June 11, 2012

CardsPlus Review: The DCP350

It’s been an exciting year for the plastic card industry as our favourite card printer brand released a new, competitive, plastic card printer.

That’s right, EDIsecure recently released a new plastic card printer!

At first we were a little nervous. The DCP240+ is fantastic, and as we saw with the Datacard revamping the SP series to the SD series, we were afraid that the new version was going to be so much less than the original. There was no need to worry.

The DCP350 is all that the DCP240+ is and more.

Appearance of the Plastic Card Printer

It looks great. The design is functional like the DCP240+, but improves greatly in it’s dual tones construction with sexy blue LED buttons and LCD screen.

Performance of the Printer

It performs just as well, with it’s metal interior, and dual gear construction. Stretched belts won’t be an issue with this machine, as the internals are all high quality and constructed thoughtfully. The print head is still operator replaceable- and our test group found the machine simple to use.

Drivers of the Printer

The DCP350 is compatible with a wide range of Windows platforms (Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 [32 & 64 Bit]) as well as Linux and Mac. This greatly improves the range of the DCP350 as it can now operate on your operating system of choice! The GUI is impressive, and improves colour matching from screen to print. When used with Jolly Technologies’ ID Flow, the results are outstanding.

Ribbons for the Card Printer

There are two interesting elements to the DCP350 ribbons that we really liked.

Firstly, the ribbons are in a reusable cartridge format. This will prevent operator error in the installation of new ribbons. The sticky roller is a part of the cartridge, as a perfect reminder to change it with every ribbon change.

Secondly, the colour ribbons come in two types: the HQ or High Quality ribbon, and the normal ribbon and you can select the ribbon that matches your needs, and your budget, without having to compromise on one or the other.

Print Quality on the Plastic card

We were impressed with the print quality of the DCP350. It far surpasses the quality of the Datacard SD series, the Zebra and Pebble ranges and even the DCP240+ . The colours are crisp and vibrant, with picture perfect screen to print matching.

Overall impression of the DCP350

We give the EDIsecure DCP350 two thumbs up. We’re very happy with the quality of print and the robust construction of the card printer. Our client test group were excited about the low ribbon cost and printer appearance.

Overall, it’s a great printer that we anticipate great things from!

___

CardsPlus is the exclusive EDIsecure dealer for Subsaharan Africa. Pre orders of the DCP350 are available on www.cardsplus.co.za

Posted in Card Printer Ribbons, Direct to Card Printers, Insider Insight, Plastic Card Printers, Smart Card | 1 Comment »

Tags: colour ribbons, gadgets, plastic card printer, quality ribbon, technology

January 31, 2012

The DCP360 Showdown

Do you find printer brochures too technical, dull or even…boring? Let’s take some time today to cut through all the marketing of the DCP360i and find out why CardsPlus calls it the best solution for industrial direct to card plastic card printing.

Introducing the Showdown

It’s time, ladies and gents, to be introduced, again, to the best direct to card printer on the market. The EDIsecure DCP360i is the most flexible way to manage more demanding applications. Professional and designed for industrial application, the DCP360i has both optional lamination for more durability and security as well as easy smart card personalization and encoding.

The DCP360i

Before we head into direct comparison, let’s look at the printers in the same class as the DCP360i. These are the printers and the brands that compete directly with the EDIsecure DCP360i for plastic card printing:

The Dual Sided “Industrial” Class



Datacard SP55+	Datacard CP60+	Datacard SP75+/CP80+


Datacard SD360	Magicard Enduro	Magicard Avalon Duo


Magicard Tango 2e	Zebra P120i	Zebra P430i


Zebra P630i	Zebra P640i	Evolis Dualys


Nisca PR5300	Evolis Quantum	Evolis Securion


Fargo DTC550	Nisca PR5310	Fargo DTC400e

That sure is a lot of dual sided options! Well, they’ve been tested against the DCP360i using the following criteria to narrow down which dual sided option is the best VALUE FOR MONEY.

Criteria for evaluation

Robust Product?
Distribution Channel?
Solution Bundles available?
Secure ribbon protection?
Consumable prices?
Service and support?
application volume?
Encoding of magnetic stripes, contact or contactless smart cards?
Single or Dual sided lamination?
Easy to operate?
Training effort?
Available card material?
Variety of ribbon portfolio?
Security of investment?

Advantages and benefits of the DCP360i

EDIsecure DCP360i printers are attractively priced because:
- Small footprint means less costs accumulating from shipping the product from manufacturer to distributor to user
- Optional encoders for magnetic stripe, contact smart cards, and contactless encoding are available as field upgradeable modules
- Optional plug and play single- or dual-sided lamination available separately
Only minimum field service or support is required
- EDIsecure DCP360i plastic card printer is built for industrial requirements
- There is a 24 month warranty on the printer without count limitation or hidden Terms and Conditions like many of the other brands
Built on proven technology and offers a range of sophisticated functions including:
- Ethernet option for increased flexibility
- Can print static images on the overlay ribbon
- Ideal for monochrome printing due to portrait orientation
- Extreme ribbon yield
- Flexible card thickness from 0.25-1.02mm
The DCP360i card printer is easy to operate and reduces training and service call outs required considerably due to:
- Built-in LED operating panel with LCD for convenient set up and operation
- Detachable card dispatcher for easy handling reduces potential of spilling printed cards on the floor.
- Professional direct to card printer with optional lamination for more durability and security
- Quality design and construction gives less hassles than flimsier models
- Operator replaceable print heads
- Powerful printer driver shows the printer status and makes it possible to change the parameters for printing from the PC
- Automatic ribbon detection and low ribbon warning

The Closest Contender

The closest contender to the DCP360i is the Fargo DTC550. But what sets the two machines apart?

