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Shop & Compare Zebra ID Card Printers
Zebra ZXP Series card printers deliver reliable performance and excellent print quality, card after card. Available at a variety of price points and with printing feature profiles spanning from entry level to reverse transfer with secure lamination, Zebra’s ID card printer line-up fulfills a diverse range of printing needs. To ensure optimal asset protection, Zebra continuously develops their printer models to offer a selection of security features, including physical locks and built-in password protection.
Have questions about Zebra ID card printers? We have answers!
What are the main features available in Zebra printers??
Zebra Card Printers offer ID card printing solutions for a diverse range of applications. With Zebra's reputation for innovation and the consistent delivery of high quality products and services for plastic card personalization applications, you can't go wrong.
ZXP Series 1 - This single-sided printer has an eco-friendly design and is ideal for entry-level, low-volume card printing applications. The ZXP 1 is configurable for Ethernet and optional magnetic stripe encoding.
ZXP Series 3 - Availaible with your choice of single-sided or dual-sided printing, the ZXP 3 is ideal for low- to mid-volume card printing and offers magnetic encoding and smart card encoding options.
ZXP Series 7 - Best for high-volume printing applications, the ZXP Series 7 is a direct-to-card printer that offers high print quality, built-in Ethernet connectivity with optional Wi-Fi, and a variety of encoding options. The ZXP 7 can be configured to provide dual-sided printing, with or without single-sided or dual-sided lamination.
ZXP Series 9 - The ZXP Series 9 features high-speed, high-quality retransfer technology with various encoding and lamination configurations available. Ethernet and USB connectivity come standard with all configurations, and optional wireless networking is also available. Choose between single-sided and dual-sided printing, but if you want lamination, you'll need the dual-sided ZXP 9.
What's the difference between a single-sided and a dual-sided Zebra printer?
Simply put, a single-sided printer prints on one side of your cards and a dual-sided printer prints on both sides of your cards in one process.
Choose a single-sided Zebra printer if you will be creating ID cards with limited cardholder information.
Choose a dual-sided Zebra printer if you want the front of your cards to remain clean and uncluttered; printing some of your card-holder info on the back of your cards will keep the front of your cards looking their best!
Many customers ask if it is possible to print on both sides of the card with a single-sided printer by manually flipping the cards and sending them back through the printer. While technically it is possible, it's not recommended. Printing on both sides of the card with a single-sided printer will expose the printhead to dust, debris, and oil from your fingertips, which can cause expensive printhead damage. Plus, damage to a printhead from non-standard use will void warranty coverage, costing you more in the long run.
Why would I need to laminate my plastic cards?
In plastic card printing, lamination is a clear protective layer that is applied over the top of your printed cards by a printer with lamination capability. Lamination offers three primary benefits:
- • Lamination extends the life of your card by protecting it from wear, such as being swiped in a magnetic stripe reader
- • Lamination protects your cards from fading and dye migration when exposed to the sun
- • Holographic lamination increases the security of your cards by making them difficult to copy
The Zebra ZXP Series 7 and ZXP Series 9 printers offer the ability to laminate your cards. Choose a laminating Zebra card printer if your cards will be routinely swiped in a mag stripe reader, exposed to direct sunlight daily, or exposed to other harsh conditions. Lamination protects your cards from fading and dye migration, and extends card life. With lamination, you won't need to reprint cards as frequently, which saves you time and cuts supply costs!
What is a retransfer printer?
Experienced card printer users are familiar with the white border that direct-to-card printers leave around the edge of printed cards. This occurs necessarily due to the printing method. Retransfer printers, on the other hand, use reverse transfer printing to produce "over-the-edge" prints that cover the entire surface of the card.
To fully understand the benefits of reverse transfer printing, it helps to know the difference between the print methods involved with both types of printer. Direct-to-card printers print directly to the surface of cards, and any uneven surface (including contact with the card edge) can cause expensive damage to the printhead. Retransfer printers like the Zebra ZXP Series 9 print your card image to a clear retransfer film rather than directly to the plastic card. The retransfer film is then thermally fused onto the plastic surface of the card. With this process, the printhead does not come in direct contact with your card, allowing you to print over the edge of your cards and to a wider variety of card surfaces including proximity cards, smart cards, pre-punched cards and key tag cards. Plus, in comparison to direct-to-card printers, retransfer printers generally produce imagery that is more rich and vibrant with more fully saturated colors.
Choose the Zebra ZXP Series 9 retransfer printer if your card design needs to print "over-the-edge" or if you will be printing on technology cards (smart cards, prox cards, etc.).
