User Manual

5
SP35 Info Central
• Glossy PVC surface, either 100% PVC cards or composite cards with a PVC surface.
• If you use both a topcoat station and an overlay station, composite cards with a polyester core and PVC
surface are recommended.
• Cards with a magnetic stripe on one side of the card.
• Cards with a smart card chip on the top of the card. Depending on the module installed in the printer,
contact-type, contactless, or both types of smart card chips can be programmed.
Embossed cards cannot be processed in the SP35 printer.
StickICards
StickICards™, part number 597640-001, can be used. StickICards are used to make personalized cards
that can be adhered to proximity cards when the card surface is not flat enough to print. The printing
surface of the StickICard (white side) meets the material requirements for use in the printer.
When using StickICards, follow these guidelines:
• Store cards in a cool place (such as a refrigerator) to avoid adhesive migration.
• Fan cards before loading them in the card cartridge.
• Clean the printer’s card tracks to remove any adhesive residue. Use the printhead cleaning pen or
isopropanol and a swab to remove the residue.
• Use a print margin of 0.1 or 0.05 inch with StickICards.
Contactless smart cards
Contactless smart cards are also called RF (radio frequency) cards and proximity cards. Contactless smart
cards can have an irregular surface where the internal components of the card are located. You might
modify the card design to avoid printing photos or other images over the internal components of the card.
Pre-punched cards
Datacard recommends that you punch cards after printing them. However, you can use pre-punched cards
with the SP35 printer as long as the hole is free of raised areas or burrs. In the following illustration, the
gray area shows where punched areas are allowed.
• The cards can only have a punched area within 1.0 in (25.4 mm) of the left-hand edge, as the cards are
loaded in the card cartridge. (This dimension includes tolerance.)
• If the card has a magnetic stripe, the card cannot be punched anywhere in the stripe.
New cards preferred
The SP35 printer is designed to print on new card stock. If you print on cards twice, be careful to avoid
getting dirt, fingerprints, or other contamination on cards before the second printing. Printing on cards that