Is the Smart 51 right for you?
The IDP Smart 51 is a direct-to-card printer, perfect for printing a simple card design onto blank plastic cards, not access control cards. The Smart 51 is for printing medium print volumes, so if you require a few hundred cards, the Smart 51 is ideal. If you need to print onto access control cards or have a more complex card design containing blocks of colours, you will need a retransfer printer.
FINE™ Imaging Technology for fine cards.
The Smart 51 uses IDP’s FINE™ Imaging Technology to give you fine cards every time. Easily print photo-like images, vibrant colours and crisp text and barcodes on all cards. The printer produces cards that are ready-to-issue and resistant to scratch and colour fading.
Easy to set up. Easy to use.
With the Smart 51, setup is simple. Start by unboxing and then follow the quick start guide to get going. The printer has a user-friendly design, providing game-changing low ribbon notifications, current print status and cleaning cycle prompts. After a few batch runs, you’ll be seen as the go-to printer person.
Reduce the risk of card cloning.
The Smart 51 redefines card security. Add a custom SmartMark watermark to cards, with a choice of text, pictures or company logos available. Or use secure UV printing to add an image to cards that’s only visible under UV light. Both elements combined massively lower the risk of printed cards being cloned. To find out more about the full range of security features available, check out the IDP Smart 51 Secure GDPR ID card printer.
No design? We’ll take care of that.
When you buy an IDP Smart 51 printer through Digital ID, you’ll receive EasyBadge Lite design software for free. It’s the best card design software on the market and even creates a sample design for you, making it ideal for professional-looking cards. Please be aware that the EasyBadge card design software included is only compatible with Microsoft Windows and is limited to 100 records.
Pick a card, any card.
The IDP Smart 51 prints to standard CR80 credit card sized cards and CR79 sized cards. Print on biodegradable PVC, PET, PVC ISO blank cards and paper-based cards. The only card we wouldn’t advise you use is an access control card as these cards contain a raised chip. Printing over this chip with a direct-to-card printer can cause a blemish to your print, leading to high re-issuance costs.
Print & issue in seconds.
Printing 10% faster than its predecessor, the IDP Smart 50, the Smart 51 can print a full-colour card in just 17 seconds. Or if it’s a single-colour card you need, the machine takes a speedy 5 seconds per card. Better yet, all printed cards are instantly dry, ready to issue, and scratch and colour fade resistant. The Smart 51 is ideal for schools, colleges and membership clubs printing a few hundred cards.
Compatibility
The Smart 51 is compatible for use with Microsoft Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS and Linux. Default connection is USB and ethernet connectivity is available as an upgrade.
Unrivalled support.
The IDP Smart printer brand is known for its reliability. IDP are so confident in this range, that they offer an unrivalled five-year manufacturer warranty on all IDP Smart ID card printers. That beats similar manufacturers by a minimum of 2 years. What's more, our dedicated in-house support team are on-hand to provide support when you need.
(Printheads are only covered for 3 years by the manufacturer’s warranty).
IDP Smart 51 – Common FAQs
Q: Can the Smart 51 print onto access control cards?
A: We don’t recommend printing onto access control cards with the Smart 51 as it is a direct-to-card printer. If you need to print onto access control cards, you will need a retransfer printer.
Q: Can the IDP Smart 51 print on both sides of the card?
A: The IDP Smart 51 ID card printer is available in both single and dual-sided models. If you require dual-sided printing, you will require a dual-sided printer.
Q: Are plastic cards and printer ribbons included?
A: Unfortunately not. All consumables are sold separately.
Q: How do I connect the IDP Smart 51 card printer to my computer?
A: You can easily connect the IDP Smart 51 to your computer with the USB cable provided. Ethernet connectivity is available as an upgrade.
Q: Can the Smart 51 handle complex designs and block colours?
A: As a direct-to-card printer, the IDP Smart 51 is suitable for those requiring a simple card design, so block colours isn’t a great option.
Q: Does the Smart 51 support over-the-edge printing?
A: Direct-to-card printers do not print right up to the sharp edge of a card, as doing so could damage the printhead. Therefore, a plain border is left around the sides of the card surface, to prolong the printer’s lifespan.
