What are Duplex Printers and what are they Good For?

Duplex ID Card Printers, also commonly referred to as Dual-sided printers, are, as the name suggests, printers that are capable of printing images and text on both sides of a surface, usually of a piece of paper or plastic ID card.

Generally speaking there are two methods of duplex printing — a) printers which automatically flip over a piece of paper and print on the other side, and b) printers, usually high-volume printers designed with two engines, that print on both sides of the sheet of paper as once as it is feeds through the machine.

Advantages of Dual-Sided Printing

The advantages of dual-sided printing becomes apparent (or not) in accordance with what your specific goals. Creating two-sided business cards, for example is especially useful if you have a lot information to convey. Trying to fit a high volume of information on one side of a card forces you to use a smaller font, which is hard on the eyes, and too pack everything in a manner too compact to be comfortable or pleasing to look at.

Most dual-sided printers are used in creating a standard variety of cards and contain a range of features and modules. The Zebra ZXP Series, for example, can be used to print ID cards, small businesses, gyms and health clubs, schools, local government, membership cards, loyalty cards and employee cards.

Using the back as well opens up the option for some “creative advertising” or other tips that will help a person to remember your card and business. For example, leaving a tip, philosophy, small map or calendar of events on the back can help your card stand out amongst the others and etch your product or service into peoples’ memory. The back is also a great place to put graphics, logos or some piece of your company’s philosophy.

Another great advantage of dual-sided printing from both an environmental and financial standpoint is that it saves paper, which is useful if you run a large company or will use the printer in an educational facility, such as university.

Some printers, such as the Evolis Dualys 3 Dual-Sided Printer, as well offer a pioneering 3-year warranty.

Available Upgrades

While available upgrades vary from brand to brand, optional upgrades typically include:

• Ethernet Connectivity
• Feeder Cartridges
• Manual Feeding
• Slots Magnetic Encoding