Monthly Archives: April 2012

Evolis Dualys – How to Manually Clean the Printer

Like all Evolis plastic card printers, the manufacturer recommends a cleaning cycle be performed once every 1,000 card prints. For printers still under warranty coverage, these cleanings must be performed on time to maintain coverage on the print-head. For any Evolis Dualys series printer, follow these steps to manually clean the printer:

Cleaning Supplies Required:

Manually Clean the Printer:

  1. Open the printer lid, remove the print-ribbon, and set it aside;
  2. Remove the card hopper, and then remove all cards from the card-hopper. Set the cards aside where they’ll stay clean and neatly stacked. Be careful to handle the cards only by the edges, and not on the printable surfaces.
  3. Move the card thickness gauge to its maximum open setting (past the “40” marking).
  4. Remove an Evolis Hi-Trust IPA-alcohol cleaning card from its protective package and insert the cleaning card into the card hopper.
  5. Place the card hopper, with cleaning card inserted, back onto the printer.
  6. Push the power button for about 1 second, and then release it. (Note – if you don’t hold it down long enough, nothing will happen; if you hold it down too long, the printer will power off. If either occurs, try again.)
  7. The cleaning card will be pulled into the printer, and it will be cycled through the print area repeatedly. You will know that the cleaning is proceeding properly when you hear the card being cycled forward and back in the printer. If the card is transported straight through and into the output hopper, replace the cleaning card into the card hopper, and start at step 5.
  8. Once the card cleaning has completed successfully, open the printer lid and remove the cleaning roller from the inside-back of the printer.
  9. Open an Evolis Hi-trust IPA alcohol cleaning wipe, and use it to thoroughly clean the cleaning roller.
  10. Replace the cleaning roller into the printer, ensuring that the “axle” on each end is fitted into the appropriate slots on either side of its mounting location.
  11. Continue to use the IPA alcohol wipe to clean any other visible rollers within the printer. Note that you may want to rotate these rollers by hand to be able to clean them completely.
  12. Replace your print ribbon and close the printer lid.
  13. Remove the card-hopper, reset the thickness gauge to the number equivalent to your card thickness (standard cards are 30 mil, so you would set the gauge to “30”.
  14. Replace your card stock into the card hopper and place the hopper back into the printer.
  15. Ensure that the output hopper is fully open.

Once the steps above are completed, your Evolis Dualys series printer will be clean and you will be ready to print again.

Safe-Card ID Services is an authorized dealer for all Evolis card printing products. For additional information about ID card printing, or if you need further technical support or assistance, feel free to contact us toll-free from the US & Canada at +1 888.485.4696, or +1 704.535.5200 elsewhere.

New Video: The Fargo HDP5000 Printer – Imagine

HID Global, a leading manufacturer of ID card printers and security products provides a over the edge printer that exceeds the standards of the majority of ID card printers on the market. The following video illustrates the features of this rugged printer.

The printer shown is available in single and dual sided options. Other options include high security elements such as standard and custom holograms for a single side or both sides of the printer, mag stripe encoding, smart card encoding and more.

If you have specific questions about how this Fargo card printer can meet your organizational requirements, please contact our ID card experts at 888-485-4696. We would be happy to provide information about the Fargo HDP5000 to ensure you receive the correct printer system for your upcoming ID card program.

How to Remove and Replace an Evolis Pebble Printhead

Our technical area is busy with different questions our customers have about printers and how customers can get the most efficient operation from them. One popular question about the Evolis brand printers is about the printhead removal and replacement. The following video was prepared to demonstrate how to remove a printhead from the Evolis Pebble printer and then replace it wil a different printhead.

Steps:
1. Remove the hopper.
2. Open the top cover.
3. Push the support mechanism in to release the printhead.
4. Slide the printhead up and over the metal holder.
5. Unplug the wire harness.
6. Reverse the steps to put the new printhead into place.

Once the above steps are completed, the printer is ready for use.

If you need information about the Evolis printer brand, please contact our ID card experts at 888-485-4696.

What’s the difference between HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripe PVC cards?

Magnetic stripe cards are available in two varieties, HiCo and LoCo. So what’s the difference? The difference is simple and as the name states HiCo cards are more coercive, while LoCo cards are less coercive. A higher coerciveness is more secure, but not always a better solution.

As an example, LoCo cards are more affordable. LoCo cards may not last as long as HiCo Cards, but LoCo cards are ideal for use in a card program that reissue cards frequently. With their higher level of coercivity, HiCo cards are better for long term use. They are able to hold information longer before wearing out that is why your debit or credit card is likely a HiCo card.

Magnetic stripe cards from Safe-Card ID Services are an ideal choice for access control, membership tracking, and financial transactions just to mention a few. To learn more contact an expert at Safe-Card today.

Evolis Printer – How to Change a Print Ribbon

The Safe-Card ID video team completed another instructional video to help Evolis printer owners know how to correctly change a printer ribbon in an Evolis Pebble and Evolis Dualys printer. Follow the steps below and you will be set to print.

Changing a print ribbon:

1. Open the printer cover.
2. Remove the ribbon from the packaging.
3. Lay the ribbon as indicated on the instruction panel in the printer, making sure that the ribbon runs over the top of the two spools.
4. Close the lid.
5. The printer will cycle through to start printing on the right panel.

