Aplusid

If you’re new to ID badging and are in the process of searching for a new printer, the chances are pretty good that this will be one of your top questions: how long will my ID badge printer last? When my customers ask me this, I typically tell them that their badge machine (also referred to as an ID card printer) will last about the same as an average computer might last:  roughly five years.

Could the printer last longer? Of course! The longevity of a badge machine is determined by the maintenance that is completed throughout the lifecycle of the machine. That maintenance can be as simple as using one of our dust covers and running genuine manufacturer cleaning kits through the badge machine on a regular basis.

Believe it or not, many new card printer users will neglect this simple part, with the ultimate goal of saving money. However, just by actively using a dust cover and cleaning kits, you can alleviate 75% of your headaches.

To alleviate the remaining 25%, organizations often decide to keep a warranty on their printer to avoid additional costs in the future. The standard badge machine warranties can be extended up to five years. The warranty will cover all parts and labor, plus the cost to ship it back to you once the repairs are completed.

So what are some of the thing that can potentially go wrong with a badge machine?

The #1 answer is that the pixels in the printhead have been damaged or blown out. This can happen if your printer’s printhead comes into direct contact (or touches) the ID badges as it “lays down” color onto the card. Once the printhead damage occurs, you’ll notice a white line that runs across the ID badges (this happens with direct-to-card badge machines).

The cost to replace a printhead will run you between $500 – $900. Customers who want to avoid this type of scenario look at retransfer (also called “reverse transfer”) badge machines, like the Fargo HDP5000 or the Evolis Avansia.

Retransfer printers print onto a film which is then heat rolled to the face of the card so the printhead never actually touches
the ID card and thus eliminates any damaging friction. This is why retransfer printers come with a lifetime printhead warranty.

Other problems include smaller internal parts that wear out with time and use, such as an O-ring, and end up breaking. In this instance, the card printer would need to be sent in for repair.

Lastly, because technology is ever-evolving and constantly changing, your printer will require new firmware and driver updates. After roughly five years, manufacturers will neither make or support any new drivers for the newest version of Windows or Mac operating systems. This means that if you want to keep your older printer running, it will need to be on an older version of windows, as opposed to the cutting-edge newer software that most customers prefer.