Access Control Card Printers Guide
Card printers are a core component of professional access control systems, as cards are often prominently displayed as photo ID.
Modern printers can put company branding and logos on public display by permanently marking badges, often with high-security features, which can last for years.
In this guide, we help you pick the right types of cards and printers, explaining the key drivers involved:
- When to pick stickers vs printers
- How to create badges
- Choosing between Reverse Transfer and DTC printers
- Whether you should use automatic flipping
- How much one should pay
- Whether integrators should provide this as a service / RMR
- What products / manufacturers to choose from
Turning ****** **** ***
*** *** **** ****** ******* *** photo **'* ***:
- ********: ******** ** ***** ***** **** is *********** ***** **** ***** *****, or
- *****: ******** ***** *** ******** **** the ******* ** ***** *****
***** ****** ** *** **** ****** typically ******* ** * ******* ** factors, *********:
******
*** **** ***** **** ** ******* in * ******** **** *****? ***** printers *** **** *********, *** ******* generally ****** ********* ********* *** *** label ***** *** **** **** ** IDs *** *****.
**********
** *******, ***** **** *** *** through * ******* **** **** ******* designs *** *** ********* *********. ** contrast, ******** *** ****** *** *** even **** **** ** **** ** certain ************.
Design **********
****** *** ************ *****-** * ***** card, ******** *** ****** ******** ******, print ****-************** *****, ** **** ******* contract *****. ** ***** ******** *** desired, * ******* *** ** ****** even *** ***** ****** *******.
********
*** ********* ** ***** ***** ***** for ** ****** ** **** ********* can ** *** ******* ******** ***** printers, *** **** ******* ~$*.** -$*.** each ** *******.
*** ******** ** ****** ** **** are *** **** *******, *** *** prone ** ******, ********, ** **** smudging ** ****** *** *** **** to **** *********** **** **********. ****** label ***** *** ** *** ** a ******** *******, *** **** ****** word ********* ********* *** *** ***** layout.
********
**** * ********* *** ******-********* ***** is ******, ********* ***** ******** ***** the **** ********.
***** ******** *** ******, ******* ~$*** - $*,*** ****, *** * **** range ** ******* ****** *** ******** options *** ********* ****** **** *****. The ******** ** ****** ******** *** ethernet ** *** ********* ** * workstation, **** ******* **** ***** ******** software, *** *** ******* ***** ****** to *** ** * ****:
Badge ********
*** ***** **** ** ********** ****** is ********* *** **** **** *** deciding **** *********** ** *******. **** facilities **** ** **** *** **** picture, **** ****, *** *****, *** company ****/**** ** ***** **** ** the **** ** *** ****. ****** options ******* ********* *********** **** ********, QR *****, ** ********** **** ** systems ***** **** ******** ****** *******.
**** ***** ******** ******** ** ******** to ** ****-********, *** *** **** include ******** *********** ******** ** ********** ID-numbering ******** *** ***** ***** **********.
*** ******* **** ***** ** *** Badge ******** ******** **** *******'* ******** Center ****** ******:
Printer *****
**** ** ***** ** ******* ******, two ******* *** ****** *** ****** different ***** ****** *** *********** *****:
*** ********: *** **** *********, *** ****** and **** ******* ***** ** ******* is *** "***" ** "****** ** Card" ****. **** **** ** **** prints *** ******** **** *** **** of *** **** **** * ***** of *****, *** ***** **** ******* than ******** *** ****** *** ***** vulnerable ** ********** *** *** *** be **** ** ********* ******* ****** or *******, ****-********** ******.
******* ********:****** ****** ****, **** ****** *** a ******* ********** (** ** *** cards *** ****) *** ** **** to ***** ****** ********** ******. **** method ******* **** *** ** **** it ****** *** ***** **** * clear ******** ******, ***** ** **** heated *** '*****' **** *** ******* of *** ***** ****. **** ******** method ******* ** * ****, *******, and ********-********* ******.
Automatic ********
* *** **** ****** ** ******** of *** **** ** ******* ** can ***** ** **** ***** ** the **** ** **** * ****** side. ******* ******* **** *** **** to ***** *** ****, *** ** both ***** **** ******* ***********, *** cards **** ** ** ******* ******* jobs.
**** *********, **** ********** ****** ** this *************, ****** ******** *** ***** in * ******** ** ** ****** dual ******* ***** *** **** *****.
** *******, *** ****** ********** **** print ** - ** ***** *** month ****** *** ********* ****-***** *******, but ***** **** ***** ******* *** speed ******** ************* ** *********** ******** delays ** ******** **** *****.
