Demystifying the Technology | CardsPlus News

November 21, 2011

Keeping your plastic card printer in tip-top shape – Retransfer Printers edition

The EDIsecure XID Retransfer printers are built to last. They are constructed with real-life limitations in mind ensuring that you will never have to pay for another print head replacement.

However, there are a few tips that we recommend to ensure that all the delicate printer parts remain clean and happy. These simple tips will ensure that each card you print continues to be smooth and vibrant as well as protect the investment you made in the world’s best Retransfer printers

Basic cleaning of desktop Retransfer printers is a simple straightforward process:

We recommend:

Clean the reusable cleaning rollers with warm water every 1000 cards.

These rollers function in the same way that the sticky rollers do in Direct -to- card printers. They pick up lint and dust on the cards before they go inside the printer. The XID rollers are reusable, and can be cleaned using warm water. Excess water can be shaken out of the roller. The rollers will then be sticky and condusive for lint-pick up!

Run the cleaning cycle with the large cleaning cards every 5000 prints.

These cleaning cycles are short, and can be started in the printer drivers. The cleaning wizard will help you every step of the way! Doing these easy cleaning cycles every 5000 cards will prevent card jams and improve print quality.

Dust out the filters every 5000 cards.

After your cleaning cycle, we recommend dusting out the air filters. The XID filters have proper cooling fans that suck in cool air from the outside and push out hot air. This is why the XID Retransfer printers do not have overheating problems – the fans are correctly placed in order to properly cool the printer down. However, it is important to dust out these filters to ensure that air can flow properly in and out of the machine. The filters are easy to access, and take just moments to dust out.

For Best Print Results:

The XID printers print off the edge printing- with offset like print quality. These basic tips will ensure that each card is just as wonderful as the last:

1. Keep the ribbons and cards clean.

Dust on the ribbons and cards will impair print quality. We recommend keeping the ribbons and cards dusted (or covered) when not in use to ensure that the ink can properly sublimate the retansfer film and lay flat onto the card stock.

It is also recommended to not leave blank card stock in the printer while not printing. Dust can creep inside the card input hopper and make for a frustrating couple of prints!

2. Use quality card stock.

Poor quality stock had burrs, scratches and sometimes even dirt on the cards which will damage the internal parts of your card printer. Most printer brands will only fill a warranty if high quality certified card stock is used for printing. You can tell the quality of your stock with simple tests.

With these few tips and tricks, your Retransfer printer will continue to produce striking, professional plastic cards for your company without a hitch!

Do you need to schedule a service? Or are you ready to transform your card printing sector with the XID8300? Contact CardsPlus now for more information.

Posted in Card Printer Ribbons, Demystifying the Technology, Plastic Card Printers, Printing 101, PVC cards, Retransfer Printers | 1 Comment »

Tags: Retransfer Printer

November 3, 2011

FAQ: How do I know if my plastic card stock is suitable for printing on?

The quality of the card stock you use is important. Poor quality stock has burrs, scratches and sometimes even dirt on the cards which will damage the internal parts of your card printer. Most printer brands will only fill a warranty if high quality certified card stock is used for printing.

All direct to card dye sublimation printers require PVC plastic for printing as PVC allows the ink to sublimate the plastic. Direct to card dye sublimation printers will not print colour images on ABS, PET, PVH and other plastic composites. (Do you require printing on speciality non-PVC plastic? We recommend EDIsecure Retransfer Printers like the XID8300 or XID 9300)

There are a few tricks to see if you are printing on high quality stock. (We also explain what a high quality custom printed card looks like here)

Test your stock quality by:

1. Looking at the finish

High quality stock is very glossy, and when held to reflect the light, should have a perfectly smooth surface. Any pits, burrs or deep scratches may signify poor quality stock.

2. Run your fingers up and down the edges

Is the die cutting smooth? Or very rough? Rough edges can come into contact with your print head causing costly repairs.

3. Look at the colour

The purity of the plastic can indicate the quality of PVC used. If your white cards seem to be tinted pink you may be using poor quality stock. Pink tinted stock will also affect your print quality. The inks used in card printers are semi translucent and any undertones in the stock will be seen through the inks over the top.

