What is a PVC card printer?

• High-quality
• Durable images
• Data directly

Onto plastic (polyvinyl chloride) cards that often used for creating:

• ID badges
• Membership cards
• Loyalty cards
• Access control badges
• With capabilities to encode magnetic stripes, chips, or barcodes for added functionality

Unlike regular printers, these use thermal transfer or sublimation technology for vibrant, long-lasting prints and can often handle encoding, laminating, and double-sided printing in a single process, making them essential for businesses, schools, and government agencies. 

Key Features & Functions:

• Durable Printing: Uses thermal printing (direct-to-card or retransfer) to apply images onto robust PVC plastic.
• Encoding: Can write data to magnetic stripes, RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chips, or embed barcodes for identification and access.
• Personalization: Creates customized cards for employees, students, members, or customers.
• Versatility: Prints on standard credit-card size (CR80) or oversized cards.
• Lamination: Many models include laminating units for enhanced durability and security. 

Common Uses:

• Employee ID cards & access badges
• Student ID cards & library cards
• Membership & loyalty cards
• Gift cards & event passes
• Payment & financial cards 

Types of PVC Card Printers:

• Direct-to-Card: Prints directly onto the card surface; cost-effective but sensitive to card imperfections
• Retransfer: Prints onto a film, then transfers the image to the card, offering edge-to-edge printing and higher quality

Leading Brands:

• Zebra
• FARGO (HID)
• Evolis
• Datacard (Entrust)