Datacard SD160 Ribbons

Datacard SD160 ribbons come in two kinds: monochrome for single-colour text and barcodes, plus YMCKT full colour for cards carrying a photo, a logo or a printed background. Which one you need depends on what your cards have to show and how many you print between ribbon changes.

The monochrome black ribbon for the SD160 is part number 532000-053 and gives you around 1,500 images per roll, handling names, numbers and barcodes cleanly. The monochrome white ribbon, 532000-004, prints in white onto darker or coloured card stock for the same 1,500-image yield. It costs more than three times the black, so it is one to keep in stock for that job.

The YMCKT colour ribbon for the SD160 is part number 534100-001-R004 and runs to 250 cards per roll. It carries the yellow, magenta, cyan and black panels plus a clear topcoat that seals the print. The lower yield comes down to how much more ribbon a full-colour card uses than a line of black text.

Monochrome ribbons suit staff passes, visitor badges and membership cards where colour is not essential and cost per card matters. The gap is wide: a full-colour card costs roughly twenty times as much in ribbon as a monochrome one. Reach for the YMCKT when you want photographs, brand colours or a printed background. If you are unsure which ribbon fits your card design or your run size, the team at Plastic ID can talk it through and confirm compatibility with your exact SD160 model before you order.