These three tips will help you choose the highest quality stock for printing. Using high quality stock is only a few cents more than low quality stock, but will lower your overall return on investment. Using high quality stock helps keep your printer from highly expensive and time-consuming repairs and ensures a validity on your printer warranty.

CardsPlus offers superior certified stock for Blank Plastic Stock (including Premium white plastic cards: We have more than PVC!; Coloured Card Stock: From Blue to Pink to Silver, we have a wide selection of different colours! ; Cards with Technology: We also stock magnetic stripe cards ; Contactless Smart Cards: We carry MIFARE, RFID cards and a selection of Proximity cards and Contact Smart Cards: Contact Smart Cards (EEPROM) are a special order item, and we are well equipped to assist you. )

Posted in Card Printer Ribbons, Demystifying the Technology, FAQ, ID Card Technology, Insider Insight, Plastic Card Printers, Printing 101, PVC cards, Smart Card | 2 Comments »

October 27, 2011

FAQ: How do I choose a plastic card printer?

As the seasons turn and focus shifts into the new year, you may find yourself needing an ID card printer to speed up the issuance of professional identification badges at your offices.

But how do you choose which printer will be the best for you?

There are dozens of desktop plastic card printers. There are cute printers, big printers, industrial printers, with all sorts of confusing terminology linked to each. It is a trick to know what is important and what is just marketing mumbo jumbo.

Let’s look at a few of the factors:

1. Do you need Colour or Monochrome printing?

When looking at your project, do you need a printer that will print just black or monochrome text? Or would you prefer to add a logo, photo or other colour elements.

This is important. Monochrome printers seem enticing. They are about R1000 less than a colour printer- and for just a few cents per card, you can print names and numbers on your plastic card. However, keep in mind that they are very limiting. If you ever need to print a logo, colour photo, you will need to invest in a new printer.

Plastic card printers are made to last a couple of years, and it is important to look at the big picture when investing your money into one.

Most colour printers are equipped to print monochrome images and colour images, depending on the ribbon you place inside the machine. With just a little more money for a good quality colour machine, you will be able to print ANYTHING you wish, with a switch of a ribbon, for several years. It will still only be a few cents per card to print monochrome, and just a few rands to print colour. Adding professional graphics, details and secure images will enhance the image of your company as well as the security of your card.

2. What will your cards look like?

Although you haven’t yet decided on artwork, it is helpful to know if you want printing on one or both sides of the card.

There are both single sided printers, also called Simplex printers, and dual sided printers, also called Duplex printers.

If you have printing on just one side of the card, and expect to print this way for a while, a good single sided printer will suite you perfectly!

If you have printing on both sides of the card, you have a bit more thinking to do, as either a single sided or dual sided machine will suite you.

Simplex printers print one side of the card at a time. If you would like printing on both sides, you would need to manually flip and re-insert the card. Some clients use this option for low volumes as it is easy to print a stack of cards with just one side of the card (usually the back) with all the static information and information that doesn’t change, then reload the machine to print all of the front sides of the card.

Duplex printers, or dual sided printers, are equipped with an internal flipper, and will flip your card as part of the print process. Dual sided plastic card printers certainly help when you have high volumes of double-sided plastic cards to print. Dual sided printer are quite a bit more expensive than single sided printers. In the South African market, you can expect to pay about 25%-50% more for a dual sided machine.

3. What are your projected volumes?

There are different types of card printers for every volume. Not all printers are made the same.

Certain printers, specifically the very cute, or very gimmicky printers are made for short-term, low volume projects. They are, on average, expensive to repair or get parts for, and the cost per card for the consumable cost is higher.

Other printers are great midrange printers. They are low enough in cost to suite small volumes, but robust enough to last many many years. The DCP240+ is an excellent printer for volumes of 100-20 000 a year because of it’s entry level cost, and solid construction. Most of our printers in our card printing bureau are the DCP240+ and DCP340+ with printhead counts of over 300 000 prints. That’s some serious value for entry level machines!

Other printers are better equipped for volume and are issued with lifetime printhead warranties or other cost saving benefits. The DCP360 and XID Retransfer series printers are best for large volumes.

