Plastic Card Printer Basics For Business Owners

By 2009/07/20ID Cards

Whether it’s for employee ID cards, customer loyalty cards or a host of other customized plastic cards, using a card printer has become common in many UK businesses.

Benefits of Plastic Card Printers

Whether it’s for an employee or a customer, card printers make short work of creating any type of card, from a plastic credit card to a plastic security card. Because the information is stored in a computer, it’s easy to create replacements for lost cards. Because the cards are issued on site, the employee or customer doesn’t have to wait for their cards.

How Does A Plastic Card Printer Work?

There are 2 basic ways to print cards: thermal transfer and dye sublimation. In the thermal transfer method, heated ink goes directly onto the cards. In the dye sublimation method, heated ink converts to a gas that permeates the cards.

Card Printer Features

Be sure the card printer can interface with whatever computer operating system you’re using. It also should have a USB port and an optional Ethernet port, so it can be used as a standalone or on a network. Card design software should be included, so you can quickly easily design everything from plastic discount cards to plastic membership cards.

Benefits of Digitally Printed Cards

The main benefit of using plastic card printers is that you’re able to create cards that seamlessly integrate text, graphics, artwork, digital photos, logos and bar codes. If you have OCR or magnetic stripe requirements, a good card printer can handle those as well.

A plastic cards printer can be a valuable and cost effective tool for UK business owners who want to save money and have full control over both the look and security of printed plastic cards.