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What is a DTC printer?
A Direct-to-Card (DTC) printer is a machine that directly prints images and text onto plastic PVC cards utilizing a heated printhead and color ribbon. This device provides a quick and economical method for producing employee badges, student IDs, and access cards as needed, generally delivering a resolution of 300 dpi.
Essential Features of DTC Printers
- Method: The printhead makes direct contact with the card, transferring dye from a ribbon through heat and pressure.
- Limitations: They often leave a tiny, unprinted white border around the edge of the card, and they are not ideal for cards with uneven surfaces like smart chips.
- Best For: Simple, high-speed, and economical ID card production.
Common Applications
- Employee and Visitor Badges: Quick, in-house printing of security credentials.
- School IDs: High-volume, budget-friendly issuance.
- Membership and Loyalty Cards: Immediate printing of personalized cards.
- Access Control Cards: Printing on RFID or, in some cases, smart cards (though retransfer is preferred for smart chips).
DTC Printing vs. Retransfer Printing
- DTC (Direct-to-Card): Faster and cheaper, but leaves a small white border.
- Retransfer (Reverse Transfer): Prints on a film first, then applies to the card for over-the-edge, higher-quality printing, often used for smart cards.
Common models, such as the HID FARGO DTC1500, often include security features like custom watermark printing and password protection.