Plastic card printing technology explained.
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:
·
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.
·
Monochrome thermal transfer
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.
Check about our series of Direct card printers here.
Retransfer technology (or reverse transfer) is a two-stage card printing
process:
1. The card design is
printed in reverse on a transparent film. The process used is sublimation for
the color (successive application of different layers of color) and thermal
transfer for the black panel.
The design printed on this
film is then transferred onto the card, which reverses it again to achieve the
correct orientation.Watch video - How a Retransfer printers work.
What are the benefits
of these printing techniques?
The advantages of each of the two techniques are:
·
Good value for money
·
Easy handling of a single print ribbon and simple management of
consumables
·
Option to customize pre-printed cards for variable elements
(photos, text, barcodes)
·
Faster print speed
·
Option to print on various card materials and on non-standard
cards
·
Card edges perfectly printed
·
Improved card durability
·
Print head preservation
for more information
about latest card printers and technology, write to us on info@elitesystemsme.com or visit our website www.elitesystemsme.com
Our experts are always
available in Whats App to assist you, send message to +968 72344414
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