DTC4500e Printers
Have Questions about Fargo DTC4500e Card Printers? We Have Answers!
What are the Main Features and Benefits of the HID Fargo DTC4500e?
The DTC4500e by HID Fargo is a robust, reliable, and incredibly versatile print engine that is easy to use and easy to upgrade with field-upgradeable options. Designed for medium-to-large sized businesses and other high-volume printing and encoding applications, DTC4500e direct-to-card printers include high-capacity ribbon supplies and are outfitted with dual-input card hoppers that allow you to load 200 cards at a time. Fargo 4500e printers offer maximum security with standard password-protected printer access, optional magnetic stripe and smart card encoding, optional locking card hoppers, and optional card lamination modules. They are ideal for a full range of printing applications, including student ID cards, corporate ID cards, temporary employee ID cards and visitor badges, gift cards, health cards, controlled access cards, and more.
Fargo direct-to-card 4500e card printers offer a variety of user-friendly features including:
- Single- or dual-sided printing capabilities, with a duplex printing module available for upgrading from single to dual-sided printing at any time
- Modular design for migrating to higher levels of printer and card security on an as-needed basis
- SmartScreen™ graphical status display with easy prompts shows the status of your printer in real time and simplifies the printing process
- Standard Ethernet and USB connectivity with optional WiFi accessory available
- Secure access with password-protected printer operation
- Standard dual-input hopper with 200-card capacity can be used for longer printing runs or to manage multiple card stocks
- Dye sublimation and resin thermal transfer printing methods yield vivid color imagery and sharp black text, alphanumeric data, and barcodes
- Comes with Swift ID™ badging software and FARGO Workbench™ diagnostic software with Color Assist™ spot-color matching; Also compatible with various personalization software for badge design, database management, and technology card encoding (including Asure ID and EasyLobby)
- GreenCircle Certified for efficient energy consumption (only without encoders and lamination module upgrades) and compatible with Fargo ECO refillable supply cartridges
- End-to-end control with optional iClass SE encoder module allows you to centrally create, print, encode, and manage magnetic stripe cards, contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, and proximity cards
- Optional locking dual-input card hopper module for added protection
- Optional single-sided or dual-sided lamination for increased card durability and enhanced security
- Optional resin-erase and rewrite printing capability allows you to save on consumables by recycling and reprinting previously used cards; rewrite cards can be printed, erased, and reprinted up to 500 times!
- Optional same-side input/output card hopper for added flexibility in where you place your printer; ideal for small desktops and workstations with limited space
- Backed by 3-year manufacturer warranty with printhead coverage
Should I Choose a Single-Sided DTC4500e Printer or a Dual-Sided DTC4500e Printer?
Unless you need to encode your cards, or to include an extended amount of company or cardholder information on your cards, you will most likely be satisfied with the single-sided DTC4500e. The single-sided DTC4500e allows you to print to a single side, and can be updated for dual-sided printing to at any time by adding the duplex printing module. We recommend the dual-sided DTC4500e for applications featuring more robust cardholder information, especially when combined with magnetic stripe encoding, barcodes, and/or smart card encoding – all of which occupy valuable card surface area. Having the option to print to both sides of the card keeps the card front from looking too busy or difficult to read.
A lot of customers ask whether it is possible to print to both sides of the card using a single-sided DTC4500e printer by manually flipping the printed cards and reloading the card hopper for a second pass through the printer. While this is technically possible, we do not recommended it. Printing two-sided cards using the single-sided DTC4500 printer will expose your printhead to additional dust, debris, and oil from your fingertips. Printhead damage resulting from non-standard use such as this typically voids manufacturer warranty coverage, costing you more in replacement and repair than it would have cost you to invest in a dual-sided printer or duplex printing module. In addition, the obvious advantage of the DTC4500e dual-sided printer’s ability to print to both card sides in a single printer pass cannot be overstated; when you’re printing a high volume of cards, saving time is important.
Why Would I Need to Laminate my Cards?
In plastic card printing, lamination is a clear, protective layer applied over the top of your printed cards by a printer with lamination capability. If you recall the old days of cut-and-paste assembled ID cards, lamination may confuse you and seem like an unnecessary, outdated step. Given the durability of PVC plastic cards and the convenience of direct-to-card printing technology, you might wonder why lamination is necessary when printing directly to plastic.
While lamination isn’t essential to the card printing process, it does offer three primary benefits that may complement your ID program:
- Lamination extends the life of your card by protecting it from wear caused by daily swiping and scanning.
- Lamination protects your card imagery and text from fading and prevents dye migration caused by exposure to the sun.
- When combined with holographic imagery, lamination helps make your cards more secure by making them difficult to replicate.
If my Card Needs to Change, What Features Can I Add to the DTC4500e in the Future?
One of the most remarkable features of the HID Fargo 4500 printer is its ability to evolve with the changing needs of your organization. There are a number of field-upgradeable features available that can be added to your printer, either at the time of purchase or later on an as-needed basis. Your DTC4500e printer can be modually upgraded to offer the following:
Dual-sided printing: The DTC4500e duplex module doubles the printable area of your cards and enables you to print to both sides of your card in a single printer pass.
Same-side input/output hopper: The DTC4500e same-side input/output hopper reduces the amount of space needed to operate your printer and helps to fit the printer into smaller workspaces.
Card encoding: A number of encoding options are available and can be added any time, including magnetic stripe encoding, contact and contactless smart card encoding, and prox card encoding. Barcode coding can be completed with a standard DTC4500 printer.
Single- or dual-sided lamination: The DTC4500e single-sided lamination module or dual-sided lamination module can be added any time by ID Wholesaler's in-house Technical Support Team. As demonstrated and detailed above, lamination protects your cards from forgery, tampering and physical wear. Note: Dual-sided printing is required to have dual-sided lamination.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: The DTC4500e comes with standard USB and Ethernet connectivity, but can be upgraded to include wireless connectivity as well. With the Wi-Fi accessory, you can print and encode freely and remotely – anytime, anywhere.