5. What kind of durability do you need?

Depending on how employees will use their cards, the cards can experience wear and tear. Swiping cards through a reader day after day, for instance, causes more wear and tear on the card than a standard VIC (visual identification card) that will only be taken in and out of a wallet.

To protect cards and lengthen their lifespan, consider adding overlays or lamination to them during the printing process. Without either of these added coatings, a standard PVC badge will last 1-2 years.

6. Do you need special modules like chip encoding or for extra security?

Certian printers offer modules for encoding all sorts of smart cards. Different levels of security protection is also available. There is a wide span of features you can add to your printer to tailor it to your solution. We recommend chatting to a consultant to pin point which modules will be best for your application.

Adding ID card printers to your organization can save you cash as the money invested into high-quality equipment is offset quickly by the advantage by printing cards in-house, inexpensively and immediately. And with a little help, you can choose a highly reliable, effective plastic card printer quickly!

CardsPlus offers a variety of high quality printing equipment, with a high level of support. We’re available on 086 16 CARDS (22737) (South Africa) or +27 11 894 3914 (international) for a complimentary consultation. We look forward to serving you!

Posted in Can Do files, Demystifying the Technology, FAQ, ID Card Technology, Insider Insight, Printing 101, PVC cards, Security | 2 Comments »

October 17, 2011

Gitex Technology Week- Part 2

Gitex 2011 was the debut of something new for EDIsecure! Digital Identification Solutions introduced LPI (Laser Protected Image).

Developed by Giesecke and Devrient, Digital Identification Solutions successfully integrated LPI into plastic card identification with the LCP9000 colour laser personalisation unit.

Why LPI?

In today’s market, colour photographs and designs are expected to be featured in identification documents. Usually these colour portraits and designs are applied using dye sublimation and thermal printing. While Retransfer printing offers some protection, and the additional of further patches can help reduce the risk of manipulation and forgery, it is not tamper-proof. This is because the image adheres only to the substrate surface.This thin layer can be removed, either deliberately or through wear and tear.

How does it work?

The ID card holder’s picture is first separated into colour and light/dark components through the software. The light/dark components are securely lasered onto the card body and the colour components are applied using thermal Retransfer printing. Additional protection is then added to further protect the colour elements.

The image components all overlap in an exact register producing a rich, nuanced colour picture.If the colour component is removed, the light/dark component will remain permanently integrated in the card body. The card can still identify the original card holder.

Which markets should implement LPI?

This security feature is ideal for all government issues identity documents and cards.The LCP9000 is the ideal unit for implementing LPI with this integration as it is the only desktop colour laser personalisation unit available!

_____

This is part of a 3 part series

Read Part 1 – Overview

Read Part 2 – the Debut of LPI by Digital Identification Solution

Read Part 3 – Results of Partner’s Meeting

Posted in Demystifying the Technology, Industry News, Security, ID Card Technology | 2 Comments »

September 15, 2010

FAQ: I need to print some cards. Which printer is best for me?

With so many options available for plastic card printers, how would you know which direct to card single sided printer would suite your needs?

We’ve whipped up this friendly little chart for the major brands of single side direct-to-card printers . Have a look at which printer would be ideal for you! (Click here for a link to the insider Downloads page where you can access this PDF and more!)

Need more help deciding?

It’s no secret we favour the DCP240+ for it’s outstanding reliability , ease-of-use and support network. But we know that the DCP240+ doesn’t suite each and every requirement.

For a complimentary consultation pop us an email at info@cardsplus.co.za or call at 086 16 CARDS and receive personalised advice on which printer would be best for you!

Posted in Demystifying the Technology, FAQ, ID Card Technology, Plastic Card Printers, Plastic Cards, Printing 101 | Leave a Comment »

March 30, 2010

CardsPlus Product Focus- the DCP240+

The single sided, edge to edge EDIsecure ® DCP 240+ is the hottest new accessory for small business owners looking to ramp up their security, marketing and sales in a low cost solution. The low price point and feature-rich application ensures the DCP240+ is quickly becoming the go-to machine for entry level card printing.

Printer is the perfect solution to enter the world of ID card printing. With its remarkable print speed, excellent image quality and user-friendly operation, the DCP240+ is ideal for issuing membership cards, loyalty cards, and ID cards.

