Educational institutions of all levels and sizes need identification cards for their students, faculty and staff. These kind of tags are especially useful to record attendance and keeping track of students and staff whereabouts. In addition to identification, many schools use the ID card as a multi-purpose card for transactions, access and identification. Traditionally, the card making function is outsourced to a badge making company. With technologically advanced yet affordable card printer systems, the card making process can be brought back to campus with more efficient results. And not only efficiency is one of the main advantages of having an in-house card printing system. In fact, by doing so expenses drop significantly and school authorities can have full control of the card making process, thus ensuring that only the authorized cards are issued.
Current printers on the market are more compact and easier to use than printers of just a year or two ago, which means that there is no need to do special courses to manage them. Smart card technology and magnetic stripe encoding are available on many of the printers that are considered entry level. If the school needs to create ID cards to provide access to school facilities, allow media to be checked out of the library or provide debit systems at the cafeteria or vending, there is a printer on the market that will provide the printed cards to meet the application.
Before buying a card printer, schools must first think about their needs and requirements.
Some institutions only need identification, while others, more larger ones, may also be interested in using the card for time and attendance and access control. If the data will have to be stored in magnetic stripes or bar codes, then more complex id card printers will be needed.
It is also important to decide where the ID card printer will be located. Smaller institutions may need to buy one device and place it in a main office. Larger institutions may probably need to buy two or more printers and distribute them in different important offices.
Finally, it is important to take into consideration the amount of cards needed. The volume of cards and the  time frame in which they must be completed will help determine the printer model needed. If a few cards are printed occasionally, a single sided printer on an entry level may be sufficient. If thousands of cards will be printed per year, a high performance printer or printers will be needed to provide that type of workload.      Â
Of course, evaluating the durability of the card is a very important issue.If the card will be temporary or only used for a short time, a standard card print will be enough. Then the holder can protect it with a card holder or plastic cover. On the other hand, if the card will be used for a long time, then it has to be made of a resistant material in order to protect it from the daily tear and wear and from getting wet.
Current printers on the market are more compact and easier to use than printers of just a year or two ago, which means that there is no need to do special courses to manage them. Smart card technology and magnetic stripe encoding are available on many of the printers that are considered entry level. If the school needs to create ID cards to provide access to school facilities, allow media to be checked out of the library or provide debit systems at the cafeteria or vending, there is a printer on the market that will provide the printed cards to meet the application.
Before buying a card printer, schools must first think about their needs and requirements.
Some institutions only need identification, while others, more larger ones, may also be interested in using the card for time and attendance and access control. If the data will have to be stored in magnetic stripes or bar codes, then more complex id card printers will be needed.
It is also important to decide where the ID card printer will be located. Smaller institutions may need to buy one device and place it in a main office. Larger institutions may probably need to buy two or more printers and distribute them in different important offices.
Finally, it is important to take into consideration the amount of cards needed. The volume of cards and the  time frame in which they must be completed will help determine the printer model needed. If a few cards are printed occasionally, a single sided printer on an entry level may be sufficient. If thousands of cards will be printed per year, a high performance printer or printers will be needed to provide that type of workload.      Â
Of course, evaluating the durability of the card is a very important issue.If the card will be temporary or only used for a short time, a standard card print will be enough. Then the holder can protect it with a card holder or plastic cover. On the other hand, if the card will be used for a long time, then it has to be made of a resistant material in order to protect it from the daily tear and wear and from getting wet.