Evolis Primacy 2 Dual-Sided ID Card Printer

Solution Overview Technical Specifications What You'll Need Expert Support Evolis Primacy 2 PM2-0025-A – Dual-Sided Expert ID Card Printer Here's why this works so well for most card printing needs Why We Recommend This One Prints both sides at once — no flipping cards or running them through twice Really fast: Up to 235 full-color cards per hour (280 with half-panel ribbon) Grows with you — add features later without buying a whole new printer Built-in security — protects sensitive data and prevents ribbon copying 3-year warranty — covers both the printer and printhead, which is unusual What You Get The PM2-0025-A printer with USB and network connections ID-ALL Starter design software — makes creating cards pretty straightforward Getting started supplies — cleaning kit and setup materials Evolis Premium Suite 2 — handles printer setup, settings, and maintenance notifications 3-year manufacturer warranty — covers printer and printhead (with Evolis High Trust® ribbons) The PM2-0025-A base model solves the most common card printing challenges while keeping your options open. Here's how. How It Fits Different Environments Corporate & Government: Includes security features like digital data erasure and optional Kineclipse ribbon masking to help protect sensitive information. Designed for energy efficiency with a compact footprint. Schools & Universities: Since it prints both sides automatically, you don't need separate workflows for students and staff. Plus, it can print rewritable visitor badges that you can erase and reuse multiple times. Healthcare: Built for reliability, and you can fix most issues yourself. Compact and quiet enough for office environments, with security features to help protect patient data throughout the printing process. Why the Modular Approach Makes Sense Here's what we've noticed: most organizations start just wanting to print cards, then realize they need encoding capabilities about 6-12 months later. The smart thing about the Primacy 2 is you can add those features later instead of paying for everything upfront. Here's how it usually works: 🎯 Start with PM2-0025-A base model 🔑 Add door access capabilities (around month 6) 🛡️ Add smart card security (months 12-18) 🔒 Add lamination for high-security needs Bonus: The ribbon saver feature extends your monochrome ribbon capacity by only using what's needed for each print. 🎯 Our Recommendation Unless you know you need encoding right away, start with the PM2-0025-A base model. This approach works well because you can spread out the purchase and only add features when you actually need them. Technical Specifications Specification Details Notes Model PM2-0025-A Primacy 2 Duplex Expert Dual-sided printing, USB & Ethernet, no encoders Print Technology Direct-to-card dye-sublimation (color) and resin thermal transfer (monochrome) Also supports rewritable card printing Print Resolution 300x300 dpi (standard), 300x600 dpi (enhanced), 300x1200 dpi (monochrome) Edge-to-edge printing, 16 million colors Print Speeds Up to 235 cards/hour (YMCKO color), 170 cards/hour (YMCKO-K dual-sided), 1000 cards/hour (monochrome) Up to 280 cards/hour with half-panel ribbon (1/2 YMCKO) Card Capacity 100-card input hopper, 100-card output hopper, 50-card reject tray Optional 200-card input hopper available as field upgrade Card Specifications CR80 (85.6 x 53.98mm / 3.370" x 2.125"), 10-50 mil thickness (0.25-1.25mm) PVC, composite PVC, PET (mono only), rewritable cards Connectivity USB (1.0/1.1/2.0/3.0) + Ethernet TCP-IP 10BaseT/100BaseT USB cable (1.80m) included; optional Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g available Printer Memory 32 MB RAM 64 MB RAM available as factory option Software Included ID-ALL Starter Edition + Evolis Premium Suite 2 ID-ALL: card design with internal database (50 records). Premium Suite 2: drivers, settings, notifications Operating Systems Windows, macOS, Linux Also supports printing from Android/iOS via Evolis Print Service app Security Features Digital Erasing, Kensington lock support, print head protection Optional: Kineclipse® ribbon masking, mechanical lock (factory install) Rewritable Printing Built-in thermal rewrite capability 365 cards/hour (erase + print), 560 cards/hour (print only, no erase) Ribbon Saver Automatic ribbon optimization for monochrome printing Uses only the ribbon length needed for each card Dimensions 247 x 205 x 382 mm (9.72" x 8.07" x 14.99") With reject tray: 247 x 205 x 487 mm (9.72" x 8.07" x 19.17") Weight 4.11 kg (9.06 lbs) With reject tray: 4.2 kg (9.26 lbs) Power Requirements 100-240V AC, 50-60 Hz, 1.5A Printer operates at 24V DC, 2.5A Operating Environment 15-30°C (59-86°F), 20-65% humidity (non-condensing) Storage: -5 to +70°C (23-158°F), 20-70% humidity Sound Level 48 dB(A) when operating (ISO 7779) Background noise level in sleep mode Warranty 3 years on printer, 3 years on printhead (unlimited passes) Requires use of Evolis High Trust® ribbons. Extended warranty available. Certifications CE, FCC, ICES, VCCI, KC, BIS, EAC, UKCA, RoHS Recyclable packaging and enclosure plastics Included in Box Printer, USB cable (1.80m), power supply, power cord, reject tray (50 cards) ID-ALL Starter Edition license, Quick Start Guide, starter cleaning kit 🔧 Future-Proof Design The Primacy 2 platform is built for expansion. The PM2-0025-A can be field-upgraded with magnetic stripe encoders, smart card encoders (contact and contactless), 200-card input hoppers, LCD touch screens, and lamination modules as your needs grow. Contact Evolis or an authorized service provider for upgrade options and installation. What You'll Need — Supplies We Stock Here's what you should keep on hand to avoid downtime. All items ship same day from Specialist ID. 🎨 Ribbons for Primacy 2 Full Color Ribbons R5F208A100 — YMCKO 300 prints (single-sided color) R5F202A100 — YMCKO 200 prints (single-sided color) R6F203A100 — YMCKO-K 200 prints (color front, black back) 💡 YMCKO-K is ideal for dual-sided cards with color on front and text/barcode on back Security & Specialty Ribbons R6F207NAAA — YMCKOO 250 prints (double overlay for extra durability) 🛡️ Double overlay extends card life and adds tamper resistance Monochrome Ribbons RCT217NAAA — Metallic Silver 1,000 prints RCT216NAAA — Metallic Gold 1,000 prints RCT215NAAA — White 1,000 prints (for dark card stock) ⚡ Monochrome prints at 1,000 cards/hour — great for high-volume text/barcode jobs 📇 Blank PVC Cards Standard Cards CR80 30mil PVC Cards — 500 pack, standard white Composite PVC/PET Cards — 500 pack, heat-resistant for lamination 💡 Composite cards recommended if you're doing lamination or overlays — they won't warp 🧹 Cleaning & Maintenance Cleaning Kits ACL001 — Regular Cleaning Kit (routine maintenance) ACL002 — Advanced Cleaning Kit (deep cleaning) ⚠️ Clean every 1,000 cards to maintain warranty and print quality Individual Cleaning Supplies A5003 — Printhead cleaning swabs, 25-pack A5004 — Dust cleaning wipes, 60-count 🔧 Keep swabs on hand for quick printhead maintenance between full cleanings Shop All Evolis Ribbons → Shop Cleaning Supplies → 📊 Supply Tips Most orders ship same day. For the PM2-0025-A duplex printer, we recommend the YMCKO-K ribbon (R6F203A100) since it prints color on front and black on back in one pass — perfect for dual-sided ID cards. Store ribbons in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to maximize shelf life. Common Questions My duplex printer is printing two single-sided cards instead of one double-sided card. How do I fix this? ▼ This is the most common Primacy 2 setup issue. The printer ships configured for single-sided mode by default. Open Evolis Premium Suite 2, go to Printer Settings, click the three dots to show advanced settings, then navigate to Printing → Ribbon. Enable "Dual side printing" and select your Front/Back combination based on your ribbon type (YMCKO-K for color front and black back). Why buy from Specialist ID? ▼ Specialist ID is an authorized Evolis dealer. We sell only genuine Evolis High Trust ribbons and supplies — never third-party substitutes that can damage your printer. Our team actually knows these printers. Questions? Call 1-800-380-6726. How often should I clean the printer? ▼ Run the routine cleaning cycle every 1,000 cards or when prompted by the printer. For deeper maintenance, run an advanced cleaning every 5,000 cards (about every 5 routine cleanings). Regular cleaning prevents most print defects and extends printhead life significantly. I'm getting "Invalid Ribbon" or "Ribbon Not Recognized" errors. What should I do? ▼ First, make sure you're using genuine Evolis High Trust ribbons — third-party ribbons often cause recognition errors. Reseat the ribbon cartridge firmly until it clicks. If the error persists, check that the ribbon isn't twisted or crumpled, and clean the printer's ribbon sensors with a lint-free cloth. Why are my prints coming out dark, blurry, or with lines? ▼ Print quality issues usually trace back to three things: a dirty printhead (run a cleaning cycle), a worn or damaged ribbon (try a fresh roll), or dirty cards (handle cards by the edges and store them dust-free). If cleaning doesn't help, check that your driver settings match your ribbon type. What type of cards should I use? ▼ Standard CR80 30mil PVC cards work for most applications. For high-use environments or when using lamination, composite PVC/PET cards are stronger and more durable. Always handle cards by the edges to avoid fingerprints that can cause print defects. How do I clear a card jam? ▼ Open the cover and remove the ribbon. Open the side panel tabs to access the card path. If a card is stuck, press and hold the power button until it ejects, or gently rotate the cleaning roller to create space and slide the card out. Verify the cleaning roller is properly seated before closing up. Can I add features to my printer later? ▼ Yes. The Primacy 2 is designed for field upgrades. You can add magnetic stripe encoders, smart card encoders, a 200-card input hopper, an LCD touch screen, or a lamination module after purchase. Contact Evolis or an authorized service provider for upgrade options and installation. 🎯 Need Help? Not sure which ribbon or supplies you need? Have questions about setup, encoding options, or upgrades? Our team knows these printers inside and out — call us at 1-800-380-6726 or contact us online.