Find Top 4 Things to Know Before Purchasing an ID Card Printer
You might think all ID card printers are the same, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. ID card printers, like everything else, come in a range of products to fit your needs, whether it be budget friendly, space conscious, or powerful. ID card printers are definitely an investment into your company, so it’s smart to go with a trusted provider that cares about your company’s security like Identity People. Read on to find out everything you need to know about purchasing ID card printers, because investing in equipment for your business should never be a snap decision.
- Speed
When shopping for an ID card printer, the speed of the printer can be pretty important. After all, it can save you serious time with onboarding new employees, but not if it’s incredibly sluggish. However, if you’re a small operation that only prints ID cards every few months, it might not be worthwhile to you to invest in a fast (but expensive) printer. If you are printing regularly, opt for the higher end ID card printer that not only works quickly but that has features like high-capacity ribbons and reject trays to make your life easier.
- Laminator
An ID card printer with a built-in laminator is more expensive but can be well worth the price. The lamination gives your cards a protective layer to help them last longer, so you can print less. You’ll have the option of thick or thin lamination, but thick lamination lasts longer to help save you the trouble of printing and reprinting ID cards. There are even ID card printers with laminators that have the option of holograms to the cards for extra layer of security, but this is often unnecessary for most companies.
- Double Sided
Another decision you’ll have to make is whether to have double or single-sided ID cards. Double-sided gives you extra room to include everything from a picture to a barcode for security purposes, but of course, these cards take longer to print, and the printer comes with much more of an upfront investment. However, they can reduce your cost for security staff by letting employees scan themselves in and out. If you don’t need barcode scanning to access the building or areas within, single-sided ID cards will suit your needs just fine.
- Connectivity
Your ID card printer will need to work seamlessly with a computer, and this is where connectivity might affect you. It makes no sense to buy a high-speed printer if it doesn’t connect well with your system. USB 2.0 connection is the norm and is fairly reliable, but Ethernet cable is even better. This let you have multiple computers printing to the same printer, which can help you with onboarding or sign-in efficiencies. If you want an even better connection, Wi-Fi will give you all of the above, minus cables for a streamlined, efficient operation.
