Taking the Guesswork Out of Ribbon Selection

When it comes to printing identification cards, all ribbons are not created equal. To get the best and most cost-efficient results when printing your cards, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the basic functions and features of your PVC printer, the types of cards you’re printing and the type of ribbons available. To help you choose the best ribbon for the job,

What and where on the card are you printing?

“Basically, you should select a ribbon based on the brand and model of the printer you’re using, what you’re printing on the card and where you are printing it,” said Clemens. Although there are times when more than one ribbon could work for a specific task, there is usually one that is best suited for a particular type of card and may be more economical to use.

Factors to consider when choosing a ribbon include:

• The type of card. A regular PVC card requires a different type of ribbon than a laminated PVC card.
• Does the card include single- or dual-sided print?
• Multicolor, monochrome or black and white print? Keep in mind that combinations of print for dual-sided cards require specific ribbons.
• Does the card include photos, graphics, text, barcodes and backgrounds or any combination thereof?

YMCKO

Chances are you’ve heard references to YMCKO ribbons. The most common ribbon used for full-color printing, YMCKO is a five-panel ribbon with yellow, magenta and cyan (YMC) dyes, which are mixed to produce a full-color (16.7 million different colors), photo-quality image. The K panel produces razor-sharp text and IR barcodes and the O panel provides fade protection. YMCKO ribbon can be used in almost every circumstance, but may not be the most economical choice.

There are other ribbon configurations with special uses (YMCK, YMCKK, YMCKOK, and KO) that may be more efficient and cost-effective for specific tasks. Although there are many types of ribbons and more than one type can be used to print a particular card, you can avoid wasting ribbon (and money) if there’s a more suitable ribbon for the job.

Printer types and qualities

Direct-to-card: The most common type of printer, direct-to card, works by applying the ribbon dyes directly to the surface of the PVC card. For best printing results, keep these cards clean, handle them only by the edges and never touch the surface. (Hand oils and dirt can cause printing defects and damage the delicate print head.) Likewise, the printer’s card-cleaning roller and head should be cleaned routinely as recommended. These printers are available with or without lamination modules.

HDP (reverse transfer technology): Rather than being applied to the card, this printer’s ribbon dyes are applied to the underside of a clear transfer film. The film with the completed image is then laminated using heat and pressure on the card’s surface. Composite cards are recommended for HDP technology because they are durable and can withstand the heat of lamination without warping or curling.

HDP printing is ideal for:

• Cards with irregular surfaces, such as smart, proximity or thick clamshell cards.
• Edge-to-edge printing. Also known as full-bleed, edge-to-edge printing means the printing (usually a background) goes right to the card’s edge without leaving a white border.

Oversized cards: Consider the alternatives

“For oversized cards, you might want to consider Teslin laminated cards, which can be made almost any size and shape,” said Clemens. For more than 30 years, IDenticard has offered this cost-effective alternative to PVC cards. The printing is laminated under 10 mils of plastic and the cards are printed using an inexpensive ink-jet printer. In comparison, laminating PVC printers can cost more than $11,000. “With Teslin, you’re guaranteed a durable, versatile and colorful card.”