Using the DCP240+, you can enjoy high productivity- up to 160 full-colour and up to 750 monochrome cards can be printed per hour. The convenient automatic front card loading and output and user-friendly design allows for easy operation and maintenance.

Easy handling is guaranteed by the quick-change of supplies through re-loadable cartridges, operator replaceable printheads, front-facing card feeding and output, and continuous card cleaning. The advanced cleaning roller system removes particles that could scratch cards, damage printheads or diminish print quality.

The smart printer driver shows all information on the PC screen, including message prompts, colour image previews and online help.

With its attractive price point, it is truly the best single-sided card printer in its class.

Call in and see how the DCP240+ help grow your business!

Posted in Access Control, Demystifying the Technology, Plastic Card Printers, Printing 101 | Leave a Comment »

June 19, 2009

Environmentally Friendly Plastic??

A growing concern in the world today is our impact on the environment, and a new consciousness has arisen. A desire to be environmentally consciencious is filtering into many consumer based decisions – including our use of plastic cards.

At first glance, the newest kid on the block – PLA – otherwise known as “corn plastic” seems like the best alternative. In fact, a large retail chain in South Africa has adopted this as their plastic of choice, marking themselves as environmentally friendly. However, a few very important details have been overlooked, and this warrants a closer look.

First, the claim that the card is “biodegradable” needs to be called into question. Polyactic Resin – PLA is a byproduct of industrial lactic acid, which is derived from corn. Advocates of PLA claim that it is compostable into a fertilizer, which is true. What isn’t widely known is that it requires very special treatment – not the type that comes from your garden’s compost pile, or your local landfill. The Smithsonian magazine recently reported

“ PLA is said to decompose into carbon dioxide and water in a “controlled composting environment” in fewer than 90 days. What’s a controlled composting environment? Not your backyard bin, pit or tumbling barrel. It’s a large facility where compost—essentially, plant scraps being digested by microbes into fertilizer—reaches 140 degrees for ten consecutive days. So, yes, as PLA advocates say, corn plastic is “biodegradable.” But in reality very few consumers have access to the sort of composting facilities that can make that happen. NatureWorks has identified 113 such facilities nationwide—some handle industrial food-processing waste or yard trimmings, others are college or prison operations—but only about a quarter of them accept residential foodscraps collected by municipalities.

Moreover, PLA by the truckload may potentially pose a problem for some large-scale composters. Chris Choate, a composting expert at Norcal Waste Systems, headquartered in San Francisco, says large amounts of PLA can interfere with conventional composting because the polymer reverts into lactic acid, making the compost wetter and more acidic. “Microbes will consume the lactic acid, but they demand a lot of oxygen, and we’re having trouble providing enough,” he says. “Right now, PLA isn’t a problem,” because there’s so little of it, Choate says. (NatureWorks disputes that idea, saying that PLA has no such effect on composting processes.) In any event, Norcal says a future PLA boom won’t be a problem because the company hopes to convert its composters to so-called anaerobic digesters, which break down organic material in the absence of oxygen and capture the resulting methane for fuel.’” An additional article on PLA’s recycle-ability can be found at Oregon Live

Second, one must take into consideration the use of a food source to supply a consumer product. An excellent article at Guardian UK states “Bioplastics compete for land with biofuels and food crops. About 200,000 tonnes of bioplastics were produced last year, requiring 250,000-350,000 tonnes of crops. The industry is forecast to need several million acres of farmland within four years.” With growing movements toward biofuels, and now food based plastics, what will come of our food crops?

Third, concern has been raised about the liklihood of emissions of greenhouse gas, methane. Again the Guardian reports:

“Concern is mounting because the new generation of biodegradable plastics ends up on landfill sites, where they degrade without oxygen, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. This week the US national oceanic and atmospheric administration reported a sharp increase in global methane emissions last year.

“It is just not possible to capture all the methane from landfill sites,” said Michael Warhurt, resources campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “A significant percentage leaks to the atmosphere.”

“Just because it’s biodegradable does not mean it’s good. If it goes to landfill it breaks down to methane. Only a percentage is captured,” said Peter Skelton of Wrap, the UK government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme. “In theory bioplastics are good. But in practice there are lots of barriers.”

