Evolis Agilia Retransfer ID Card Printer

Why Choose Retransfer Printing?

Direct-to-card printing is an effective, economical choice for many standard employee badges and student IDs. Retransfer technology offers additional advantages when the application calls for more sophisticated card designs, higher image detail, or compatibility with specialized card materials.

Edge-to-Edge Printing

Agilia prints beyond the edge of the card, allowing graphics, background colors, and security patterns to extend across the entire card surface. This eliminates the unprinted border commonly associated with direct-to-card printing and supports more polished, professional-looking credentials.

High-Resolution Detail

The 600 × 600 dpi print head delivers detailed graphics, fine text, and precise visual elements. This is particularly valuable for credentials that incorporate microtext, intricate line patterns, high-definition QR codes, or complex branded designs.

More Card Material Flexibility

Agilia supports compatible PVC, composite PVC, PET, ABS, and polycarbonate cards, including cards with certain surface irregularities and embedded chips. This flexibility makes it an attractive option when standard PVC cards are not the only card type under consideration.

A Platform for Enhanced Security

Agilia supports magnetic-stripe, contact smart-card, and contactless encoding options, depending on configuration. When paired with appropriate card designs and optional lamination, it can support a broader credential-security strategy that combines visual personalization, electronic functionality, and physical protection.

Best Applications and Vertical Markets

Agilia is not simply an alternative to a standard desktop ID printer. Its strongest applications are environments where print quality, specialized card materials, security features, or longer-term card durability justify a more advanced solution.

Government, Public Safety, and Institutional Identification

Government agencies and public-sector organizations may require credentials with detailed graphics, fine-line security designs, machine-readable elements, and embedded smart-card technology.

Agilia is well suited for applications such as:

• Government employee and contractor identification.
• Public safety and institutional credentials.
• Secure facility access cards.
• Specialized identification cards using compatible polycarbonate or composite materials.
• Cards incorporating contact or contactless chips.

For higher-security applications, Agilia’s encoding options and compatibility with an optional lamination module can help support a layered credential design. Specific government-issued identification programs may require certified card materials, specialized personalization equipment, or approved security processes beyond the printer itself.

Healthcare and Healthcare Technology

Hospitals, healthcare networks, laboratories, and other healthcare organizations issue credentials for employees, contractors, and authorized personnel across complex facilities.

Agilia can be a strong fit when badges require high-quality photographs, detailed branding, barcodes or QR codes, and electronic access-control functionality. Its ability to personalize compatible chip cards may also be useful for applications requiring more than a printed visual ID.

For organizations standardizing credentials across multiple locations, ADVANTIDGE can help evaluate the card technology, encoding requirements, and production workflow needed to align the printer with existing access-control systems.

Enterprise and Multi-Facility Organizations

Large businesses and multi-location organizations often need consistent credential designs that can be reproduced across departments and facilities. They may also need employee badges to combine identification, access control, and other encoded functions.

Agilia is appropriate when the organization requires premium card presentation, edge-to-edge designs, fine-detail graphics, or card materials beyond standard PVC. It can support employee badges that incorporate photographs, corporate branding, QR codes, barcodes, and compatible encoded technologies.

For organizations with simpler badge requirements, a direct-to-card Evolis printer may be a more economical choice. Agilia becomes more compelling when print quality, material flexibility, or advanced card functionality is a priority.

Education and Campus Credentials

Universities, colleges, and other educational institutions may issue cards that combine student identification with campus access, library services, meal programs, or other electronic functions.

Agilia is worth considering when the institution wants full-bleed designs, detailed graphics, compatible smart-card technology, or more durable credentials. Dual-sided printing can accommodate a photograph and student information on the front, with policies, barcodes, emergency details, or other variable information on the reverse.

For schools and colleges issuing basic visual ID cards at high volumes, a direct-to-card printer may provide better overall value. The appropriate choice depends on the card’s intended functions and expected service life.

Manufacturing, Industrial, and High-Security Facilities

Manufacturers, distribution centers, and industrial facilities may use credentials for employee identification, physical access, and other workforce-management functions.

Agilia can be particularly useful when cards require embedded chips, specialized materials, intricate designs, or enhanced physical protection. Its optional lamination capability may also help organizations protect credentials that are handled frequently.

Financial Services and Smart-Card Applications

Financial institutions and other organizations working with compatible smart-card programs may benefit from Agilia’s high-resolution personalization and encoding options.

Potential applications include institutional identification, access credentials, and other specialized cards that require contact or contactless chip functionality. Agilia should not be assumed to be suitable for every payment-card issuance program; those projects may require specific certifications, secure production controls, and approved personalization systems.

Hospitality, Membership, and Premium Credentials

Hospitality groups, private clubs, membership organizations, and premium service providers may prioritize the visual quality of their cards alongside functionality.

Agilia’s edge-to-edge printing and fine-detail reproduction support distinctive designs, custom graphics, and professional finishes. When card longevity or added security is important, a compatible lamination configuration can provide further options.

