Buying color ribbons for ID card printers can be very confusing for those who are new to the field. All ribbons are coded with either Y, M, C, K, H, F, and I ink types, which stand for Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black, Heat Seal, Fluorescing, and Inhibitor panels respectively. Once you know what these codes mean for your printer, you can choose the right ribbon for your needs without much hassle.

Fargo HDP5000 uses color ribbons with Y, M, C, and K panels to create the full spectrum of colors when printing under varying temperatures of heat. The YMCK ribbon, for instance, is preferred for printing full-color cards, while the YMCKO ribbon would add better depth to the prints due to the inclusion of the resin overlay panel. The prior option may not be the best for printing barcodes as the lack of seal could easily rub off, but the latter would create visible, crisp, and long-lasting black barcodes as required by the user.

Note that the YMCK ribbon has further variations as well:

• The YMCKK ribbon comes with two resin black panels to be used per side of the ID card.
• The YMCKH ribbon has a heat seal panel to make sure that the HDP film sticks to the card, even when it has an uneven surface like that in smart cards.
• The YMCFK ribbon features a fluorescing panel to let users print grayscale text or images, which can only be viewed under UV light.
• The YMCKI ribbon, which comes with an inhibitor panel to help prevent the retransfer film from sticking on to the card.

You can check the user manual to learn more about the color ribbons that your Fargo HDP5000 ID card printer is capable of using, or consult the IDP official website to view their consumables specification sheet. Below are some of the most commonly used ribbons for Fargo HDP5000 printers.

• Fargo 84050 YMC Color Ribbon – This ribbon can print up to 750 images per roll.
• Fargo 84051 YMCK Color Ribbon – This ribbon can print up to 500 images per roll.
• Fargo 84052 YMCKK Color Ribbon – This ribbon comes with two resin black panels that give better depth to the prints. It can print up to 500 images per roll.
• Fargo 84053 HDP Retransfer Film – This ribbon can print up to 1500 images per roll.
• Fargo 84056 YMCKH Color and Heat Seal Ribbon – This ribbon can print up to 500 images per roll.
• Fargo 84060 Premium Black Monochrome Ribbon – This ribbon can print up to 3000 images per roll.
• Fargo 84061 YMCFK Full-Color Ribbon – This ribbon can print up to 500 images per roll.