Do you know which type of ribbon you need to print your ID cards? With confusing names and so many options it can be difficult for anyone to figure out, but our ID experts are here to help!
How Ribbons Work
First, a quick overview of how ID card printers work. Instead of using liquid ink like a traditional inkjet printer, both dye sublimation and reverse transfer printers use solid ribbons and a heated printhead to transfer the color from the ribbon to the cards.
To get a full color ID card you only need to combine a few basic colors – Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan. By combining these colors you can print a full spectrum of colors for your cards.
The type of printer ribbon you will need depends on your card design, which is where the ribbon acronyms come into play.
Ribbon Panel Types
B: Resin black
C: Cyan
F: Fluorescent, also called UV
I: Inhibitor
K: Composite black
M: Magenta
O: Overlay, also called Topcoat
T: Topcoat, also called Overlay
UV: Ultra violet, also called Fluorescent
Y: Yellow
YMCKO: Yellow Magenta Cyan Composite Black Overlay – the standard ribbon for printing full color, single-sided cards
YMCKOK: Yellow Magenta Cyan Composite Black Overlay Composite Black – the standard ribbon for printing full color on the front, black on the back dual-sided cards
YMCK: Yellow Magenta Cyan Composite Black – the standard ribbon or printing full color single-sided cards with a reverse transfer or laminating printer
YMCKK: Yellow Magenta Cyan Composite Black Composite Black – the standard ribbon or printing full color on the front, black on the back dual-sided cards with a reverse transfer or laminating printer
