Understanding the value of ID cards for manufacturing company

If you are responsible for the security of a manufacturing company or any industrial premises then you will understand how important it is that you know who is on the premises at any time. You must know whether your employees have arrived for work or if they have gone home for the evening. You will also want to be sure that anyone you find walking around the site is authorized to be there, and it not a member of the public who could be potentially be injured by the machinery, or be someone with criminal intent. The easiest way to achieve all of these aims is by issuing authorized people with photo ID badges.

Why ID badges are the right choice

You could choose to employ security guards to patrol your premises but unless your company is small they probably aren’t going to know every staff member by sight. You could rely on your employees to identify people who shouldn’t be on the premises or who access areas that they shouldn’t, but your employees can’t be everywhere at once, and there will probably be visitors or contractors who you want to enter, but who your employees don’t know. Without a simple way to conduct a visual or electronic check on any individual valuable time will be lost, and your company could be exposed to unnecessary risks. By introducing an ID badge program you can print a card which will allow you to know who is on the premises and whether they have a right to be where they are.

Designing your ID card system

Creating perfect ID card badges is not as complicated as you might think. There are at least three different uses to which you could put your cards. You could choose to print an ID card with a single function or you could combine all three functions into a single card. Printing your ID cards gives you the flexibility to build a system that is right for you. The right printing system will let you create a card that does exactly what you want without over-complicating your business systems.

Simple ID cards

Sometimes all you need is a basic photo ID card for your employees, visitors, and contractors so that you can be sure exactly who is on your site. Purchasing a photo ID printer system will enable you to quickly print all of the ID cards that you need so that everyone on your premises will know who your visitors are and what tasks they are there to do.

Access cards

How do your employees access your building? If they need to pass through a security check then equipping them with access cards is essential. Is the entrance the only location that needs a security check? Do you have different security levels for different areas of your building? Perhaps your building contains a secure research area, or somewhere where only specially trained personnel are allowed to enter? A smart ID card will provide a vital electronic record but it can also be worn to offer a visual check by which anyone can identify the wearer and know whether they are an employee, a contractor or a visitor and what their security level may be. ID photo printers make it possible for your cards to contain a photo of the individual, along with basic information in plain view. More extensive information including the right of access can be encoded directly onto the card.

Attendance records

Do your employees clock in each morning and clock out in the evening at the start and end of their shifts? If they do then you will be aware of how useful it is to know who has arrived, who is consistently late, and who has left the building. Clocking employees in and out of the building is convenient for calculating your payroll since you can tell exactly how many hours each person has worked but the tricky part for many employers has often been managing the clock cards. If you opt for paper punch cards then you need to manually enter the data into your computer system. You could try standard swipe cards but that can lead to problems such as the wrong card being swiped, or cards being misplaced. By combining a clock card with an ID card you can solve these problems. The card the employee swipes doubles as their ID card so that they will keep it with them at all times and it won’t get lost or swiped by the wrong person.

What do you need to start printing ID cards?

The most obvious part of a printing system is the printer but you will need more than that to get started. Alongside the printer, you can’t do without an ID camera to produce the photos for your cards. You will also need the appropriate software so that you can design your cards and integrate your printer with your existing systems. Finally, you will need a stock of consumables such as the blank PVC cards for printing, a ribbon for the printer, and perhaps film to cover the cards if needed. By purchasing all of this together your company can get the Photo ID system you need to protect your company.

Which printers could you use?

If you are thinking about starting to print your ID badges then you must choose a printing system that is right for your needs. At ID Security Online we stock a range of suitable printers. Here are three that could be perfect for your needs.

The Magicard Rio Pro 360 card printer

Featuring great print quality combined with a fast print speed the Magicard Rio Pro 360 boasts the all-new LYNK onboard CPU with a wide color spectrum to produce truly vibrant color printing with crisp, clear print and accurate photography reproduction. It is ideal for producing a high volume of cards at a reasonable cost.

The HID FARGO HDP6600 card printer

With a 600 dpi resolution, the sharper images and brilliant colors offered by the HDP6600 are immediately noticeable on your printed ID cards. There will be no more squinting to try and decipher the wording since it can be easily read at a glance.

This printer is the quickest desktop-based retransfer printer available for purchase. It can print up to 230 ID cards in a single hour, with simultaneous printer and retransfer ability.

For increased security, the HDP6600 comes with standard password protection and optional hardware locks so that only those personnel authorized by you can access the printer and no-one can print fraudulent cards and breach your company security.

The Datacard CR805 ID card printer

If you want the ability to affordably create great looking cards that stand out from those used by your competition then the CR805 may be the perfect choice for you. With 600 dpi over-the-edge printing and retransfer technology this printer offers great value for money. It allows two layers of retransfer film to be applied to create additional card durability. You can choose to purchase either a single or dual-sided model depending on which best suits your requirements.

Whatever type of ID card system your manufacturing company would like to implement ID Security has the perfect ID printer for your requirements.