One consideration that many don't think about is how long your ID card printer supplies last. Because just like a lot of other products, ID card printer supplies expire on a certain date. They don't last forever on your shelves.
Knowing these expiration dates in advance can save you the hassle and headaches involved in trying to use expired supplies that produce less-than-desirable results. A good system also helps you avoid keeping too much in inventory that expires before you can use it.
This post will help you find the balance between having plenty of supplies on hand while not so many that they expire before you can use them.
Determining what's important
Your ID card program needs to work like a well-oiled machine. You should never wait on consumables and supplies to be delivered. Nor should you find your consumables and other supplies outdated and operating at less than peak performance.
First and foremost, you must track how long each consumable lasts, its shelf life, and when you first purchased it. This helps you estimate when you should use each consumable for tracking purposes.
For example, most printer ribbons last a year or less. But regular cleaning helps your ribbons last longer. Your best bet is to track how often you clean your ID card printer with the manufacturer's cleaning kit and then estimate how long you have on each ribbon.
Just to make things more complex, your cleaning kits' longevity varies by manufacturer. For the most part, use a cleaning kit before the end of a year after purchase. However, some kits have been sitting for a few months before you purchase, so it's best to use before the manufacturer's sell-by date or expiration date.
Avoid using "old" or "out of date" supplies
Aging printer ribbons are more likely to break or tear during the printing process. Even if you keep your ID card printer clean and ready to go, ribbons can break down over time.
Also, make sure your ID card printer cleaning kits are within the "use by" date. The alcohol swabs used to clean printers can dry up over time, resulting in less than stellar results.
Don't trust your ID card printer to any supplies that are near to or out-of-date.
Storage is key
You can't store your ID card printer supplies anywhere and expect them to last. For example, sunlight can cause printer supplies to age quickly, as can office or facility environments with high temperatures or moisture.
Make sure you store your supplies in their original packaging (designed for safeguarding). You also want to avoid sunlight, high temperatures, and high humidity environments. If you have a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment, it will help your supplies last longer.
Also, handle your blank ID cards with care. While you want to avoid the above environmental hazards, you also want to avoid transferring dirt and oils from your hands. If you can't use gloves, make sure you only hold blank ID cards by their edges. This not only protects your ID card printer from contamination that can damage its printhead, but also guards against inconsistencies in printing quality.
Track your supplies
While storing your supplies in the best environment can help them stay viable, you should still track your supplies. Regardless of the supply, most experts recommend you keep them no longer than one year.
Set up reminders for when your supplies will most likely expire. Make sure to use them before their expiration date to get the best performance possible.
Part of tracking your supplies is determining when and how often to order them. Base your orders on how many cards you produce each month. Organizations that print thousands of ID cards a month obviously need to keep more supplies on hand than one that only prints a dozen.
Careful tracking and calculation means you should never have supplies expiring on your shelves unused.
Final thoughts
Handling and storing your ID card printer supplies can help them last longer. Make sure you only handle cards by the edges to avoid putting fingerprints on the card's surface. Also store your blank ID cards in the manufacturer's packaging away from dirt, dust, humidity, and high temperatures.
Store printer ribbons in a sealed container, preferably their manufacturer's packaging, in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. Printer ribbons naturally attract dust so the better you store them, the longer they'll last.
Most importantly, clean your ID card printer regularly. As a good rule of thumb, each time you change the ribbon, use the manufacturer's cleaning kit to keep your printer and its printhead safe from dirt, debris, and particles that cause damage.