
- Lamination option adds an extra layer of
security and durability to extend card life.
- Incomplete or improperly encoded
cards land in the Reject Card Hopper.
- SmartScreen™ LCD Control Panel displays helpful status messages and prompts.
Back To Printers

The Fargo DTC550 Direct-to-Card Printer/Encoder supports secure ID card issuance at multiple locations throughout the enterprise. With an Ethernet port and internal print server, your IT staff can install a DTC550 anywhere on a LAN. The optional Print Security software gives your security team tight control over ID card printer access and use.
The DTC550 provides greater flexibility when you’re planning widespread or high-volume card issuance for applications such as employee access cards, government and student IDs, customer loyalty and membership cards.
Print Security software protects access and issuance throughout the enterprise.
In a networked environment, it’s easy to think of the DTC550 as just another office printer. It’s not. Without proper security measures, a DTC550 could be used to produce fraudulent ID cards that are
indistinguishable from the real thing. That makes Fargo’s optional Print Security software a critical part of any DTC550 solution.
Whether you choose the LAN-based Print Security Manager,™ or
the stand-alone Print Security Suite,™ you’ll get applications that
provide essential protection for the DTC550 and your entire card
issuance system. Print Security software adds password- controlled access to the DTC550. It can notify key personnel by text message or e-mail whenever printing is attempted outside of authorized hours.
The Security Imaging application (optional with Print Security Manager) adds covert visual security features to ID cards, taking card security to a higher level while providing card authentication data about the print event. Print Security software also gathers printer diagnostic data for troubleshooting, and can send an online order for Fargo Secure
Materials to a Fargo SecureMark™ Integrator.
Easily integrates into your IT infrastructure.
The most attractive feature of the DTC550 for IT managers is that it plays well with everything else on your network. The DTC550 connects to your Windows®-based PC through its USB port. It can also be added to your network as easily as any workgroup printer. The optional Ethernet port and internal print server allow you to install and share
the DTC550 anywhere you need it. And its print driver provides bi-directional status information, so you can monitor and manage the DTC550 just as you would any other networked printer.
The DTC550 is fully compatible with most ID card issuance software. Plus, Fargo can provide a software development kit that will help you integrate the DTC550 into other applications such as security
systems and HR databases.
Flexible design protects your organization and technology investment.
Change is a constant in large organizations, and the Fargo DTC550 Direct-to-Card Printer/Encoder gives you tremendous flexibility whenever you need to reconfigure your ID card issuance system. The
DTC550 is one of the most versatile ID card printers available, handling a wide range of secure ID card applications; from on-demand photo IDs, to high-volume customer loyalty cards, to sophisticated access cards with embedded electronics. The
DTC550 produces high-quality ID cards using two different Direct-to-Card (DTC®) printing methods: dye-sublimation for vivid colors and accurate photographic images, and resin thermal transfer for sharp black text and bar codes that can be easily read by infrared or visible light scanners.
You can order the DTC550 with either a singlesided or dual-sided print engine. With a variety of options, the DTC550 can print, read/write and
laminate up to three different e-card technologies — plus magnetic stripe — all in a single pass. And that includes encoding smart cards and reading proximity cards. However your card issuance needs
change, the DTC550 can adapt, making both your organization, and your technology investment, more secure.
Protecting against counterfeiters and physical damage.
Want to protect ID badges from alteration, counterfeiting and everyday wear? Add the Card Lamination Option to the DTC550, either factory installed or as a field upgrade. Fargo Secure Overlaminates give your cards a higher level of security protection with Visual Security
Elements such as holograms and micro text. Overlaminates also add a layer of physical protection. They provide durability against swipe abrasion, prevent dye-migration (onto plastic card pouches, for example), and shield against imagefading UV light. If your application requires secure cards that resist forgery and tampering, or if your
cards are subject to extra physical wear, consider the DTC550 Card Lamination Option.
Print Method
Dye-Sublimation / Resin Thermal Transfer
Resolution
300 dpi (11.8 dots/mm)
Colors
Up to 16.7 million / 256 shades per pixel
Print Ribbon Options:
• Full-color with resin black and overlay panel, YMCKO*, 500 prints
• Full-color with two resin black panels and overlay panel, YMCKOK*, 400 prints
• Full-color with two resin black panels, no overlay panel, YMCKK*, 500 prints
• Resin black (3,000 prints); green, blue, red, white, silver and gold (1,000 prints)
• Resin black and overlay panel, KO*, 1,500 prints
Available only with print security packages
• Full-color with fluorescing, resin black and overlay panel, YMCFKO*, 400 prints
• Full-color with fluorescing, two resin black panels and overlay panel, YMCFKOK*, 350 prints
Overlaminate Options
• Thermal Transfer Overlaminate, .25 mil thick
• PolyGuard Overlaminate, 1.0 mil and .6 mil thick
• All overlaminates available in clear, standard holographic design or custom high secure or secure holographic design.
