How To Buy a Mac Compatible ID Card Printer?

Mac Compatible ID Card Printer

Purchasing an ID card printer is an important decision for your organization. It can get confusing when you begin to Shop Mac Compatible Card Printers from the Mac store. Fortunately, we have put together this guide for all the Apple users in a jam to help them choose the right Mac-compatible card printer.

What Is Your Print Volume?

An organization that prints less than 1,000 cards annually will have different requirements from one that prints over 5,000 cards annually. An organization with a low print volume does not need a Mac-compatible printer with very many features. Features such as a print speed per card and having hoppers for card input and output are crucial to achieving high print volumes. An input-hopper is where the cards are fed into the Mac-compatible ID card printer and an output-hopper is where the cards come out after being printed.

Some machines do not have an input-hopper, this means that the cards need to be hand-fed manually into the ID card printer one by one. This can be especially time-consuming if you have a high print volume. There are Mac-compatible ID card printers that have dual-input hoppers and dual-output hoppers to maximize productivity for a high print volume and save time. Another important consideration with a large print volume is whether you want single-sided or double-sided cards.

Some organizations try to use their direct-to-card printer to print on the reverse side of an already printed card. There are three problems with this approach. Firstly, there is a possibility to damage the side that is already printed. Secondly, repeatedly trying to print on the reverse of an already printed card can lead to expensive printhead damage on the ID card printer due to the repetitive reloading.

The third concern is that the final look of the double-sided card might not always come out the way you expected if you did not load the card properly. Investing in a dual-sided Mac-compatible ID card printer can solve all of these problems. The best part is that it will be much faster printing using a dual-sided Mac-compatible ID card printer instead of trying to achieve the same process manually.

Mac-compatible Lamination ID Card Printers

Some cards have magnetic stripes, barcodes, UV, or fluorescent ink which works in coordination with the security system. These portions of the card can get worn out because they are swiped routinely. Exposing the card to natural elements such as sunlight and harsh conditions can erode the card. A direct-to-card printer does not apply any form of lamination to protect these parts of the card.

Without lamination, some of the barcodes or magnetic stripes can easily be replicated. Lamination helps protect the overall security of the cards and deters tampering with the card. Some Mac-compatible ID card printers have a built-in lamination feature to protect the card from natural elements. Applying lamination increases the overall durability of the card and protects it from easily being broken if it is bent or exposed to the elements for long periods.