Smart 51S – Direct Dye-Sublimation Single/Dual-Sided ID Card Printer

Description

Smart 51S – Direct Dye-Sublimation Single/Dual-Sided ID Card Printer

Professional Grade | Edge-to-Edge Precision | Fast & Flexible Card Printing

The Smart 51S is a high-performance ID card printer designed to deliver crisp, edge-to-edge, photo-quality identification cards with maximum reliability and minimal maintenance. Supporting both single-sided and dual-sided printing (with an optional module), the Smart 51S is ideal for small to large organizations looking to produce professional ID cards, employee badges, access control credentials, membership cards, and more—quickly, securely, and with top-tier visual clarity.

Built using direct dye-sublimation printing technology, the Smart 51S offers high-resolution output, full edge-to-edge printing, and fast operation—all while accommodating a variety of card types, sizes, and thicknesses. Whether printing student IDs or secure facility access credentials, the Smart 51S is a versatile and scalable solution ready to meet the most demanding identification needs.

Print Quality That Speaks for Itself

At the heart of the Smart 51S lies direct dye-sublimation technology, which uses heat to transfer dye directly onto the card surface. The result is vibrant, detailed color images and razor-sharp text, suitable for both photo IDs and graphic-rich cards.

Key resolution features:

• 300 dpi (standard for both color and mono printing)

• 600 dpi (high-resolution monochrome printing)

• 1200 dpi (ultra-fine monochrome printing)

Whether you’re printing logos, barcodes, text, or photo IDs, the Smart 51S produces a smooth, high-definition finish, making it ideal for professional environments where presentation and security are paramount.

Flexible Printing Options – Single or Dual-Sided

The Smart 51S offers single-sided printing by default, with the option to upgrade to dual-sided printing via a factory-installed module or an add-on. Dual-sided printing allows organizations to add barcodes, contact details, expiration dates, or additional security graphics to the back of the card without requiring manual refeeding.

This flexibility makes it ideal for:

• Corporate ID badges

• School and university student cards

• Loyalty and membership cards

• Access control credentials

• Visitor badges

Edge-to-edge printing ensures that there are no white margins, giving the cards a polished, professional look.

Edge-to-Edge Card Printing

Unlike many low-cost printers that leave unprinted borders, the Smart 51S prints from edge to edge (borderless) on standard CR80 and CR79 cards. This capability is essential for institutions and brands that prioritize presentation and want full-color backgrounds, full-bleed designs, or graphic overlays across the entire surface of the card.

Fast, Efficient Operation for High-Volume Environments

The Smart 51S is designed for speed and reliability. It features:

• Automatic card feeding for seamless high-volume printing

• Rapid throughput for color and monochrome jobs

• Quiet operation, suitable for office environments

• Minimal maintenance, with quick-change ribbon cartridges

Whether you’re printing dozens or hundreds of cards per day, the Smart 51S handles the workload with efficiency and consistency.

Card Size & Material Versatility

Compatible with multiple card types and sizes, the Smart 51S supports:

• Standard Card Sizes:

  • CR80 (85.6mm x 54mm) – the most commonly used card size globally

  • CR79 (83.9mm x 51mm) – typically used in adhesive-back cards for proximity access cards (factory-installed option required)

• Card Thickness Range:

  • 0.38mm (15 mil) to 1.0mm (40 mil)

• Supported Card Materials:

  • PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – ideal for photo-quality ID printing

  • PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – high-durability, laminated cards

  • Composite PVC – a blend that adds strength and longevity

This broad compatibility ensures the Smart 51S adapts to your unique card program, whether for temporary visitor cards or permanent access credentials.

Security, Durability & Reliability

The Smart 51S is designed with high-volume, secure environments in mind. Optional encoding modules (e.g., magnetic stripe, contactless smart card, or RFID) are available to enhance the printer’s capabilities.

Security enhancements include:

• Monochrome text & barcode printing at up to 1200 dpi for microtext and fine-line printing

• SmartShield™ UV printing (optional) for adding invisible security features

• User access control and printer locking for restricted use

• SmartMark™ watermarking for anti-counterfeit labeling

These features make the Smart 51S suitable for government agencies, universities, financial institutions, and other organizations requiring layered card security.

User-Friendly Design and Maintenance

The Smart 51S has been engineered with the end user in mind. From its compact footprint to its intuitive controls, it is designed to be plug-and-play and easily serviceable.

• Compact desktop design – fits neatly in small office environments

• Simple ribbon replacement – drop-in cartridges with color-coded guidance

• Front-facing LCD status display – for operational clarity

• Automatic card feeder and stacker – reduces the need for user interaction

• Easy firmware updates and driver installation

These elements help streamline the printing process, minimize user error, and reduce total cost of ownership.

Software Compatibility & Integration

The Smart 51S supports various industry-standard software platforms, ensuring flexible deployment in a range of IT environments.

Supported Software & Features:

• Smart ID™ – bundled with the printer for basic design and database functionality

• Label Artist™ & BarTender UltraLite – for advanced design, barcode generation, and template creation

• Euro Plus (NiceLabel) – for enterprise-level ID card design and database integration

• TWAIN & SDK Support – enables custom software development and third-party integration

• Windows driver compatibility – including Windows 10, 11, and earlier versions

This ensures the Smart 51S integrates seamlessly into existing identity management or security systems.

Ideal Applications

Corporate & Government ID

• Employee identification

• Visitor badges

• Access control cards

Education

• Student IDs

• Library and cafeteria cards

• Campus access credentials

Retail & Loyalty

• Membership cards

• VIP passes

• Gift cards

Healthcare

• Patient ID badges

• Staff access cards

• Emergency info cards

Event Management

• Conference passes

• Trade show credentials

• Festival and concert badges

The Smart 51S is adaptable to any environment where professional ID issuance is essential.

Key Specifications (Summary)

• Model: Smart 51S

• Print Method: Direct Dye-Sublimation

• Print Mode: Single-sided (standard), dual-sided optional

• Print Area: Edge-to-edge (full card surface)

• Resolution:

  • 300 dpi (Color & Mono)

  • 600 dpi and 1200 dpi (Mono only)

• Card Feeding: Automatic

• Card Sizes Supported:

  • ISO CR80 (85.6 x 54 mm)

  • ISO CR79 (optional, factory-installed)

• Card Thickness: 0.38mm (15 mil) to 1.0mm (40 mil)

• Card Materials: PVC, PET, Composite PVC

• Connectivity: USB (standard), other options available

• Software Support: Smart ID™, Label Artist™, BarTender UltraLite, Euro Plus

• Security Features: Optional SmartMark™, SmartShield™, encoding modules

Conclusion

The Smart 51S is an advanced, reliable, and professional-grade ID card printer perfect for organizations that need to produce high-quality identification cards efficiently. With its vibrant edge-to-edge printing, versatile media compatibility, and expandable features, the Smart 51S combines power and ease of use into a compact, flexible desktop solution.

Whether you need to print 50 cards a day or 500, the Smart 51S offers the speed, quality, and reliability that your operation demands—backed by industry-leading performance and scalable to fit your growing needs.

for local purchase in Kenya visit a retailers such as Radox Technology Limited