When researching the best ID card printer for your needs, you may come across some terms that you’re unfamiliar with. Two of those terms might be "input hopper" and "output hopper." Don’t get excited; these are not magical bunnies inside your card printer…
A hopper is a device that holds the cards either prior to being printed (input hopper) or catches the card after it has been printed (output hopper). Almost all of the card printers on the market have hoppers which are designed to speed up the printing process. Not only does this expedite your ID card printing, but it’s also a great way to keep the cards clean and contamination-free, ensuring the very best possible print quality.
Some printers – like the Zebra ZXP Series 8 – include an input hopper but also have the ability to upgrade to a larger hopper or a "spare" hopper. These make it easy to swap card stock or simply reload your cards. A spare output hopper reduces the interruptions in your card printing process, and an optional reject tray easily and conveniently collects the cards that fail to encode properly.
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A perfect example of this would be if you use proximity cards for your employees and regular PVC cards for visitors to your facility.
Some printers also offer the option of re-arranging the location of the output hopper to have the cards exit the printer on the same side that they enter. This is especially beneficial in offices that have tight workspaces.
If there are other terms that you aren’t familiar with when researching ID card printer options, just wave your magic wand...or call (800) 321-4405, x2...and our ID Magicians will be able to provide all the help you need!