Evolis Introduces the Badgy ID Card Printer

The name for this new ID card printer from Evolis may sound silly, but it really is simple enough for a kid to use. The Badgy is an entry-level printer designed for organizations that create fewer than 2,000 cards per year. It comes with a ribbon, software CD, and the first 100 cards included. For the design process, end users don't have to upload their own background images. There is a full online library with free templates available for download. The artwork ranges from business to sports applications and beyond. U.S. customers will be amused to see rugby images featured prominently while football pictures are nowhere to be found. They do, however, have several templates available for chess clubs and wine tasting events. Of course, you can switch out the picture on any of these templates if you would still like to use the rest of the design.

The Badgy Office Card software is an Excel based program. This makes it instantly compatible with any PC using the Microsoft Office Suite programs. The printer is a full color dye sublimation model. Cards printed via this method are noted for their fine, 300 dpi resolution and vibrant appearance. Monochrome thermal transfer ribbons are also available for use with this equipment. The unit does not offer edge-to-edge printing, so there will be a small blank border on each card. This is something to take into account during the artwork selection process.

Standard PVC, composite, and PET cards are all compatible with this machine. There is no need to manually adjust any settings when switching from 30 mil to 20 mil - this happens automatically when the printer senses the change in material thickness. The input feeder can hold 100 cards, but the output hopper only accepts 10. This shallow tray can be retracted into the machine to save space when not in use. At less than 6 pounds, the Badgy is one of the smallest ID printers on the market. With its red plastic body and black base, it almost resembles a ladybug. To see this tiny model in action, users can view mini video tutorials online. These cover everything from ribbon replacement to printer cleaning.

The main drawback of this newest model is that it has no encoding options beyond simple bar coding. This makes it fine for very basic applications such as membership programs. However, in an effort to get the price as low as possible, the equipment sacrifices some versatility. Fortunately, Evolis has several other printers that offer affordable solutions and more advanced technology.

Pebble4

This single sided printer can be used for full color and monochrome cards. A magnetic stripe encoding module is available upon request. Contact and contactless smart card programming devices can be selected as well.

Dualys3

The Dualys offers the same features as the Pebble and can also be upgraded to print dual sided cards. Both models also offer Ethernet connectivity to allow multiple users to access the printer via a network.

Tattoo Rewrite

For monochrome applications with magnetic stripe capability, this rewriteable printer is ideal. No ribbons are used for this printing method. Instead, each card is coated with a temperature sensitive layer that can be erased and reprinted many times.

Check out ID Superstore for low prices on an Evolis card printer including the Dualys3 and the Evolis Securion.