Evolis Agilia Single-Sided or Dual-Sided Printing

Agilia is available in single-sided and dual-sided configurations to accommodate different issuance requirements.

Single-sided Agilia: Best for applications that require premium-quality printing on the front of the card, such as identification credentials, institutional cards, or specialized cards with information primarily on one side.

Dual-sided Agilia: Prints both sides automatically in a single workflow. This is useful when the front contains a photograph, name, logo, and primary identification details while the reverse contains a barcode, QR code, access instructions, terms, or other variable information.

Dual-sided printing can reduce manual handling and simplify the production of more information-rich credentials. The appropriate configuration depends on the amount of information printed, expected volume, and whether the reverse side requires color or monochrome personalization.

Add Card Encoding for Electronic Functionality

Agilia can be configured with encoding options to personalize cards that do more than display printed information.

Depending on the selected model and configuration, available options include:

• Magnetic-stripe encoding: For compatible systems that use magnetic-stripe cards.
• Contact smart-card encoding: For compatible chip cards that require electrical contact.
• Contactless encoding: For compatible RFID and contactless smart-card technologies.
• Combined encoding: Certain configurations support multiple encoding technologies in the same printer.

Encoder availability depends on the specific Agilia model and the selected hardware. Compatibility must be checked against the card technology and the target access-control, identity, or other credential system before ordering.

Add Lamination for Greater Durability and Security

For applications where cards must withstand extended use or require additional security features, Agilia can be paired with the Evolis Card Lamination Module (CLM).

The CLM applies a protective film after the card has been personalized. Available options include clear varnish, laminate patches, and selected holographic films, depending on the configuration.

Lamination can help protect printed information against everyday wear and can add a visible security feature that makes unauthorized reproduction more difficult. When integrated with a compatible Agilia system, printing, encoding, and lamination can be combined into a streamlined production workflow.

Lamination is optional and should be selected based on the card material, intended service life, security requirements, and production volume.

Evolis Agilia Key Features and Technical Specifications

Printing technology: Retransfer printing.

Print resolution: 600 × 600 dpi.

Printing format: Edge-to-edge personalization.

Printing sides: Single-sided or dual-sided, depending on configuration.

Print speed:

• Single-sided: up to 150 cards per hour.
• Dual-sided: up to 100 cards per hour.

Actual throughput depends on card design, ribbon selection, encoding, and operating conditions.

Card format: ISO CR-80, 85.6 × 53.98 mm.

Supported card thickness: 30–50 mil (0.76–1.25 mm).

Compatible card materials: PVC, composite PVC, PET, ABS, and polycarbonate, subject to card and application compatibility.

Card handling:

• 200-card input hopper.
• 100-card output hopper.
• 10-card reject box.
• Manual card feeder for supported workflows.

Connectivity: USB and Ethernet.

User interface: Color LCD touchscreen with QR-code display for status and support information.

Software: Evolis Premium Suite 2 and ID-ALL Starter Edition. CardPresso software is also listed by Evolis as part of the Agilia solution offering; confirm the included software license for the specific model and package being quoted.

Warranty: Three years on the printer, with a lifetime printhead warranty under the manufacturer’s applicable terms. An optional one-year warranty extension is available.

Optional features: Magnetic-stripe, contact and contactless encoding; electromechanical locking system on supported configurations; dual-sided printing; and the compatible Card Lamination Module.

Specifications and options can vary by model. Confirm the configuration before ordering.

Agilia vs. Direct-to-Card Evolis Printers

Both direct-to-card and retransfer printers have a place in professional ID issuance. The right choice depends on the card’s purpose, required print quality, card material, security requirements, and total cost of ownership.

Choose Agilia when:

• Edge-to-edge printing is important.
• Fine graphics, microtext, or high-definition QR codes are part of the design.
• The card material may be composite PVC, PET, ABS, or polycarbonate.
• Compatible chip cards or cards with surface irregularities must be personalized.
• Optional lamination is needed to support durability or visual security requirements.
• The project calls for a premium credential-printing platform with flexible encoding options.

Consider a direct-to-card Evolis printer when:

• Standard PVC cards meet the application’s needs.
• A narrow unprinted border is acceptable.
• Basic employee, student, visitor, or membership badges are the primary requirement.
• Initial equipment cost and straightforward everyday issuance are the main priorities.

Retransfer technology is not automatically the best choice for every organization. ADVANTIDGE can help determine whether Agilia’s additional capabilities deliver meaningful value for the intended application.

Plan Your Agilia Solution with ADVANTIDGE

Selecting a secure card printer involves more than comparing print speeds. The card material, design, encoding technology, security requirements, production volume, and expected service life all affect the right configuration.

ADVANTIDGE helps IT, security, HR, and operations teams evaluate ID card printing solutions based on the needs of their organization. We can help you compare Agilia with direct-to-card alternatives, select the appropriate single- or dual-sided model, evaluate encoding requirements, and determine whether lamination should be included.

Contact ADVANTIDGE to discuss the Evolis Agilia Retransfer ID Card Printer and request a quote for a configuration tailored to your card-issuance requirements.