.

The Magicard Tango+L offers both single and dual sided lamination with coordinating printing options.  It comes with Ethernet, USB and parallel connectivity.  A 3 year warranty is available with this printer.

An overview of the software for my Hologram Printer, which “prints” 3D holograms by scratching arcs into surfaces like plastic or metal. The printer was developed in 2009 at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. See Bill Beaty’s site for more information on the phenomenon itself: www.amasci.com

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More and more business owners and company employers are recognizing the need to buy their own ID card printers. These printers give you multitude of benefits. For one, they save you time and money because you no longer have to outsource your ID card printing needs to an outside printing service company. Apart from that, you can also customize your ID cards and make sure that they represent the business or company properly.

For most business owners who have experience with these types of printers, buying one for the business or company is not so much of a difficult task. However, it is important that you do your homework first before you buy this type of printer to ensure that you end up with the one most suitable for your needs and preferences. To ensure that you land the best option, here are the questions that you should ask yourself first before you go out or online to shop for this printer.

Do I need a card with a single side or double sides?

First, you have to determine whether you need single-sided or double-sided ID cards. Single-sided cards are practical for simple uses like student IDs and employee IDs. However, you can benefit from a double-sided card, if you have a large company or corporation or if you need the card to have additional information or security. Making a choice between the two prior to buying the printer will save you a lot in future costs.

Should I go for a monochrome or multi colored ID card?

Another question you need to answer is whether you need to print colored or monochromatic images on the ID cards. Monochromatic ID card printers are less expensive than full color printers but most business owners go for the latter because it is costlier to buy additional printer if they decide in the future to go full color.

Would I require additional features such as smart cards, proximity cards or magnetic stripes?

It is best that you get to know about these features before you make an attempt to purchase a printer for ID cards. Modern ID Card Printers do not only print information on the ID but also encode magnetic stripes, smart cards, and proximity cards to enhance usability and to increase security. These types of printers come equipped with preinstalled software that manages the printed and encoded data. These features are practical for banks, schools, hospitals, and large offices. Not only do these features promote ease of use, they also provide higher security.

Do I need to print ID with holograms?

Apart from the features mentioned above, there is another feature that you can consider for your ID card printing and that is printing of holograms. Holograms are effective in reducing risk of loss and alterations or forging of printed images. If your employees’ IDs have holograms, it would be difficult for an outsider to create a similar fake ID and get into your company.

Once you are able to answer these questions, it would be easier for you to buy the ID card printer that will be most suitable for you and your business.