What kind of cards are you looking to print? Is it single or
two sided? Are both sides in color? How many will you have to print? What does
your budget look like? All of these factors effect what printer you need!
Finding the printer that fits your needs can be a little
tricky. There are so many brands and acronyms. We started looking at this with
our Printer Jargon post but wanted to look at it a little more in depth today.
First let’s look at DTC and Retransfer printers. If you’re
looking at this thinking what the heck does that even mean, don’t worry. Both
of these terms refer to how your printer works.
DTC, also known as direct to card, is the more common
version. DTC printers use heat and dye-sublimation to adhere color from ribbons
onto the card itself. These printers use a print head and layer the color
panels onto the card. When you use a full color ribbon (YMCKO/T) your results
are a full color printed card. Many of these printers boast near photo quality
images and advanced color match between your monitor and the printed card.
Retransfer, sometimes referred to as reverse transfer, is a
newer kind of printer. This printer adds an extra step where it prints your
image onto a clear film that is then adhered to your card using heat. The advantage
to this is tamper evidence and edge to edge printing. The color image is a one
layer instead of 4 layers as it can be with direct to card printing. These
printers also boast high image and color quality.
Now you might find yourself thinking, okay, they print
differently, so what?
DTC printing is faster and fewer materials are required for
printing a card. You can get high quality prints as well.
Retransfer printers are more secure but they are more
costly. So once again it depends on your needs.
Dye Sublimation (Dye Sub) and Resin Ribbon both refer to
ribbon type. In Dye Sub printing, the color panel is changed from its solid
form directly to a gaseous state then solidified on the card. Resin is melted
onto the card. Resin ribbons are recommended for printing bar codes and QR
codes onto cards.
So if you’re looking to print a scan-able code onto a card,
be sure to utilize the resin panel.
Other factors to consider are how many cards you are
printing. This is where those entry level/ low volume, midrange/medium volume,
and high volume/industrial words come in to play. With this you need to look at
how often you are assigning cards. While at first the card issuance might be
high, what does it look like for the rest of the year? Does it make more sense
to contract a printer instead of buying your own machine?
A plastic card printer can be a great investment for your
company. There is a lot that can go into that decision though. If you have
questions we here at Modity Inc are happy to help. Its our job to help you find
the right printer!
