A plastic card printer lets you customize plastic ID cards and badges for multiple uses: employee badges, loyalty cards, student cards, payment cards, among others.
The smooth surface and material of these plastic cards – generally in "credit card" format (5.4 x 8.6 cm) – require printing technologies different from those used in conventional paper printers (laser or inkjet). These systems use special processes to durably apply the ink needed for printing on plastic cards, thanks in large part to a ribbon. The ribbon is the equivalent of the ink cartridge in office paper printers.
The two printing processes used for plastic cards are:
This technology, also known as D2T2 (Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer), combines monochrome thermal transfer processes and dye sublimation:
When using a ribbon consisting of color panels (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black), printing is carried out in several stages, with the print head heating each color panel one after the other. These layers of color then vaporize and solidify on the top layer of the plastic card. The layers are superimposed to achieve the required colors.
Thermal transfer involves applying a single layer of color from a monochrome ribbon on the smooth, flat surface of the plastic card. This transfer is possible thanks to the print head, which, by increasing the temperature, heats up the areas to be printed on the colored layer of the ribbon before transferring it onto the card. A varnish is then applied to the card to maximize durability.
Retransfer technology (or reverse transfer) is a two-stage card printing process:
The advantages of each of the two techniques are:
Direct-to-card printing:
Retransfer printing:
In the Evolis range, the Avansia card printer offers this technology.
Plastic card printers can also use other technologies for more advanced card customization options. These technologies include features such as:
The options for printing and customizing your cards are vast and varied. By clearly defining your needs, you'll be able to choose the ideal card printer and use the most appropriate technology for your project.