Streamline Printing with Dual-Sided Systems

Direct-to-card Technology

Both direct-to-card and retransfer printing technologies yield professional quality images, but there are some important differences to consider when comparing printers:

Direct-to-card printers are sensitive to card imperfections, which leads to less-than-full print coverage of the card surface. Since the printhead cannot come in contact with the edge of cards, the printer leaves a thin white border around the card perimeter. Direct-to-card technology also makes it difficult to print on technology cards, which have minutely raised areas that may put the printhead is at risk for damage or lead to inconsistent print quality.

Retransfer or HDP Technology

With this technology, the printhead does not come in direct contact with the card, which limits the potential for printhead damage. Images can cover the entire card surface and you can safely print on proximity cards, smart cards, pre-punched cards, key tags, etc.

Rewrite technology offers a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly way for organizations to produce ID cards for a short term use, such as visitor ID cards. After being printed and issued to a visitor, rewrite cards can be recycled, erased, and reprinted hundreds of times over.

Using a dual-sided Fargo ID card printer for rewrite printing does not require a ribbon, but it does require the use of special rewriteable card stock. Rewrite card stock contains heat-sensitive material that can be manipulated to display blue or black monochrome text and imagery on the rewrite side of the card. The other side of rewrite card stock functions like a standard PVC card and can be printed in full-color.

Note: If you plan to utilize rewrite printing, be sure to add rewritable cards to your single-sided Fargo system before checkout.

Apply laminate to your printed cards using a HDP Fargo printer with lamination capability to:

We recommend our laminating HDP Fargo systems if you will be swiping your printed credentials through a mag stripe reader daily or if your ID badges will be exposed to harsher environments (including prolonged exposure to the sun).