Advice for Printing ID Cards or "Event Badges"

FredJones · 03-16-2023, 08:28 AM

I have a client who wants to purchase 3 printers to print ID cards, but he wants the staff to be able to press a button on the website to generate a file and the click Print.

We can code the site to generate a PDF, but I must find an "ID Card" printer that works on such input...

michaelk · 03-16-2023, 10:25 AM

Avery has ID badges you print with an ink jet or laser printer that you can use with a plastic holder. You would need to verify the bar code scanner can read through the plastic holder. Over the 3 months the plastic could turn yellow if left in the sun for very long.

If you want plastic I might go with outsourcing but can you purchase a single quantity if one gets lost? You might also consider the Avery route as a temporary badge.

FredJones · 03-16-2023, 10:31 AM

We need to print a few each week, so we need our own printer. I heard back from one printer vendor and he said:

Quote:

Yes we have printers that can do this. What you are talking about will be more the software you purchase to go with printer. Here is a great software cloudbadging.com that has a free trial to test out. I would recommend e-mailing support@cloudbadging.com an ask them these questions on how you would like to be printing through the software.

I wonder if there is FOSS for this also?

TB0ne · 03-16-2023, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredJones

I have a client who wants to purchase 3 printers to print ID cards, but he wants the staff to be able to press a button on the website to generate a file and the click Print.

We can code the site to generate a PDF, but I must find an "ID Card" printer that works on such input...

Define "ID Card"; do you mean the PVC/plastic ones? Double sided? Or a simple paper insert to go into a lanyard?

CR80 or CR100 are the typical ID badge sizes , but most event badges are 4x3 (the A7 standard). If you go a LITTLE larger for paper, the A6 is supported by a lot of generic printers (Brother, HP, etc.), so a look at the specs for any of those should tell you whether or not you can just feed in that stock.

FredJones · 03-16-2023, 10:38 AM

Got an even better response from another vendor:

Quote:

I am following up on today's inquiry on Evolis® website regarding your request for additional information on our plastic ID card printers. We could absolutely handle the needs of your customer. If their software can generate a PDF we could easily send that print job to our ID card printer, or we could use our Cardpresso card design software and import the data from the CSV file and print that way as well.

FredJones · 03-16-2023, 10:48 AM

We want hard PVC/plastic cards, double sided. Like a credit card.

These are for use for around 3 months, not for one event, and many of the end users are children, so something sturdy is required.

TB0ne · 03-16-2023, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredJones

We want hard PVC/plastic cards, double sided. Like a credit card. These are for use for around 3 months, not for one event, and many of the end users are children, so something sturdy is required.

Gotcha. I've had good luck with the Magicard ones in the past, and it appears as if the Magicard 300 has a Linux driver. Does dual-sided PVC badges, but (as with all of those printers), they're pricey.

michaelk · 03-16-2023, 11:25 AM

libreoffice can print Avery labels but have no idea how it works or if you can insert an image like a scan code.

gLabels is a Gnome application to create labels but have not played with it. It can insert images like scan codes as well as use a csv data file.

https://help.gnome.org/users/glabels/stable/

FredJones · 03-16-2023, 12:52 PM

Thank you, I contacted Magicard also now.

I need a PDF solution because then the website can just generate a file and then they can print, without any extra work.