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This product is now at the “end of life” and we are no longer accepting orders for this printer.
If you are looking for a similar model, we would suggest browsing our range of single-sided ID card printers starting from £525.
Datacard SD160 Product Review
Offering the perfect mix of affordability, security and, simplicity, the Datacard SD160 plastic card printer is a smart choice for those who are looking to produce high-quality and efficient employee ID cards for businesses, healthcare professionals, and student ID cards.
The SD160 printer provides you with the versatility to meet a range of different application requirements while protecting your budget.
Please note, this printer is only available as a single-sided model.
Prints crisp, high-quality full-colour, or monochrome cards plus additional inline encoding. The colours you see on the screen will be the colours you see on the card.
The SD160 is used by businesses and organisations of all sizes. Datacard provides a standard 30-month warranty cover on this printer, alongside a 30-month warranty cover on replacement print heads.
Like other models within the SD series range, the SD160 machine is no different. Following the step-by-step on-screen instructions mean you will be ready to print in under 15 minutes.
One of the key USP's to all Datacard printers is the smooth operation and setup of all new machines. The Intuitive icons guide you through the soft-touch control panel and LCD screen.
Every business or organisation that is printing ID cards should look at adding a level of visual security to each card to lower the risk of cards being duplicated.
The SD160 card printer includes a UV ink option meaning an invisible layer of security is added to each card you print. This additional layer can only be seen under black lights so that any cloned cards could easily be identified.
Please note that you can add more layers of security to each card by printing logos and graphics to the cards.
With the SD160, there is the option to add on Magnetic stripe encoding or Contactless / MIFARE Encoder upgrade.
Other options include:
ISO 7811 three-track option (high- and low-coercivity).
JIS Type II single-track option.
Support for standard and custom data formats.
The SD160 is an entry-level direct-to-card (DTC) ID card printer.
In less technical terms, this means the print from the YMCKO colour ribbon is transferred directly onto the card through heat from the print head.
Like all SD printers from Datacard, the SD160 model prints at the standard 300dpi
Please note this printer covers edge-to-edge, meaning a small white border will be visible around the edges of the card.
Like all SD printers, the SD160 ID card printer prints CR80 (credit card size) cards only.
The SD160 is more suited to those with a lower print volume requirement or those who prefer to print in a single batch.
Based on a regular office working week of 35 hours you can print, 5,250 full-colour single-sided cards and 17,500 monochromes (black & white) single-sided cards.
When printing cards, the process needs to be as efficient and as easy as possible, and with the assistance of the 100 card input hopper on the Datacard SD160 users can merely pre-load the cards and let the printer do its work.
In just one hour the SD160 can print 150 full-colour single-sided cards and up to 500, single-sided black and white monochrome cards.
The SD160 printer comes complete with USB connectivity, and this means that one desktop computer can operate the machine.
If you require multiple network access through an Ethernet connection, then we advise on taking a closer look at the Datacard SD260 series ID card printer, as this will fulfil your requirements.
Standard USB/Ethernet ports and the browser-based Printer Manager helps you integrate SD Series printers into third-party applications as well as existing systems.
The SD160 is a small and compact machine which can comfortably fit onto any workspace at ease. The exact dimensions of this printer are length 15.4 inches, width 6.9 inches, and height 8.8 inches (39.1 cm x 17.5 cm x 22.4 cm).
The SD160 has distinctive blue colour panels that stand out from other similar models in the market. The LCD screen also gives it a more modern look and feel.
To see printer specification in more detail, please click here.
Our overall verdict of the Datacard SD160 is three stars out of five.
It is good for printing a smaller amount of cards, but for an extra fifty pounds, we recommend the Magicard Enduro3E as itis known for being the UK's most reliable ID card printer and offers a three-year ultra-cover manufacturer's warranty.
Sarah Qurashi
Expert in everything ID
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We're available 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Call
0800 988 2095 or email
sales@digitalid.co.uk
We're available 9am to 5pm on
weekdays. Call
0800 988 2095 or email
sales@digitalid.co.uk
We're available 9am
to 5pm on weekdays.
Call
0800 988 2095 or
email
sales@digitalid.co.uk