• PolyGuard available in a CR-80 patch size.
Print Speed
Batch Mode:
• 7 seconds per card / 514 cards per hour (K)*
• 12 seconds per card / 300 cards per hour (KO)*
• 27 seconds per card / 144 cards per hour (YMCKO)*
• 36 seconds per card / 109 cards per hour (YMCKOK)*
• 34 seconds per card / 102 cards per hour (YMCKK/lamination)*
Accepted Standard Card Sizes
CR-80 (3.370"L x 2.125"W / 85.6mmL x 54mmW)
CR-79 Adhesive Back (3.313"L x 2.063"W / 84.1mmL x 52.4mmW)
Print Area
CR-80 edge-to-edge (3.37"L x 2.11"W / 85.5mmL x 53.5mmW)
CR-79 (3.30"L x 2.05"W / 83.9mmL x 52.2mmW)
Accepted Card Thickness
Print only: .020" (20 mil) to .050" (50 mil) / .508mm to 1.27mm (single-sided printing only for 50 mil cards)
Print/Lamination: .030" (30 mil) to .040" (40 mil) / .762mm to 1.02mm
Accepted Card Types
PVC or polyester cards with polished PVC finish; monochrome resin required for 100% polyester cards;
optical memory cards with PVC finish
Input Hopper Card Capacity
Dual hoppers, 100 cards each (.030" / .762mm)
Output Hopper Card Capacity
100 cards (.030" / .762mm)
Memory
16MB RAM
Display
User-friendly, SmartScreen™ LCD Control Panel; LED display on optional Card Lamination Module
Software Drivers
Windows® 2000/XP/Server 2003
Encoding Options
• ISO Magnetic Stripe Encoding, triple coercivity, Lo-Co 300, Hi-Co 2750, Hi-Co 4000,Tracks 1, 2, and 3
• Contact Smart Card Docking Station
• Contactless Smart Card Encoder (HID® iCLASS™, MIFARE® and MIFARE DESFire)
• Contact Smart Card Encoder reads from and writes to all ISO7816-1/2/3/4 memory and microprocessor
smart cards (T = 0, T = 1) as well as synchronous cards
• Prox Card Encoder (HID read-only)
Interface
USB 1.1 (USB 2.0 compatible); optional 10BASE-T Ethernet with internal print server
Operating Temperature
65° to 80° F / 18° to 27° C
Humidity
20-80% non-condensing
Dimensions
DTC550: 10.75"H x 18.5"W x 11"D / 273mmH x 470mmW x 279mmD
DTC550 + Lam: 10.75"H x 30.5"W x 11"D / 273mmH x 775mmW x 279mmD
Lam Module: 10.25"H x 30"W x 11"D / 260mmH x 762mmW x 279mmD
Weight
DTC550: 20 lbs. / 9.1 kg
DTC550 + Lam: 39 lbs. / 17.7 kg
Lam Module: 19 lbs. / 8.6 kg
Agency Listings:
Safety: UL 60950-1, CSA C22.2 (60950-1) and CE
EMC: FCC Class A, CRC c1374, CE (EN 55022 Class A, EN 55024, ENG 1000-3-2, ENG 1000-3-3)
Supply Voltage:
100-240 VAC, 3.3A
Supply Frequency:
50 Hz / 60 Hz
Warranty:
Printer: One year (including On-Call Express in the U.S.); optional Extended Warranty Program (U.S. only)
Printhead: One year, unlimited pass with UltraCard™ Cards
Fargo Secure Materials:
Fargo Card Printer/Encoders require highly specialized media to function properly. To maximize printed card
quality and durability, printhead life and printer/encoder reliability, use only Fargo Secure Materials. Fargo warranties
are void, where not prohibited by law, when non-Fargo Secure Materials are used.
Options:
• Card Lamination Module • Card Hopper Lock
• Printer Cleaning Kit • Ethernet with internal print server
• Print Security Suite • Dual-sided Printing
• Print Security Manager