**********
*** ***** ** ******* ******** *****-**** DTC ******** **** ***** *** **** every *** ******* (~** ***** *** hour), ** **** ****** ******* ******** models **** ***** **** ***** ***** minute (~*** ***** *** ****). ***** method ****** ****, *** ********** ** also * *********** ****** ** *****, with ****** ***** ***** ******** **** than * ***** ******* ******* (~$***) to **********-***** **** ***** **** ******** costing $*,*** ** ****.
Special ********
**** ******* ****** *** **** ** add ******** ******** ** ***** ** well. ** **** *****, ********* ** watermarks *** ** ***** ** *** printed ******** *** ******* **** *** printed **** ** ******** ****, *** images **** ******* ***** ***********. ***** 'special ********' *** ******** **** ** anti-counterfeit ******** **** *** ********* ** copy **** ********* ****-********** ***** ** copies:
Buying **********
*** **** ***** *******, ******** *** the **** ******, ***** ** ******* equipment ** ****** *** ******* ******* cards *** ** ******* ** * day *** **** **** $***.
*******, *** ****** *******, ********* ************, or **** ******* ********** ** ******, printers *** *** **** ******. *** print ******* ** ** ** ** per ****, *** ******** ******* ******* $500 - $*,*** *** * **** choice.
*** **** ****** ************ **** **** batches ** ******* ******* ***** *** hour ** **** ******* ******* ***** per ****, ****-***** *******-******** ****** *** the **** ******, *** *** **** $2,500 ** **** - *** ********* ink *** ******** *** *****.
An *** ***********?
***** ******** ** *** * ***** concern *** **** ********** **** ******* a ***** ****** ******* ******, *** security ********** ***** **** ********** **** to ******* * ***** ******* ** investing ** * ***** *******. ***** a ****** ******** *** *** ** interested ** ****** ***** *** *******, they ***** ** ******* ** *** for ***** ******** ******** **** ***** access ******.
** ** '***-**' *******, **** ******** dealers ****** $**-$** *** **** *** new ******, ****** **** **** * system, *** *********** **** *** ****** use. *** **** ***** *********, ********* a ****** ******* **** ***** ******* badges ***** ** *** ** ********.
Printer *************
***** ***** ******** *** * ***** offering, **** ***** ****** *** **** 'traditional' ***** ******* ********* ***** **** printers. *** *******, **,*****, ********** ***** * ***** ** ****** covering *** *** ** ***-****** **** mostly *** *** ********. *******, ********* 'security *******' ******, **** ***** * full ***** ** ***** ****** *** advanced ******* (**** **** ******** *** laser *********) *******:
*** ***** ** ***** ****** **** models **** *** *** *** *******-******** type ********, **** **** ******** ********* costing ***** ~$*,*** *** *** ********* through ************.
[****: **** ***** *** ********** ******* in ****, *** ************* ******* ** 2021.]
* ***** **********. * *** ******** selling *** *** ***** "***** *******" that *** * ********* ******** ** put ********. ** ***** **** **** fixing **** **** ******* **** * ever *** **** * ***** ******/**** sided *******.
**** *********** *** * ******** **** called ****. ******* ** **** **** is ** ***** ** ****** **** are ******* ** * ***** ****, then *** **** ** **** **** the ******* *** ****** *** **** print ** **** ***** *********** - the ***** ***** ** ******* *** just * **** ******* **** *** CR80 ******* **** ** *** ***** don't *** ***-***** **** ****. **** is *** ****** *** ***-*** ** even **** ***-****** ********. **** **** you **** *** *****.
****, *** ******* ("***********") **** ** a *** ** ******* ********* ** whether *** *** ******** ****** ** double *****, *** ******* *** ** both ***** **** ** ** ** color, *** ** *** **** **********. Even ** *** ******* *** ***** on **** *****, *** **** ** make **** *** ****** ** *** right **** *** ****** *** **** device.
**** ******. * *** **** *** the *********:Do *** *** *****-****** ***** ********, ** *** ***** *** *****'* ***** **. Here's why I never will:
**** ***** ***, * *** ** a ***** ****** **** ** ***** the *&* ********** *** ****'* ***** format ****** *** *** ******. ** the ****, ***** *** **** *** manufacturer ** *** ***** **** **** badge ******** *** **** ********** ****, a ***** ******* ******* ** *****. They ***** **** * *** ***** of ***** ********* ******** * ****, and **** ****** ** ***** ***** a ***.
*** ************ *&* **** *** ****** that * ******* **** ** ******* a "*** *******" ** *** *******, and *** ****** ******** ******** ****. I *** *****.... **** ****** ***** design ********* ** ******* *** *********** into * *******'* ***.
** *** ****, * ***** ** having ** **** * ****** ******** delay ** ****** *** ******* *********...which ******** ******! ...but this only fueled the A&Es assertion that I was the problem in the first place. No good deed goes unpunished.
😤
* ***** ***** *** ********.... *** that's ***** **. ** * *** the *** ***** *** ********* ****, I **** **** * ***'* **** to ***** **.