Have you ever wondered what all the acronyms in the ID card industry mean? "ID" is easy to figure out; it's short for "identification." But what about RFID? Or PVC? Do you know what CR80 or HID cards are? And how about those crazy printer ribbon abbreviations, like YMCKO?

Let's talk about printer ribbons and what all the abbreviations mean.

How to read printer ribbon options

Perhaps the most commonly used ribbon is a YMCKO. Each letter corresponds to a certain color. Combining these basic colors can create thousands of colors, or just about anything under the rainbow. Here's what each letter stands for:

• Y is for yellow. This is the most straightforward letter. The others take a bit more understanding.
• M is for magenta. This is a pinkish color somewhere between red and purple.
• C is for cyan. This is a mixture of blue and green. When you combine yellow, magenta, and cyan, you get black.
• K is for black. This is a simple black resin that's easier and less expensive than mixing the other colors. You use K to create black text, barcodes, and other black print.
• O is an overlay. This is a clear, thin panel that prints as a coating for your ID cards. It's not as thick or strong as lamination but still offers some protection.
• I is for an inhibitor panel. This means a particular portion of your ID cards will not be printed on, like where you have a magnetic stripe or a signature panel.

Another option you can choose is an "F" panel that prints in fluorescent color for specialized printing. You would use the fluorescent panel on high security cards where printed fluorescent images can only be seen under a UV light.

Different ribbon types

Now when you shop for printer ribbons, these ribbon types should make more sense:

• YMC. These three basic colors combine to make every color imaginable. If you're printing full-color photographs on a single side of your ID cards with no black text or other black elements, you would choose this ribbon.
• YMCK. This is every color plus a black resin. This would be for ID cards with a full-color photo and the cardholder's name in black print on a single side.
• YMCKO. This is everything a YMCK ribbon is with an additional thin overlay on top for protection.
• YMCKOK. What does this second black K do? This combination is your three full colors with a black resin on the front, an overlay, and black printing on the second side (or back) of the ID card. An example would be a full-color photograph with the cardholder's name and title on the front, a protective overlay, and a barcode (black) and maybe some black text on the back.
• YMCKK. This is identical to the YMCKOK but without the overlay portion.
• YMCKIK. This is your three basic colors plus black on the front and an inhibitor panel on the back along with some black text or other elements.

Final thoughts

At Idesco, we make it easy to find the right ribbon for your printer’s make and model and all your ID card needs. Simply navigate to our Card Printer Supplies section, choose your printer manufacturer, and then select either color ribbons or monochrome. From there, it's easy to find the exact printer ribbon you need.

To make it even easier, call an ID card expert at 212-889-2530 and tell us about the ID cards you're printing. We'll find the exact ribbon to fit your printer make and model and to match your card needs.