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Using ID card systems is a great way to improve security and streamline access for authorized personnel. Before one of our customers can implement an ID card system, however, they need ID cards. Producing ID cards can easily be done on site, but this requires an ID card printer.

There are many different types of ID cards and an equally varying number of ID card printers to produce them. As such, our customers need to carefully consider the type of ID card printer that will suit their unique needs. The three factors that you need to consider when choosing an ID card for your business are capability, quality and speed.

1. Capability

Capability is number one on our list because it is the most important factor to consider when choosing an ID card printer (if the printer can’t complete the basic task that you need it to do, then it is worthless to you). Here is how you determine whether or not a printer’s capabilities meet your needs:

Single or double-sided printing

If you only plan on printing on one side of your ID cards, then this is not an issue, because single and dual-sided ID card printers will work just fine for you. If, on the other hand, you need to print on both sides of your organization’s ID cards, then you need to make sure that your printer has double-sided printing capabilities.

Colour versus black and white printing

Not all ID card printers have colour printing capabilities. You need to actively seek out a colour ID card printer if you need to have ID cards in full colour.

ID card encoding capabilities

Chances are that you plan on investing in a complete ID card system to scan your employees’, students’ and/or visitors’ ID cards. However, if your actual ID cards don’t work with your system, then it will all be for naught. To accommodate your organization’s unique needs, different ID card printers can encode using different technologies. Whether you plan on using a magnetic stripe, EMV or some other ID card technology, you need to make sure that your printer can produce ID cards with those capabilities.

2. Production rates

In addition to having ID cards that work, you need to have enough available for everyone who needs to use one. To that end, you need to make sure that your chosen ID card printer can print ID cards fast enough to suit your needs. If, for example, you need thousands of ID cards to be printed for your entire staff or a constant influx of students, then you should invest in an ID card printer that can produce hundreds of ID cards in a single day. If, on the other hand, your total ID card needs are moderate, then you should consider price over printing rate.

3. Quality

You also need to consider how durable and aesthetically pleasing you want your ID cards to be. To that end, consider the following:

Laminated printing capabilities versus no laminating capabilities

Lamination will protect your ID cards from all types of damage for a long time, so invest in a laminating ID card printer if you plan on keeping your cards for a long time.

Reverse transfer (re-transfer) printing versus direct-to-card (DTC) printing

Re-transfer printers print to the entire card, whereas less expensive DCT printers leave a less attractive white border around the cards.

Make sure that you choose the right ID card printer for your organization’s needs

Allow our team at Avon Security Products to help you make the right ID card choice. Contact us to learn more.

Having a reliable ID card processing system is critical for consistent facility security and access for your employees, students and visitors; merchants need a good card processing system to conduct business. A part of getting the right card system is choosing the right card technology for your organization’s needs. Two of the best card technologies that we provide our customers with are EMV chip cards and magnetic stripe cards. Before our customers choose one or the other, we help them choose which technology works best for them by comparing and contrasting the pros and cons of each.

What is a magnetic stripe card?

A magnetic stripe card is the most well-known card system that is also known as a swipe card. As the name suggests, it includes a magnetic stripe that is typically found on the back of cards such as identity cards, driver’s licenses, bank cards and more. The magnetic stripe is swiped through a reader that understands each card’s unique information and data. 

Pros of magnetic stripe cards

Inexpensive to implement

Due in part to the fact that magnetic stripe technology has been popular at least since World War II and is inexpensive for our customers to implement.

Easy to duplicate

When our customers need more than one copy of a specific card, magnetic stripe technology is a great solution, because it can be copied with the flick of a wrist.

Cons of magnetic stripe cards

Cards can be rendered unusable relatively easily

Although they are generally very reliable, magnetic stripe cards are not difficult to damage. A small scratch or exposure to the wrong type of magnetic force can sometimes render a magnetic stripe card completely unusable; this can cause a problem for ID card access. For example, some cell phone will deactivate the magnetic stripe if the two items come in contact. However, the better the quality, the better the magnetic stripe system will perform. 

Easy to counterfeit

Magnetic stripe cards are not hard to copy; while this is a benefit, as discussed earlier, it is also a drawback. A counterfeiter can duplicate the relatively simple information stored on a magnetic stripe card with little more than a casual swipe.

What is an EMV chip card?

EMV chip technology works by embedding a small computer chip into the ID card instead of using a magnetic stripe. The acronym EMV is derived from the names of its creator companies (Europay, Mastercard and Visa).

Pros of EMV chip cards

• Supports dynamic authentication

By supporting dynamic authentication, an EMV chip card makes it much more difficult for someone to steal the data it stores.

Encrypts your data

Because the EMV system uses a computer chip to transmit data, everything can be encrypted for additional card security.

Difficult to counterfeit

One of the biggest threats that concern our customers is the risk of fraudulently copied cards. As they do not include an easily scanned magnetic strip, our EMV chip cards cannot be easily copied.

Cons of EMV chip cards

• It is a little more expensive

In order to gain the benefits of our EMV chip card solutions, our customers often have to invest in more modern technology, which can cost a little bit more than magnetic stripe card systems.

• It is not easy to duplicate

Although being difficult to duplicate provides some great security benefits, this adds an additional step to the process when an ID card is being replicated for any legitimate reasons.

As we guide our customers through the card technology selection process, we make sure that they understand their options and select the best system for their needs. Contact us today for more information!