Not sure what a printer ribbon name means, and how tell if it’s the one you need? Ask the experts at AlphaCard, we’re here to help!
Common Printer Ribbons – What is YMCKO & YMCKOK?
YMCKO is a short version of all the color panels in a YMCKO ribbon – Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, blacK, and a clear Overlay. Using these panels, your printer can print any combination of colors and the overlay panel applies a protective overlay.
A YMCKOK ribbon has an extra black panel (the K at the end) for dual-sided printing with monochrome black on the back of the card.
What Other Types of Ribbons Are There?
YMCKO and YMCKOK ribbons are the most common, but you have many other options!
- YMCKT and YMCKTK, which use the phrase “topcoat” instead of “overlay” for the clear protective layer
- Half-panel ribbons, which have YMC panels that are half the normal size for printing color on only half of a card (often used to customize pre-printed cards)
- Monochrome ribbons, like black or red, which only print in a single solid color (often used for text and barcodes)
- YMC, YMCK, and YMCKK ribbons, which do not have an overlay panel and are used with reverse transfer or laminating printers
- Ribbons with inhibitor panels, which prevent printing in designated parts of the cards
- Ribbons with UV or fluorescent panels, for printing UV and holographic-style images and text
Quickly & Easily Shop for Ribbons on AlphaCard
All supplies are organized by printer brand and model, so you can see everything for your specific printer in one place:
