Upcoming Trade Shows:
| Aug. 25-26 | Australian Promotional Expo | Stand 271 & 272* |
| Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Australia * DCS's Australian distributor, HMH Australia, will be showing off our line at their booth. |
||
| Sept. 20-22 | Visual Impact Sydney | * |
| Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Australia * DCS's Australian distributor, HMH Australia, will be showing off our line at their booth. |
||
| Oct. 13-15 | 2010 SGIA | Booth 3213 |
| Las Vegas Convention Center – Las Vegas, NV | ||
| Nov. 4-6 | NBM Show – Charlotte | Booth 523 |
| Charlotte, NC | ||
The Direct Color Printing Solution
The Direct Jet 1324 was featured in the August 2010 issue of CorelDRAW Help magazine. Download the article to see what Bill Weeks has to say about our direct to substrate printing solution.
PDF, 901kb
New DCS Millennium 700 Series Prints Full-Color
Name Badges & Access Cards in 25 Seconds
Dec. 2009 – DCS has introduced its Millennium 700 small format printer, which prints up to 30% faster than its predecessor. The Millennium 700 Series utilizes a proprietary digital imaging technology that ensures clear, sharp and professional-looking output. Its ability to automatically feed and print precut blanks in full color, at a printing speed of about 25 seconds per card, saves time and costs. Read more here.
New Pigment-Based Inks Provide Vibrant,
Fade-Resistant Colors
Oct. 2009 – Direct Color Systems™, a leading manufacturer of small-format, direct-to-substrate printers, recently introduced their Multisolve™ IR7 pigmented inks. These mild solvent-type inks provide vibrant, high-intensity colors, with consistent color density values. Because they are pigment-based, they are UV stable and resist fading in outdoor environments. Read more here.
DIRECT COLOR SYSTEMS:
The Millennium 590
by J. Stephen Spence
“The Millennium” by Direct Color Systems is not a new printer but it was new to
me. Although I had seen it at all the shows and knew basically how it worked,
etc., I had never gotten the opportunity to actually play with the printer until
this test drive. Needless to say, some of the observations I had made at the
shows were correct and some were not. One thing became abundantly clear from the
very beginning: there was a lot more to this machine than I had imagined.
This review will attempt to present the printer, its capabilities and its
limitations, in a way that will assist you in determining if this is the right
printer for your shop.
First, the printer is really two or three printers in one. It is capable of
printing two types of ribbons: sublimation and resin. Each has its own
applications, cost factors, advantages and disadvantages. It is also capable of
encoding data onto a magnetic stripe on the back of a card, allowing it to be
read by magnetic readers much like the machine that reads the stripe on the back
of a credit card. This can be used for security and a host of other
applications.
Some readers read barcode information using infrared and optical technology
rather than magnetic. The Millennium is capable of printing this information as
well using what is called a resin ribbon. This makes the printer ideal for
printing all kinds of ID cards, secure entry cards, and a host of other
applications requiring some degree of security or the electronic transfer of
information via a card or name badge.
Think about how many applications you use every day with an encoded card. If you
attend a tradeshow, it is likely your ID card is used to swipe your personal
data at each booth you visit. What about the library card in your pocket? Is it
used when you check out a book? I have a Wild Card that records my every visit
to the local grocery store to obtain special prices, etc. Membership cards of
all kinds such as AAA, Frequent Flyer cards, car rental cards and many more all
use one of these technologies.
As time passes and sublimation continues to mature, we are sure to see a variety
of highly specialized printers being made for specific applications. This might
be for the purposes of specific applications such as encoded data or to increase
production time. The shop of the future may have two, three or more different
printers being used for various jobs where high output is required (production
speeds) or where operators are minimally trained and simplicity is the key. In
that sense, this printer is far ahead of its time and is fairly simple to
operate, even by a novice.
Once the job has been designed and saved, almost anyone can open a job and
produce a product that is of high quality and consistent with previous runs of
the same job. Graphically skilled operators are not required for the day-to-day
operation, and a number of shops do run multiple machines in this way, printing
as many as 10,000 badges per day. Behind the scenes of such operations, however,
is someone who does generate color-accurate layouts, tests the output and does
trouble shooting on production machines when things go wrong.
HOW THE TEST WAS CONDUCTED First, a 590 printer was shipped direct to me
from stock along with a supply of ribbons and pre-cut blanks.
Second, a factory representative visited my shop to offer a day of training much
like what would be offered to any new customer. She answered questions,
performed demonstrations, and did an excellent job of software training in the
course of about eight hours. This training, included in the cost of the system,
is clearly a value of $1,000 or more, and is an intricate part of one’s success
using this machine.
Third, the printer and adequate supplies were left for me to test on my own for
as long as I needed. Magazine deadlines limited this to about a week.
This may not have made the test as extensive as some I have conducted, but in
all fairness, I think most of the points of interest were easily established
very early into the testing period.
HOW IT WORKS (SUBLIMATION MODE) This printer is fully capable of printing
true sublimation badges and other products up to 3.7” in length and 2.5” in
width but the maximum printable area is slightly smaller and restricted as to
its position on the badge (3.3” x 2.1”). It is done differently than any other
sublimation system I know. Rather than printing a transfer and then using a heat
press, this little printer does everything internally by using a thermal print
head to supply the necessary heat and pressure and a special ribbon containing
the necessary sublimation dyes.
Those who are familiar with the old Seiko 4101 sublimation printer will
recognize that some of the technology used in that old standard has been
borrowed for this printer. In the original Seiko printer, full color was
achieved by running three separate panels of sublimation embedded dye under a
thermal print head. Each color was applied separately, making a full-color
image. Black was always a problem with this system since it was obtained by
piling 100 percent of each color on top of each other hoping to achieve an image
so dense it appeared black.
More often than not, it came out a dirty brown rather than black. That issue is
confronted in the Millennium by adding a panel of black to the three-color mix.
This gives the user the option of overprinting an extra layer of black when
needed. Honestly, I found it was usually not necessary except when printing on
gold or silver metal where I found it did make some difference.
To go one further, after laying down the three or four necessary colors on the
substrate, it then lays down a clear overcoat covering the entire printed area.
This is not intended to reduce scratching since sublimation printing is always
sub-surface anyway and therefore will not scratch under normal applications, but
rather is intended to help protect the sublimated dyes from UV light which is
about the only enemy of a sublimated product. Time did not allow for any actual
testing of the coating.
My experience with sublimated products intended and used in interior
applications is that all the talk about UV is more of interest to the purists
than customers. Products produced with this system are not intended to be used
in exterior applications in the first place, but just to add to the quality of
the product, the clear overcoat is there and should generally be used. The
overcoat is visible to the naked eye but is not the least bit obtrusive. I can’t
imagine anyone objecting to its presence, but if they do, the overcoat can be
omitted from the job.
The way the printer handles the product is incredibly precise. After picking up
the badge or other product from the hopper, it is positioned under the print
head. The print head is then lowered into position, and the badge, along with
the first panel of the sublimation ribbon, is passed under the rigid print head.
Once through, the print head retracts, allowing the badge to be moved back to
its starting point. The same process repeats itself for the second color, then
the third, fourth and fifth, if all options are selected.
The first pass lays down the yellow portion of the image, the second lays down
the magenta, while the third lays down cyan. Using these three panels and a
white substrate, millions of high-resolution colors can be generated. If
selected, the fourth pass will overprint black, and the fifth pass will lay down
the overcoat. It is always amazing to see how precisely the printer moves the
card back and forth so many times, yet my testing produced a failure rate due to
misalignment that was negligible. Even then, most of the failures were from my
monkeying around with the machine or sending a job with the wrong settings.
One point about using the additional black panel that should be understood: It
would be easy to always select the extra black panel to deepen the black image
in a job. Unfortunately, reality isn’t that simple. When used with text or
simple clipart, this feature always worked well but when a bitmap was included
in the mix, the black panel couldn’t isolate out the bitmap, so it looked for
anything that looked like it should be black and overprinted it.
The inability to discern true black from almost true black left some bitmap
images looking very strange. To avoid this, run a test both with and without the
additional black panel and compare. There will be times when the output actually
looks better by sacrificing some intensity in the black to achieve a truer color
across the board.
One final word about black. Black is often a problem child when working with
sublimation. Depending on the system being used, it can be too thin or too
dense, or it can tend to vary off toward green or magenta. From day one, good
sublimation has always been judged using black as one of the most critical
elements. When comparing the output of the Millennium’s black to that created
with and without the black panel, there was a visible difference.
The difference, however, was obvious only when two samples were compared side by
side. When separated or mixed into a pile of samples and viewed one at a time,
even the black created using the normal print sequence was quite acceptable. It
was weaker when used on substrates other than white and was weakest when used on
gold metal, but even then, 98 percent of my customers would have found it quite
acceptable.
HOW IT WORKS (RESIN RIBBON MODE) There was a significant difference in
the output of the resin mode and the sublimation mode. These are two very
different methods of printing, and how the printer handles them is important to
anyone considering the machine.
Resin ribbons are, in my opinion, used to achieve at least two things:
The ability to print metallics. True metallic gold and silver can be printed
using the Millennium. Metallic colors do add a great deal to a finished job, and
many customers want a metallic on their badges.
The ability to print badges that are only one or two colors without bearing the
higher cost that full-color sublimation demands. The downside of this is that
badges must be run through the printer once for each color being printed. The
plus side is that when printing a two-color badge, the 1,000 yield ribbons will
reduce the cost considerably over a sublimated badge.
The printer works basically the same way with resin ribbons as with a
sublimation ribbon. The difference is in the ribbon. Because the resin ribbons
are continuous color for the entire length, the printer is no longer limited to
3.3” length. Now, the length can be extended to 10” x 2.6” making it a candidate
for printed multi-color wall signs, directory strips, etc (actual printable area
is slightly smaller). Products 3.8” or longer must be hand-fed one at a time
into the machine but they can be printed. Registration issues can be
considerable when very tight or hairline registration is required but the
average wall sign with a logo and some text can be done quite easily.
Smaller products, however, such as name badges, ID cards and the like, should be
loaded in the hopper (100 pieces per load) making the machine capable of
printing a single-color badge every few seconds. Allowing for set-ups and
mid-run maintenance of the printer, the printer should allow the printing of
about 350 badges per hour or about 3,000 per day with a single machine.
Sublimated badges are slower, depending on how many passes are actually
required, but still the potential is close to 1,000 badges per day if everything
goes smoothly. Beyond its ability to print a nice-looking badge, the jewel in
the Millennium’s crown is its ability to produce a lot of very consistent
products in a very short period of time.
Unlike the sublimation-printed images, resin images do not require any special
over coating for UV protection, since they are, for the sake of explanation, a
thin layer of plastic adhered to the surface of the substrate. This makes this
type of printing reminiscent of what a hot stamping machine would produce but
with markedly more quality and the ability to change text, logos and images
(even photographs), on the fly—something hot stamping has not successfully
accomplished. Also, unlike traditional hot stamping, there is no visible
indentation where the image is placed, and the image is much more resistant to
scratching than hot stamping.
MIXING SUBLIMATION AND RESIN TECHNOLOGIES Since this printer is capable
of printing both resin metallic images and full-color sublimation on the same
name badge, this makes the printer unique to the sublimation industry. This is
accomplished by running the badge through the printer two or three times,
changing ribbons with each pass. How many times the badge must be run depends on
how the badge is designed. The determining factor lies in the fact that the
overcoat must be run and must be run last.
These jobs should be set up so the foil does not actually print on top of the
sublimated image (the images are separated by some tiny amount of white space).
This means the foil can be printed first followed by sublimation and the
overcoat. If the foil image must actually cover the sublimated image, the foil
will have to follow the sublimation and then be followed by the overcoat. This
doubles the use of sublimation ribbon so it is best to spend some additional
time learning how to create a mask and design the badge in a way that avoids
this extra step (and cost).
FULL BLEED BACKGROUNDS Knowing the limitations of your equipment and the
process you are using is always the key to successful application of the process
and knowing how to make money with the machine. This is often the problem with
sublimation of all types. Sublimation does have its limitations, and when the
user attempts to move beyond those limitations, the result is usually
frustration and disappointment. This is certainly the case when attempting to do
full-bleed backgrounds with the Millennium.
Special blanks are made by DCS to help make full-bleed badges easy to make, and
the blanks work very well. Pre-scored within a piece of plastic larger than the
actual badge, it is easy to design the badge in a way to accomplish a
nice-looking, full-bleed badge. The reason a special pop-out badge is necessary
is because when the printer begins to print a badge or sign, the print head
actually lowers itself onto the leading edge of the badge and begins its pass.
This means there is always a small strip (about .010” on the commonly used ID
type cards. Even the manufacturer does not recommend selecting the full-bleed
option for these standard type cards. However, it should also be noted that some
users do this routinely. The pop-out badge(s) provide space for the print head
to come down in an area that will not show on the final product.
The second point of knowledge lies in the common desire to print a solid color
background (red, blue, black, etc.). Because of the simple physics of the
process, large solid areas are normally not a good idea. To avoid this, just
select a background that, although solid, has some kind of texture to it. With
that tiny bit of knowledge, backgrounds are easy—and beautiful!
WHAT WILL IT PRINT ON? There are basically three materials this printer
likes to print on. All three are available through Direct Color Systems in
precut sizes, and one is available over the counter in sheets you can cut
yourself.
The first is a PVC card material available in a variety of thicknesses and
sizes. This material prints very well and can be used for credit-card-like
applications, name badges, small signs, etc. The thicker the material, the less
flexible it is, making the thicker sizes excellent for name badges, while the
thinner sizes work well for wallet cards or ID cards. All can be encoded with
magnetic strips (provided your version of The Millennium is capable of encoding
the stripe). This material is very white and shows off the Millennium’s ability
to print sharp, vivid color.
The second material is produced by Rowmark specifically for this type of printer
and is identified as print receptive. Available in a variety of colors, this
1/16” thick material is a laminate that makes it possible to print on the
surface color and then engrave into the core color. This material is available
from DCS in pre-cut sizes as well as sheet stock. A word of warning here is
important: Because of the design of the printer, it is extremely important that
material always be cut burr-down.
Any amount of rough edge can result in a torn ribbon, a five-minute repair to
the ribbon and the possibility (although slight) of a damaged print head. Care
when cutting your own material is crucial, and frankly, I would not recommend it
if it could be avoided. In any case, should you desire to cut your own blanks,
they must be kept clean and must be sheared with a sharp plastic shear. Saws are
not recommended. Any savings that might be realized by cutting one’s own blanks
could be quickly offset by time lost repairing the ribbon if home-cut blanks are
not done properly.
The third material is a specially coated metal. Available in both gold and
silver aluminum and real brass, these meet the needs of most name badge
manufacturers who offer metal badges. These blanks are cut with rounded corners,
and because they are die-cut, they afford little chance of snagging a ribbon.
Metals other than those offered by DCS were tested, and although some worked,
none performed as well as the PVC coating used by DCS.
SOFTWARE & PLATFORM For all intent and purposes, the printer can be used
with any current operating system used with either PC or MAC computers. Windows
95/98/2000/ME/XP and most MAC platforms are acceptable. Testing was done using
Windows 98.
Printers can be driven using standard Centronics parallel connections or USB.
Testing was done using the Centronics parallel connection (Macintosh computers
use a serial connector).
Along with the ColorByte™ software comes a dongle or software key that must be
connected on a parallel port somewhere on the computer. It does not have to go
inline with the cable actually connecting the printer to the computer but must
be attached. In testing, the dongle was moved to a variety of locations and did
not present any problems regardless of where it was located unless it was
connected inline with another dongle. Users who have multiple dongles will want
to make sure this dongle is on a port by itself to avoid potential problems.
There is also a dongle that fits USB sockets.
The printer will print out of any graphics program but the majority of users
will probably want to try either CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. Our test was
performed with CorelDraw 9 (and 10) and the graphics program that comes with the
printer, ColorByte™ 5.0.
Considerable comment should be made about the ColorByte™ software that comes
with this printer. Those who are familiar with SignLab™ software will find it
very similar, since it was written by the same people. A major advantage of this
software is that it allows interfaces to be added to drive mechanical engravers,
vinyl cutters and lasers, so all engraving/printing can be done with the same
software. This eliminates the need to learn several different programs—one for
the mechanical engraver, Corel for the laser, etc.
It also includes a mail-merge-type feature that automatically inserts a name,
title or any other text into a given space. Although Corel 10 does offer this
feature, the results are unpredictable at best. With ColorByte™ 5.0, the space
is specified, and the text is fitted into the space. Long names are
automatically condensed to fit the space.
ColorByte™ is very similar to CorelDraw but has made a conscious effort to
eliminate as many of the fancy commands as possible. This is a meat-and-potatoes
graphics program that has just enough frills to allow the users to do almost
everything a CorelDraw/PhotoPaintŪ user can do, but do it faster, simpler and
with fewer crashes. We did find some bugs in the version we used and did
experience a few crashes but all in all, it performed very well—at least as well
as Corel 9 and better than Corel 10.
The ability to edit both graphics and bitmap images within the same program
without jumping back and forth was a convenience. Over all, the program handled
both bitmaps and vector graphics very well, allowing a good variety of editing
capabilities. Future versions of the program will hopefully offer even better
bitmap-editing capability.
One thing I found confusing about the print driver was its inconsistency to use
the same system of measurement as most software. In some places, such as sizing
the product to be printed, sizing was done in 100ths of an inch (a 3” badge was
entered as 300) while when sizing text, it was done as a decimal (a 1/4” letter
was entered as .25) and still in other places, measurements were made in inches.
It wasn’t a big deal, but I would have preferred they pick one and stick to it.
Interestingly, some other printers are beginning to use this approach as well.
Although there must be some logic to this, I still don’t like it. Secondly, I
didn’t like the fact that when entering text for the first time, it
automatically comes in to the graphic at 1”. This defaults to the last size text
used; it seemed a bit strange. The same was true with the grid, which when first
used is automatically set to 1”.
Still, even with these minor nuisances, the software and driver did perform very
well. For someone who does not know Corel or AI, this is a fairly easy package
to learn, and if all the output devices use the same package, it means only one
program has to be learned. For hardened Corel or AI users, the printer can be
driven using these programs as well. Testing proved the output and end results
to be equal between Corel and ColorByte™. Since both are filtered through a
proprietary print driver that actually talks to the printer, I found nothing
sacrificed in order for the user to work with their favorite graphics program(s).
The print driver that comes with the system is clear and straightforward. It
allows a wide variety of adjustments to be made as each job is sent to the
printer. A bit overwhelming at first, all the adjustments really aren’t as
complicated as they first appear, and with a couple of hours with a qualified
trainer, they should present no problem. Since the settings are saved with the
job file when using ColorByte™, each time a job is pulled up, the settings are
automatically made so repetitive jobs should be very consistent. The days of
having to write everything down and file it with the customer’s hardcopy files
are gone. Just call up the job and send it to the printer.
ADJUSTMENTS, ATTACHMENTS & MAINTENANCE Most adjustments are actually done
through the software but there are some exceptions. It is important to
understand these and to set them properly.
INSTALLING RIBBONS Ribbons come on two hubs, which fit into the printer
in only one way. This makes it impossible to load a ribbon incorrectly, and
although there might be times when an extra hand would be helpful, a few
changeovers should make this task almost second nature.
Ribbons should be stored in a cool, dry place that is abundantly clean since
dust and dirt is the number one enemy of this system (more about that later).
INSTALLING ATTACHMENTS There are several attachments that come with the
system. These are designed to change the size (width) of the feed hopper and the
print path. Remember, the print head is rigid and will not move, except for up
and down. The path through which the substrate must travel to get to the print
head is preset for 2 1/4” to 2 1/2“. When substrates 2” or less are sent into
the printer, attachments or shims must be added to the hopper and print path to
keep the substrate moving down the straight and narrow. These attachments
consist of small carefully formed metal pieces that fit neatly into the hopper
and print path of the machine.
I found them a bit clumsy to install at first but after a few trials (and
errors), found it much easier. Because of my large fingers, I found the use of
some needle-nose pliers to be of great assistance, allowing me to quickly and
easily make the two necessary changes when switching to a narrower substrate.
The entire process, after some practice, took less than a minute.
MAINTENANCE Beyond the obvious items such as keeping the machine clean
and protected from abuse, the general maintenance for this printer is really
limited to one thing. Inside the printer is a cleaner roller. This very soft,
tacky 2 3/4” wide roller is designed to help remove any dust, lint and grime
from each substrate as it passes through the printer. Hair, lint and dust that
could effect print quality are picked up by this roller and collected until it
is cleaned by the user. The roller removes easily and can be cleaned by holding
it under running water (a daily cleaning serves to both clean and condition the
roller) and by using masking tape to dab the collection of dust and debris from
the roller.
The instruction manual says to perform this function every 50 imprints.
Inexpensive to replace, it seems this would be a good part to keep on hand. In
high production applications, rather than stopping the operation to clean the
roller, just switch out the roller with a clean one every time the hopper is
replenished (50-100 badges depending on thickness). While one hopper worth of
badges is being printed, the second cleaning roller would be thoroughly cleaned
and made ready for the next switchover. With the next change-out, the rollers
would again be swapped out and the process repeated until the job was done.
