What is an ID Card Printing Solution?

If you're new to ID badging, you may find the array of available equipment and accessories overwhelming. Where should you start? What do you really need for security, identification, or access control? Idesco makes it easy by offering ID card printing solutions comprising printers, blank cards, consumables, a camera, software, and more, depending on your needs. It's an all-in-one solution to cover badging employees, students, visitors, contractors, or others, designed to make it easy to get your operation up and running with little time and effort.

You can also easily build your own ID card printing solution customized to your industry, security needs, access control, or identification requirements. Let's look at a few industries to show you what's available.

Event management

If you're responsible for putting on dozens of events or more each year, you need a robust solution for printing oversized event badges for attendees and staff. An event management solution would include:

• An oversized ID card printer
• Pre-printed cards you can customize at registration
• Oversized ID card software
• Custom lanyards for displaying badges

This is the bare minimum solution. You might need to add a camera if you're putting photographs on your badges. Consider an encoder and reader if you're adding technical features like access control or payment options to your badges.

K-12 school systems

Schools today need to issue student and staff IDs for security on your campus. This might also include a visitor management system to help security personnel and school administration know at a glance who is on their campus each day. Your ID card printing solution would include:

• Photo ID card printer
• Blank PVC cards
• Photo ID card software
• ID camera and backdrop
• Visitor management software
• Signature pad

Again, add additional features to your solution like customized lanyards for distinguishing students, staff, and visitors. You can also add in encoding functionality to keep track of library lending, cafeteria payments, attendance, and more.

Government/high-tech companies

These industries need high security and require more from their ID card printing solution. At a minimum, any solution you get would include:

• ID card printer with engraving functionality
• Blank technology cards
• Magnetic stripe or smart chip encoder
• ID card engraving software
• Camera and backdrop
• Hologram over-laminate
• Card readers

Financial institutions

If you're offering payment cards to customers, you need a card printing solution that lets you encode information quickly and easily. You need:

• ID card printer
• Encoding modules for magnetic stripes/smart chips
• Blank smart chip/magnetic stripe cards
• PIN pad and card readers
• Smart card encoding software

Other solutions

If you're a retailer and offer a customer loyalty card, you'll need a card printing solution such as:

• ID card printer
• ID card software
• Encoding module for magnetic stripes, bar codes, etc.
• Card readers

This system would also work well for gym or pool memberships and seasonal entertainment like theme parks.

If your business just needs photo identification for employees, your solution depends on how many cards you need to print. But at a minimum, you need:

• ID card printer based on volume
• ID card software
• Blank PVC cards
• ID camera and backdrop
• ID card holders

In addition, every ID card printing solution will come with manufacturer recommended consumables like printer ribbons and cleaning kits. In fact, your solution includes everything you need to print, issue, and administer cards customized to your organization's specific needs.

Finally, when you choose an ID card printing solution, make sure you include a service maintenance contract. In addition to the manufacturer's warranty, a service contract covers you with technical support over the phone and on-site. You can even get a loaner printer if yours needs repair. Beware of providers who only offer mail-in service. It's much more convenient when highly trained service technicians come to your location for printer repair. If eliminating downtime is important to your ID card program, this is a must-have.

Final thoughts

Are you just getting started or do you need to upgrade your current ID card program? Purchasing an ID card printing solution guarantees you get everything you need to print and maintain your program. A comprehensive solution alleviates the headaches and hassles of trying to figure out what you need and putting it together piece-meal.

Contact an ID Expert at Idesco at (212) 889-2530 to quickly and easily get an ID card printing solution that's customized to your security and technical needs and your industry. We'll make sure you get exactly what you need in a one-box solution so you're ready to hit the ground running.