In theory, PLA is a biodegradeable plastic, made from a renewable resource, however, it is clear, that at this time, this is not the most environmentally friendly plastic available.

While no perfectly “Green” plastic seems to exist at this stage, PET is a plastic worth considering. An acronym for poly (ethylene terephthalate), PET is a thermalplastic polymer of the polyester family containing the chemical elements of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It’s carbon foot print is quite comparable to the carbon foot print of all other cards whether considered green or not. (see article at Creditcard.com) In addition it is a enviromentally friendly plastic, is recyclable and does not create harmful gases or pollute the environment.

As technology, and consumer cries for greener products continue to grow, more products producing less of a demand on our environment will become more commonly available. Until then, be sure to take in the entire picture, and make an informed decision. Be wise, not just smart!

Posted in Demystifying the Technology, Industry News, Gift Cards, ID Card Technology, Plastic Cards | Leave a Comment »

May 19, 2009

FAQs- How does a magnetic stripe work?

Technology can seem mysterious and sometimes daunting, but once explained, it becomes useful and familiar. It is then that its full power is loosed and one can utilize it for all it was meant to be.

These days, that simple black stripe on the back of your bank card seems somewhat outdated – so “yesterday” as the youth today would say- compared to the glitzy looking smart chip. However, it has not failed have a very fitting use for those who are in need of an affordable, straight forward way to collect and maintain data.

The stripe itself is a band of magnetic material – and it is capable of storing data by the modification of the iron-based particles through the process of encoding. The stripe is “read” by physical contact and swiping past a reading head.

Two types of magnetic stripes are available – each with its own level of strength, or coercivity – high-coercivity (Hi/Co) and low-coercivity (Lo/Co). Each stripe features 3 Tracks for encoding – Track 1 holds 79 alpha/numeric characters; Track 2, 40 numeric; Track 3, 107 numeric characters

How it functions:
As outlined, it is obvious that a magnetic stripe is simply a storage device. Its “magic” is held in the program that the magnetic reader communicates with.
The code, be it simply a name and ID number, or an encrypted code, containing secure information, is read into the program, then it, depending on its design, accomplishes the task that is required.

An excellent article on magnetic stripe cards and readers can be found at Magnetic Stripe Systems – A Primer .

Cards Plus, manufacturers and distributors of printed cards and card printing equipment, can assist with the printing and encoding of magnetic stripe cards. If you would like to discuss the potential use of a magnetic stripe in your card project, contact Cards Plus at 086 16 CARDS or 011 894 3914.

Posted in Access Control, Cards with Technology, Demystifying the Technology, Printing 101, Security | Leave a Comment »

June 1, 2008

EDIsecure XID Retransfer Printers – outshining the competition

The convenience and control offered by printing your own plastic cards is now even more appealing with the Digital Identification Professional Line of XID Retransfer Printers.

What makes the XID Retransfer Printers unique?

These printers stand out from other printers on the market today due to

Print Quality: True ‘over the edge’ printing in millions of colours and offset quality print make cards printed on the XID printers stand out from the traditional direct to card method
Value for Money: XID Card Printers are all based on the same print engine and chassis enabling them to be easily upgraded with the features needed
Versatility: Not only do XID Retransfer printers print on a variety of materials with outstanding results (PVC, PVH, ABS, Polycarbonate, PET), but also offer a variety of features to add security to the card, whether encoding, laminating or special UV print technology.
Performance: Excellent print speed as well as a lifetime warranty on the printhead give XID printers long term value.
Ease of Use: Smart LCD display providing printer status information via text messages and coloured backgrounds, easy to load coloured ribbon cartridges and removable and reuseable cleaning rollers make operating these printers very straight forward.

Check out these specific benefits:

XID 560ie- fastest full-color single-sided Retransfer Printer in its class due to portrait mode printing. Network ready and ideal for printing and encoding of smart cards (contact and contactless) as well as magnetic stripe cards.

XID 570ie- Dual sided printing for more secure and durable ID cards. Security Ribbon Erase of printed K panel data, optional single sided or dual sided lamination as well as built in Ethernet port and IPSEC for encrypted data transfer.

