HID FARGO DTC4500e Dual-Sided ID Card Printer – High-Volume Professional Badge Printing
The HID FARGO DTC4500e dual-sided ID card printer is designed for medium-to-large organizations that need reliable, professional-quality ID card production at higher volumes. Its automatic dual-sided printing capability allows you to personalize both sides of a credential in a single print job, making it an excellent choice for employee badges, student IDs, contractor credentials, and access control cards.
Built for demanding credentialing environments, the DTC4500e combines direct-to-card printing, high-capacity card handling, network connectivity, and security features in a modular platform that can be configured to meet changing requirements. It is well suited to organizations that want more capacity and flexibility than a basic desktop printer can provide without necessarily moving to retransfer printing technology.
Key Features and Benefits
- Automatic dual-sided printing: Prints full-color images, photographs, logos, text, barcodes, and other card details on both sides of a credential in one print job.
- Professional print quality: Dye-sublimation and resin thermal-transfer technology produces sharp text and detailed, continuous-tone photographs.
- High-volume performance: Manufacturer-rated output reaches up to 225 full-color YMCKO cards per hour under specified test conditions. Actual throughput varies with card design, ribbon type, and print configuration.
- Dual-input card hopper: The standard input system holds up to 200 cards and can accommodate different card stocks, reducing interruptions for reloading.
- Convenient output and reject handling: The standard output hopper holds up to 100 cards. Reject handling capacity depends on the installed configuration.
- USB and Ethernet connectivity: Connect directly to a workstation or integrate the printer into a compatible networked ID issuance environment.
- Expandable platform: Optional smart card encoding, magnetic stripe encoding, locking hoppers, and lamination can extend the capabilities of a properly configured system.
- Security features: Supports AES-256 encryption over a secure network, printer password protection, and resin-scramble data protection.
- Printer management tools: FARGO Workbench provides supported setup, diagnostic, maintenance, and color-matching utilities.
- Three-year standard limited warranty: Manufacturer warranty coverage applies subject to the applicable terms and conditions.
Printer Specifications
| Manufacturer | HID FARGO |
|---|---|
| Model | DTC4500e dual-sided ID card printer |
| SKU | 055100 |
| Print configuration | Automatic dual-sided printing |
| Print technology | Dye-sublimation / resin thermal transfer, direct-to-card |
| Resolution | 300 x 300 dpi standard; supported optimized modes up to 300 x 600 dpi |
| Full-color print speed | Approximately 16 seconds per card for YMCKO single-sided printing; approximately 24 seconds per card for YMCKOK dual-sided printing, depending on configuration and test conditions |
| Monochrome print speed | Approximately 6 seconds per card for K resin; actual output depends on the print job |
| Accepted card sizes | CR-80 standard cards and CR-79 adhesive-back cards |
| Accepted card thickness | Approximately 9–40 mil for printing; lamination-compatible configurations generally support 30–40 mil cards |
| Input capacity | Up to 200 cards with the standard dual-input hopper |
| Output capacity | Up to 100 cards in the standard output hopper |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 and Ethernet with internal print server |
| Security | AES-256 network encryption, printer password protection, and resin-scramble data protection |
| Included utility | FARGO Workbench printer maintenance and diagnostic software |
| Warranty | Three-year standard limited warranty; verify coverage and service terms for the selected purchase |
Optional Encoding and Security Upgrades
The DTC4500e platform can be configured for more than visual identification. Depending on the selected printer and installed modules, it can also personalize compatible cards with electronic credential data or add physical protection to extend card life.
- Contactless smart card encoding: Optional modules support selected credential technologies, including compatible HID iCLASS and supported MIFARE families.
- Proximity credential support: Compatible HID Prox encoding options are available in selected configurations.
- Contact smart card encoding: Optional modules support compatible ISO 7816 contact smart cards.
- Magnetic stripe encoding: Optional encoding can write data to supported magnetic-stripe cards, including compatible Track 1, 2, and 3 formats.
- Card lamination: Optional single- or dual-sided lamination can improve resistance to wear and support selected security laminates.
- Locking card hoppers: Optional locking input or output hoppers can help restrict access to blank cards and issued credentials.
- UV and holographic security materials: Compatible fluorescent-printing ribbons and security overlaminates can add visual authentication features when supported by the chosen configuration.
- Wireless printing: A compatible optional wireless accessory may be available for supported Ethernet-enabled configurations.
Configuration note: SKU 055100 identifies the dual-sided printing configuration, but it does not automatically mean that smart card encoding, magnetic stripe encoding, lamination, locking hoppers, or wireless accessories are included. Confirm the exact bill of materials and credential compatibility before ordering.
Applications Across Multiple Industries
- Corporate and enterprise: Print employee photos and identification details on the front, with access instructions, emergency information, policy reminders, or other approved data on the reverse.
- Education: Produce student and faculty IDs with campus information, library details, or other school-specific content on the back.
- Healthcare: Create staff badges that combine visible identification with approved department information or operational instructions.
- Government: Support employee and contractor credential programs where consistent two-sided card layouts and controlled issuance are important.
- Manufacturing and distribution: Include employee information on one side and approved facility, safety, or access details on the other.
- Visitor management: Print visitor identification and relevant site instructions on a single credential, when used with compatible visitor-management software.
Why Choose the Dual-Sided DTC4500e?
The main advantage of this configuration is the ability to print both sides automatically without manually reinserting cards. This saves operator time, supports consistent card layouts, and makes it practical to include additional information without increasing the number of cards issued.
- Choose the single-sided DTC4500e if all required information fits on the front of the card or if you rarely need to print a reverse side.
- Choose the dual-sided DTC4500e if your card design regularly uses both sides, your organization issues credentials in volume, or you want to reduce manual handling during production.
- Consider a retransfer printer if your application requires the particular material compatibility or printing characteristics of retransfer technology. Compare the specific card stock, security requirements, and output needs before selecting a platform.
Compatible Cards, Ribbons, and Cleaning Supplies
Use compatible CR-80 PVC or PVC-composite cards and the appropriate FARGO ribbons and cleaning supplies for your selected configuration. Ribbon selection affects color printing, monochrome printing, and the ability to produce certain security features. Dual-sided full-color printing may require a ribbon designed for printing on both sides, such as a YMCKOK configuration.
If your card program includes electronic encoding or lamination, verify that the card material, thickness, ribbon, encoding module, and laminate are compatible with the complete printer configuration. Regular cleaning and maintenance help preserve print quality and support reliable operation.
Get Help Configuring Your ID Card Printing System
The HID FARGO DTC4500e dual-sided printer is a strong option for organizations that need professional badge production, automatic two-sided printing, and room to expand their credentialing capabilities. With high-capacity card handling and optional encoding and lamination features, it can support a wide range of employee, student, visitor, and access-control card programs.
Contact IDSuperShop for help selecting the right printer configuration, compatible cards and ribbons, and any optional encoding or lamination modules required for your application. We can help you evaluate your print volume, card design, credential technology, and future requirements before you order.
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