If you need information about PVC card printing system, contact our experts at 888-485-4696. We would love to hear from you.

Know someone who could use these tips? Feel free to share with options below.

HID Access Card Printing Tips

When printing your HID Access cards follow these instructions to achieve best results. Start by printing a test card with a regular CR80 PVC Card to ensure your template and design are up to your standards, then;

– Always check cards for manufacturing debris. Sometimes there are small pieces of vinyl on the card. Carefully clean cards using 99% pure Isopropyl alcohol and a soft, lint free cloth.

– The office where you print the cards should be neat, clean and free of airborne particles. If not purchase a dust cover for when the printer is not in use.

– Check the printer’s roller frequently. Clean the printer roller after printing 50 cards (or fewer).

– Fine scuff marks may appear on the surface of cards. These marks do not affect the printer, nor the printed images. These scuff marks occur during final inspection and testing.

– Printer manufacturers discourage printing cards which are pre¬punched. The slot edge may tear the printer ribbon or interfere with card position sensors. Therefore, print your cards first, then slot punch them. For cards that are already punched, do not print in the area near the slot. If the card has an embedded contact chip, keep the printing at least .0625 in [1.5875 mm] away from its edges.

As always for information contact an expert at Safe-Card ID Services today.

Datacard SD360 Printer

Review: The Datacard® SD360™ Card Printer

It is good to have a chance to see what others say about a product before you purchase it.  With a review, you are able to see what the good points and negative points may be about an item prior to purchase.  Following is a look at the Datacard® SD360™ card printer.

Datacard SD360 Printer

 

Datacard SD360 Card Printer Review

Featuring industry-leading innovations that make desktop ID card printing simple, the Datacard® SD360™ two-sided card printer is an economical solution for numerous desktop printing applications. Standard, built-in Ethernet and USB ports as well as a browser-based Print Manager help users integrate the printers into just about any application or IT environment, including small- to medium-sized organizations such as schools, hospitals, fitness clubs, etc.

With superior speed and productivity, the SD360 prints high-resolution 300dpi full-color cards in less time than your standard printer – printing up to 155 dual-sided cards per hour. With easy operation that anyone can master, the card printer offers intuitive icons that guide users through the soft-touch control panel and LCD screen.  Cards and supplies are easy to load, and the ergonomically designed ribbon cartridges include a drop-in cleaning roller. 

One of the most unique and stand-out features for this printer is that it is engineered for Earth-friendly performance.  The printer has earned an ENERGY STAR® qualification by consuming far less electricity than others on the market, as well as features biodegradable supply cores made with EcoPure® additive, recyclable packaging and power-down button – ultimately setting new benchmarks for environmentally responsible card printing.

If you want a card printer with outstanding print quality, reliability, easy operation and efficiency in a small footprint, then the Datacard SD360 card printer is for you!

 

We invite your comments and feedback about the printer as well in our comments section. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Practice Safe Handling With HID and Access Cards

HID Access Cards

HID and access cards are typically shipped to you shrink wrapped and since they can cost significantly more than traditional PVC it is important to follow these tips;

Take care not to scratch the cards when opening the wrapping, especially when using a sharp implement.

Handle cards by the edges, not by the flat finished surface.

Use lint free gloves or finger cots to prevent hand oils from transferring to the
cards, which can cause smudging, fingerprints or other distortions
when printing.

Card image quality may vary even with careful card handling. This can be due to printer setup variations, lot to lot material variations, environmental changes, printer types, background color selections and other variables.
HID and access cards have been quality tested to meet requirements for high quality images. Failure to achieve a desired image quality is typically not the fault of the card.

For more information contact an expert at Safe-Card ID Services today.

 

Access & Proximity ID Card Design Tips

Proximity Cards are made with layers of PVC and a glossy surface intended for Photo ID printing. Proximity cards and contactless smart cards contain an antenna coil and integrated electronic chip. Care should be taken to follow these printing recommendations for best results.

As you may encounter color variations or printing voids with direct to card printers due to surface imperfections caused by the embedded chip and antenna you should;

  • Avoid large areas with solid or half-tone backgrounds when designing card artwork and use artwork with varied color or pattern to minimize these color variations and printing voids.
  • If the design must print over the internal chip, we recommend the use of a reverse transfer printer such as the Fargo HDP5000.
  • Do not place a photo portrait over the chip location or opposite the edge of a magnetic stripe.

When designing card artwork it’s best to print a few test cards, and be ready to make artwork adjustments as needed.
If your printer is capable of edge-to-edge printing, test several cards to check the printer’s capability. For more infrmation contact an expert at Safe-Card ID Services.

Proper Access/HID Card Slotting

Access or proximity cards will have slot punch indicators, small dots visible on the card back
which show the only allowable slot locations for the card. While it is perfectly acceptable to slot punch your access cards, we strongly suggest using badge grippers or clamps instead. These attachment devices work the same as slot clips, and better maintain the structural integrity of your technology card.

If you must slot punch the card, carefully center the indicator marks to the punch, and punch only where the indicator marks appear. Any other position may damage the interior circuitry and thus cause the card not to work.

Always test the first card after printing and slotting. Once you are satisfied with the results you can go ahead and print the rest of the batch. For more information contact an expert at Safe-Card ID Services today.