XID 580ie-Perfect for use in highly secure and high volume operations such as government agencies, R&D departments, laboratories and multinational corporations. Designed for heavy duty use with up to 120 cards per hour with extended print driver features. Also offers pre-selection of up to five different card type profiles.

XID 590ie-the ideal printer for secure and reliable mass production in multinational corporations, card service centers, and government agencies. With the Advanced Intelligent Printer Management (IPM), unrivalled levels of productivity can be achieved, allowing up to seven printers t0 be connected to one server for high capacity production of up to 840 cards per hour. Printer Password Protection to increase security in the production environment . Security features available, such as dye-sublimation UV ribbon for covert security printing, IPSEC for encrypted data transfer through network, and Security Ribbon Erase of K-panel black data on used supplies.

Also, XID offers these items to assist in configuring each card identity system:

ILU-Inline Lamination Unit-Extend card life and protect against physical damage by adding additional clear or secure laminate to the card. Custom or generic holographic foils also help to protect against tampering

OLM-Overlamination Unit- Designed to operate in conjunction with the XID Retransfer printers, but still allows for offline lamination using an optional automatic card feeder. Ideal for secure and durable cards such as national ID cards, military ID, drivers licenses, secure employee cards and more. Custom or generic holographic foils also help to protect agains tampering.

Image Capture Modules-Clear, sharp image capture for photo IDs and travel documents. Automatically takes care of focus, white balance, gain control and backlight compensation. It is more than a simple camera, as the software application independent direct camera interface incorporates several specific features such as high-res live video for preview and mouse controlled zooming, as well as pan and tilt, portrait and landscape mode. The software driver also allows the camera to be used with virtually any software supporting the common TWAIN image acquisition standard.

More information, as well as personalized service can be obtained by contacting us!

Posted in Demystifying the Technology, Printing 101 | Leave a Comment »

September 3, 2007

Retransfer Technology- an Introduction

We are pleased to introduce Re-transfer Card Printing! {Here’s a little primer on all the different processes}

What is Re-Transfer Card Printing?
XID Re-Transfer technology does not have the print head touch directly onto the card surface.

Instead, the card-data is printed mirror-inverted onto a PET film and subsequently released from this film and fused onto the card through heat and pressure. The print itself is completely independent of the card surface or the card material. This eliminates the ongoing costs for print head replacement. DIS grants unlimited Print-Head lifetime warranty for EDIsecure® XID Re-Transfer Card Printer as long as EDIsecure® material is used.

It is possible to print on 100% PET (Polyester),PVC, PVH & ABS (injection molded plastic cards) and even on Polycarbonate cards. The usually required thin PVC layer, which allows a thermal transfer print, is no longer necessary. These materials offer far more advantages to the customer as they have a better temperature resistance, lifetime cycle and resistance to physical and chemical impact.

100% PET Cardware is a very reliable card material at reasonable costs with good heat resistance and very good mechanical strength. Such material would significant help to avoid headaches regarding to expected card lifetime of 10 years like as National-ID cards. This material is not printable with direct card printers but pretty well with XID Re-Transfer technology.
With XID Re-Transfer technology the printing on the card automatically is protected by the 0.009 mm thick PET release layer of the re-transfer film against scratching and other environmental hazards. That leads to a much more durable card, highly resistant to physical and environmental impacts. Even backside of card is protected by this PET layer against abrasions if printed e.g. with 2D barcode and OCR lines. This minimizes read errors. Lifetime of card and usability period will definitely increase when using Re-Transfer technology. Manipulating the card will destroy and damage the printed layer and make fraud visible.
Furthermore a versatile lamination program inline or offline with OVD Overlay, OVD Patch and Clear Patches is available for additional protection, if requested. The lamination will not interfere with the pre-print of the card. Most of sample cards from Digital Identification Solutions are already pre-printed with UV and Microprinting.
The XID Re-Transfer film laminates nicely onto card surface even when edges are not flat or when card surface is uneven. Hence true edge-to-edge printing. Now chip cards or proximity cards can be personalized without any problems.
Because XID Re-Transfer print results are of best quality costs for pre-print on Cardware can be reduced by printing backgrounds and logos with the printer.

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Posted in Demystifying the Technology, Printing 101 | Leave a Comment »

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