Reportedly, these rollers can last for several years when properly cared for.
THE PRINTER DEMANDS A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT Perhaps the thing that was most
impressed on me while testing this printer was the necessity to keep the printer
and all substrates absolutely clean. Unlike sublimation systems that work at 350
degrees or more, the sublimation temperature of the print head in this system
(about 250 degrees) will not overcome oily fingerprints, dust, dirt or lint.
Even with the cleaner roller working properly, any lint (like that from a
sweater) or dust that gets past the cleaner roller will definitely have an
effect on the outcome of the product.
When testing the device the first time, I wore a black sweater vest. Although
one could not see the fibers in the air, fibers from that vest managed to find
their way onto badges instantly as they were taken from the sealed packages.
Some were picked up by the cleaning roller but some were not. The stray fibers
were actually embedded into the badge and over coated to become a permanent part
of the finished product—a definite lesson about having a clean work environment
with this machine.
Carelessness here will result in lost badges, costly remakes and needless
frustration. Badges and other substrates arrive from DCS in plastic wrapped
packs to keep them clean. Once opened, however, it is easy to leave them lying
around where they can collect dust that, unless cleaned off properly, will cause
problems.
WARRANTY AND SUCH The warranty that comes with each machine is one year,
with an additional year available at extra cost. The way they perform service is
first by phone. DCS does not offer on-site service. When a problem arises, DCS
will work with you to solve the problem, shipping parts via overnight. A new
machine (within 90 days) that cannot be repaired using this method will be
replaced. After the 90-day period, the machine should be returned to the factory
for service. Our machine worked perfectly right out of the box, and no problems
presented themselves during the test period.
From all appearances, most actual mechanical repairs should be made by factory
personnel and not field reps anyway. The tolerances are too precise for a shade
tree mechanic to mess with. By the same token, those things that would most
likely go askew are fairly simple to repair by the end user. Like so many
things, most problems encountered using this device will be more software
related than hardware related. Downloading a new version of the software,
correctly setting the print driver, etc. should solve most problems that might
occur.
GENERAL CONCLUSION I enjoyed working with the Millennium very much.
Although the resolution of the print head is only 300 dpi, it rivaled images
sublimated in other ways at much higher resolutions. Unlike traditional
sublimation that tends to spread out (migrate) when printed, the image produced
by this thermal print head is very crisp and sharp. Photographs were
outstanding—especially small ones.
The ability to print with metallic film is a really nice capability that many
customers will respond favorably to.
The printer is actually made by Fargo exclusively for DCS to their
specifications. It is well engineered. Although there might be a higher-tech way
than using attachments to change the size of the print path and hopper bin, the
system is simple and effective.
The greatest concern for many will be the cost. At $4,000 for the Model 560,
$5,000 for the 590 without long-plate capability and $6,500 for the 590 with
long-plate capability, it clearly is not for everyone. Careful consideration
must be given to how long it will take this machine to pay for itself. Even with
a cost of about $1 per badge or less, $4,000 to $6,000+ is a serious investment
and should not be an impulse purchase.
Shops that produce large numbers of badges or similar products, or shops where
production is very high or where products are needed quickly would be well
advised to check out this system. Shops that would like to add this system, but
do not have high production demands might consider developing a market to offset
the investment. One entrepreneur in California uses his machine to make the
full-color plastic inserts used in the handles of draft beer fountains.
Others have developed ad-specialty markets such as the fella that does 1,000 key
tags a month or the company that is doing 3,000 pocket calendars that must be
personalized. Small signs, ad-specialty products, key cards and much more can
turn the printer into a real moneymaker. One feature of this printer that is
especially enticing is its ability to produce samples very quickly and easily.
According to the manufacturer, the cost of the printer can easily be offset by
selling only two badges a day for $6.50 each. This will, reports Blair Allen of
DCS, provide adequate income to pay for a three-year lease. Selling four badges
per day will produce a net profit of nearly $3,500 per year.
Those fast-service sign shops and fast-print shops should find this device to
their liking as well. Because basic designs for ID and name badges can be easily
created to allow the insertion of text, photos, magnetic stripes and even
optical reader strips, a wide variety of products can be offered to corporate
customers who might otherwise never buy more than a one-time product. This
promotes business, expands capability and allows even marginally trained
personnel to produce high quality products on the fly.
To find out more about The Millennium 590 and other Direct Color System
products call (860) 829-2244.