When deciding on an ID card printer purchase, a typical question is whether you intend to print on one side or both sides. Many sellers fail to dig deeper into the problem and ask if you intend to print color on one or both sides of the card.

If you intend to print color on one side and black on the back, all dual sided printers can offer a ribbon to accomplish that.  For example, the Datacard SD360 allows for printing on both sides and the standard ribbon is the YMCKT-KT. However, this choice of printer and ribbon doesn’t solve the need for full color on both sides of the card. If you know that dual sided color printing is the only way you intend to print, a single sided printer (Datacard SD260) with a full color ribbon (YMCKT), where you put the card through the printing process twice is your best bet. The process uses twice as much ribbon as a standard print, but does save you the cost of a dual sided printer.

Until a dual sided color printer becomes available, your best bet is to use a full color ribbon and run the card through the printing process twice.  Always feel free to contact one of our ID professionals with any questions on what is the best printer and ribbon combination for you.

Datacard has been a leader in ID card printers due for their high quality printers that are easy to use.  Their current SD360 and SD260 printers are a great for small to medium-sized applications for dual-sided or single-sided printing.

The SD360 and SD260 card printer’s new technology, faster print speeds and user-friendly interface are designed to help any application streamline their day-to-day operations and create safer, more secure environments. Exclusive features include Datacard TruePick anti-jam card handling for reliable operation as well as TrueMatch color matching. When used with Datacard Certified Supplies, TrueMatch color matching produces vibrant images and logos, as well as crisp, bleed-free bar codes and text. Users can also upgrade the printers with smart card and magnetic stripe encoding modules for more complex operations such as meal purchases and attendance tracking.

For more information on the SD series printers, contact us at Barcodes Inc.