Re-posted with permission from Higgins Corporation and edited.
If you’re preparing for the upcoming school or work year, you may be asking yourself if your organization has the most up-to-date credentialing system. Or maybe you want to know whether you need printer maintenance to ensure you’re able to print all those student, staff, or employee ID cards. Do you need new card printer technology and software to match, or a fresh batch of badge accessories and supplies for people to choose from to protect their IDs. Maybe you want to have your printer inspected by one of our highly trained service technicians to put your mind at ease instead of finding out you need to order new equipment at the last minute!
We’re here to help you avoid all those headaches, and make sure you’re ready to start your school or work year off right with these card printer maintenance tips.
Helpful Hints for Printer Performance
Give your organization a head-start on a smooth start to the year, preventing the need for extra ID card printer maintenance and expenses you could otherwise avoid.
Upgrade your old credential system
If your printer or software is more than 10 years old and you’re seeing much longer print times than usual, it’s probably time for an upgrade. This can be quick and painless and will have you creating top-notch, glossy, full-color credentials at ultra-fast speeds for less than you originally bought your printer in the first place! We’ll help you find the most ideal printer, software and peripherals for your organization’s needs at the best prices possible.
Keep your IDs visible with customized accessories
The key to long-lasting credentials is as simple as keeping them safe and secure with our wide array of ID accessories. Choose from lanyards and clips of all varieties, badge reels, silicone wallet attachments or plastic badge holders with badge reels to encase your ID and protect it from outside damage and general wear and tear, and much more! Taking advantage of the many accessory options we offer enables your employees, students and staff to ultimately extend the life of their IDs by shielding them from harm while keeping them easily accessible to use. Take a closer look at our badging accessories and know that your local ISG dealer can offer even more!
Only buy your supplies from an authorized reseller
You may be thinking, “All printers are the same, these ribbons will work fine with ours and their even less than the on-brand ones we usually buy!” Well…think again. Like most things in life, quality trumps quantity here, too. Yes, your card and credential printer is picky and contains very specialized technology that can easily be damaged if you try to use off-brand ribbons or laminates. That said, stick to supplies you know are compatible with your machine, and always purchase them from an authorized reseller, like the ISG! If you’re unsure as to what supplies are compatible with your machine, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local identity experts who can answer all of your questions.
Clean your printer regularly
This may seem like more of a chore, but it’s necessary. Be aware of how your ID card printer is operating to prevent repairs, replacements and downtime. Cleaning your printer is actually very simple and easy to do to keep it running smoothly. Putting off regular upkeep until your printer is on its last legs can be unnecessarily expensive. Use manufacturer authorized cleaning kits or cleaning cards from the ISG before every ribbon replacement. Keep a running log of when the printer was last cleaned so there’s no question hat you’ll be printing clean, accurate credentials every time, all the time. If you don’t remember how to clean your printer, you can contact one of our highly trained printer support technicians.
Schedule a printer tune-up with your local ISG dealer
Before you get too busy into the year, you’ll want to schedule a time to have your ID card printer properly serviced and inspected by one of our expertly trained service technicians. Even if you think your printer is working just fine, it doesn’t hurt to have routine checkups to prevent lengthy maintenance interruptions or costly repairs that could have been avoided.
BONUS TIP: Rent extra printers when needed
Have a large enrollment window once or twice per year? Don’t want to purchase a few extra printers just to make deadline for a week? Talk to your local ISG dealer about the option to rent additional printer units just for your peak periods. They may be able to offer you short term agreements, or even loan a technician to be onsite to help make your rollout run smoothly.
Contact the ISG for All of Your ID Card Printer Needs
Though these tips can help you keep your ID card printer running at its optimal performance, something can always throw a wrench in the gears and cause headaches for your ID issuance program. Contact your local ISG dealer for preventative ideas in preparation of your busiest times, real-time tech support of ongoing issues, or to schedule routine checkups to make sure your team has everything they need to keep ID production going.
We exist to serve your identification and security needs!