The DTC550 boasts:

Now, let’s look at what the DCP360i boasts:

Client Success Stories

Time and again, CardsPlus receives client feedback from the DCP360i. The consensus is that the DCP360i has proven itself the premium direct to card plastic card printer. Even in the tough African environment, clients have found success in the DCP360i, even after unsuccessful ventures with other printer brands.

From ID projects to membership schemes, CardsPlus has received the thumbs up on the DCP360i from clients all over Africa.

Conclusion

In a direct comparison of the DCP360i with other competing printers, the DCP360i has revealed itself as the printer of choice for industrial level direct to card printing. The strength of the DCP360i is in the robust construction, low cost per solution and excellent reliability that has proven itself over and over again.

If you would like a demo, or more information about the DCP360i, please contact us right away.

____

CardsPlus is South Africa’s #1 plastic card manufacturer and proud partners of Digital Identification Solutions.

Read more about our offering on our website.

Posted in Can Do files, CardsPlus Services, Direct to Card Printers, ID Card Technology, Printing 101, Security, Smart Card, Success Stories | 2 Comments »

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 20, 2011

New Study Reveals Trends in ID Cards in US Universities

A recent study conducted by Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies in the United States reveals that students use their ID card for 6.36 applications.

The study also showed that 76 percent of colleges still use a magnetic stripe card, even though students are the leading first adapters for new technologies.

Only 31% of universities use proximity cards, 16% use proximity fobs/tokens, 10% use biometrics and 9% use smart cards. Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies earlier reported (September 8, 2011) that the same study showed that only 18% of universities believe their security access control is effective.

Beverly Vigue, vice president of education markets at Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies says, “Overall, the great majority of colleges still deploy picture ID cards, magnetic stripe cards, mechanical keys and barcodes for access control on campus versus newer, more secure technologies such as proximity and, especially, biometrics and smart cards.”

It is interesting to note international trends, specifically from the US, as South Africa often follows suite. You can read more about this study here.

Posted in Access Control, ID Card Technology, Insider Insight, Security, Smart Card | Leave a Comment »

September 30, 2010

Biometrics and Access Control

Biometrics is seeing a rise in popularity internationally, and while it has its place in security management and access control, we have always believed that a layered security is the best security.

An interesting article by International Business Times dated 24 September 2010 outlines that biometrics is not as it appears on the big screen and in our favorite Sci-Fi thrillers. Promises have outpaced the actual technology and work needs to be done scientifically to improve the offering.

Biometric Systems Ruled Inherently Fallible offers a good insight to the potential pitfalls of relying completely on Biometrics to control access.

At CardsPlus, we support the layered security approach – coupling ID Cards with a biometric system for a stronger system.

Posted in Access Control, ID Card Technology, Industry News, Security, Smart Card | Leave a Comment »

August 30, 2010

Securex- A great opportunity to see the best in action!

Residing in South Africa, we see that security is at forefront in any South African’s mind. We’re concerned with not just preventing crimes in ones home or business but crimes of fraud and corruption in corporations or even government institutions. With this in mind, plastic card security is crucial in any application – but even more so in credential management or Identification card programmes. Fraud of any sort completely undermines the control of the card.

Securex is an exhibition that focuses on security channels of all kinds, from access control to residential alarming systems. CardsPlus has taken this week to broadcast and demonstrate the high security features of XID retransfer printers at this show. Revealing hidden security features capable on these machines as well as the high print quality that allows for effective visual security features, the XID printers truly demonstrated the difference that 12 years of quality technology can make!

We still feel confident that EDIsecure’s XID family of retransfer printers can simply not be beaten.

If you missed us at Securex and are interested in viewing the XID8300 in action, please give us a call on 086 16 CARDS and book your appointment today!

Posted in Card Printer Ribbons, ID Card Technology, Plastic Card Printers, Security, Smart Card | Leave a Comment »

March 30, 2010

Industry News- Kenyan health care takes a step forward

Kenyan health care is about to take another leap forward with the addition of another 100,000 smart cards to join the MediSmart project in Kenya.

Smart Applications International, a Kenyan health care solutions provider is increasing the MediSmart project by an additional 100,000 cards.

The MediSmart card is a contactless smart card that contains the member’s complete health care records in electronic format including personal and biometric information, emergency contact information, medical history, and payment options.

(Image above: Internals of a contactless smart chip card)

Currently there are over 1,000 points of service at pharmacies, doctors and hospitals across Kenya, and 150,000 issued card holders. There is a planned expansion of an additional 500 points of service where patients can be electronically authenticated, benefits verified and claims processed through a smooth electronic process.

According to Secure ID News, Kenya has a particular problem with fraudulent claims in health care. It is estimated that 35% of the claims are fraudulent and this MediSmart card solution addresses fraud head on by enabling the introduction and effective management of funding in the health care sector.

The program will also help eliminate over-expenditure in line with benefit balances, over servicing such as procedures that are carried out when they are not necessary, over prescribing, such as seen in excessive pharmacy prescriptions, non-compliance with price guidelines and will promote ethical drug substitution and fair pricing with generics bought in bulk.

Posted in ID Card Technology, Industry News, Smart Card | Leave a Comment »

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