ID card printers use colored ribbons and a heated printhead to print your card designs onto plastic cards. Although a different printing technology compared to inkjet printers you may be more familiar with, you can still print a full range of colors with just a few colored panels!
How Printer Ribbons Work
Monochrome ribbons contain a single color panel and can only print in that color without any shades. Monochrome ribbons are ideal for printing text and barcodes.
Color ribbons come in several types, but they all use the same basic YMCK formatting – but what does this mean? It designates the Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and blacK color panels of the ribbon (similar to the color ink you might use in a desktop printer). Some ribbons also have clear Overlay panels. Combing those panels, you can print any design!
So a YMCKO ribbon will print full color, plus an overlay, onto one side of the card. A YMCKOK ribbon has an extra black panel to print monochrome black on the back side of the card in addition to the full color printing on the front.
From those two basic ribbon types you can also get specialty ribbons with no overlay (used in lamination and reverse transfer printing), UV panels, and more.
Shop Color Ribbons
Color ribbons are available in a wide range of styles, from YMCKO to dual-sided YMCKOK and many specialty options.
- AlphaCard color ribbons
- Datacard color ribbons
- IDP color ribbons
- Evolis color ribbons
- Fargo color ribbons
- Magicard color ribbons
- Zebra color ribbons
Shop Monochrome Ribbons
Monochrome ribbons come in a wide range of colors, from black to green or red.
- AlphaCard monochrome ribbons
- Datacard monochrome ribbons
- IDP monochrome ribbons
- Evolis monochrome ribbons
- Fargo monochrome ribbons
- Magicard monochrome ribbons
- Zebra monochrome ribbons
Shop Laminates
Lamination adds an extra element of protection to your cards by adding a clear (or holographic) layer over your printed cards. This protects them better from daily wear and tear, sunlight, water and other liquids, and more.
