Card Quality Guidelines - DataCard ImageCard IV User Manual

New cards preferred
The ImageCard IV 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 have been issued might introduce
substances that interfere with card printing or damage the printer. See
card appearance" on page 8-9
cards.
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Card quality guidelines

Your cards must meet the following card quality guidelines for the ImageCard IV
printer to print high quality graphics on them successfully.
Card surface
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Card handling
These guidelines apply to unprinted cards. Any debris or particles on an unprinted
card's surface can reduce print quality and damage the printhead. Grease or oils,
such as oils from your fingers, also reduce print quality.
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Card storage
These guidelines apply to both printed and unprinted cards.
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User's Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
If a previously printed card has topcoat (from the T-panel of print ribbon or from
the laminator) or laminate applied, the card cannot be printed a second time.
The card must be free of irregularities such as particles embedded in the
surface.The particle detector in the ImageCard IV printer attempts to detect and
reject cards with particles.
The card surface must be smooth and even. Surface irregularities can cause loss
of contact, resulting in printing voids.
The printing surface must be glossy. It cannot have a matte finish (see other
sections in this appendix for more information).
Card edges must be free of raised burrs, which can cause unprinted areas on
cards (printing voids). This is especially true when printing Edge-to-Edge. Raised
burrs can also cause more than one card to be picked, resulting in card jams.
Keep cards completely clean.
Do not touch the print surface of a card with your fingers or hands.
Do not use a rubber band to bind blank cards together.
If you drop a card on the floor, do not insert it into the ImageCard IV printer.
Cards must be stacked so that they will not shift and rub against each other.
When storing cards, make sure that no two cards contain images or blocks of
color that will come in contact with each other.
to address card appearance problems with pre-printed
B-9
"Problems with