Employee ID Cards: Everything You Need to Know

Employee ID cards are essential to all companies, providing secure access to buildings and other areas, customer discounts, and safety identification. There are plenty of considerations to keep in mind when choosing an employee ID card. In this article, we'll discuss plastic card printers and card printer accessories, and walk through a few tips and best practices for selecting the right one.

Plastic Card Printers

Plastic card printers are the foundation of the ID card production process. Plastic cards are first printed on blank cards and then re-printed with the cardholder's name, photo, and other information and barcodes. There are several things to consider when choosing a plastic card printer:

Features

Here are some of the features you should take into account:

• The type of card material that a printer can handle
• The size of the cards and the printing area on the card
• Printing speed
• Resolution and color options
• The ability to print encoded and magnetic stripes on cards

Benefits

Here are a few of the benefits of using a plastic card printer:

• Efficient and accurate printing of cards
• The ability to produce large quantities of cards quickly
• Cost savings on card printing
• Secure access control and safety identification for employees
• The ability to provide customer discounts through printed cards

Pros Cons

Here are a few of the pros and cons to consider when choosing a plastic card printer:

Case Studies

To understand the effectiveness of plastic card printers, here are a few case studies:

Case Study 1: ABC Corporation

ABC Corporation is a design firm that employs over 1,000 employees. To track their employees, ABC decided to invest in plastic card printers. After researching different printers, the company decided to purchase two high-end models. After installation, ABC employees were able to quickly receive their ID cards in 5 minutes or less with minimal effort on the part of the company.

Case Study 2: XYZ Corporation

XYZ Corporation is a global corporation that employs over 5,000 workers. The company needed a reliable and secure way to manage the access of employees to its premises and locations. XYZ decided to invest in plastic card printers and purchased two models with different features. Although the cost was a bit high, it has been a sound investment for the company as it has optimized the way they manage employee access rights within their premises.

FAQs

Here are some of the commonly asked questions about plastic card printers:

• Q: What are the different types of plastic card printers?
• A: There are two main types of plastic card printers: single-sided and dual-sided. Single-sided printers print information on one side of the card, while dual-sided printers print information on both sides of the card.
• Q: How do I choose the right plastic card printer for my business?
• A: It depends on your business needs. Consider the type of cards you wish to print, the printing speed you need, and the features and benefits you require.
• Q: Is it possible to print encoded data on plastic cards?
• A: Yes, some printers can print encoded and magnetic-striped cards.

Mistakes People Make

Here are some of the common mistakes people make when selecting an employee ID card solution:

• Choosing a plastic card printer that is not compatible with the card material you wish to use.
• Purchasing a printer without researching the features and benefits of the various printers on the market.
• Failure to evaluate the cost of maintenance and repair for a printer before making a purchase.
• Choosing a printer that lacks the necessary printing speed for your business.

Best Practices

Here are a few best practices for selecting a plastic card printer:

• Evaluate your business needs and decide on the type of cards you wish to print.
• Research and compare a range of plastic card printers on the market.
• Take into consideration the cost of the printer, the maintenance and repairs, and the printing speed.
• Purchase a printer that is compatible with the card material you are looking to use.

Card Printer Accessories

Card printer accessories are an important consideration when selecting a plastic card printer. Here are a few accessories that you might consider:

• Encoding Modules: These modules allow you to encode and print magnetic stripes, contact chips, RFID tags, and other technologies onto plastic cards.
• Card Feeders: These feeders are used to feed cards one at a time into the printer, allowing for efficient printing.
• Input Hoppers: These hoppers are used to hold blank cards and feed them into the printer.
• Card Output Hoppers: These hoppers are used to collect the printed cards. Many models are equipped with an outfeed conveyor belt to quickly and efficiently stack and collect printed cards.

Conclusion

Employee ID cards are an essential part of any business, providing secure access control and safety identification for employees. When selecting an employee ID card system, there are several things to consider, such as plastic card printers and card printer accessories. It is important to research and compare a range of printers on the market and purchase a printer that is compatible with the type of cards you need to produce.