Recently, there are many questions raised about our card dispensing solutions. Generally, here is an article that briefly summarizes the difference of card issuing machines and card dispensers. It will also serve as an reference when you are going to deploy your own card dispensing solutions.
What’s the difference of a card dispenser and a card issuing machine?
Generally, there is no difference from the mechanism point of view. Both would dispense a card from the hopper pre-loaded with cards. In our internal definition, a card dispenser would have possibility to do auto reading/writing of different card type before dispensing. Or it’s also possible to serve as a card reader writer that would accept cards from the card holders from the front bezel.(MTK-F31, MTK-X61).
For a card issuing machine, it may not have space or options to integrate a card reader/writer. While it is still possible to work with an external card reader with handshaking jobs done by the host machine.(MTK-F12).
Certain Types of Card Dispensers:
When mentioning Card dispenser for certain card types, e.g. magnetic, IC or RF, it indicates that the dispenser would have reading and/or writing function for that card type. For example:
- Magnetic+RFID+IC Card Dispenser: MTK-X91(Magnetic+IC+RFID R/W) and MTK-X61(Magnetic Read, RFID/IC R/W) are both configurable to do one/two/three types of card reading/writing;
- Smart Card Dispenser: MTK-571 and MTK-F31 are optional to R/W either RFID and/or IC cards.
Magnetic Card Dispensing Solutions:
Magnetic Card dispensers are strictly divided into 2 categories: Magnetic R/W dispenser and Magnetic Read Only Dispenser. It’s mainly due to the cost and practicability factors. For example, a magnetic swipe reader cost only US$10 while a magnetic swipe reader/writer may need over US$100. So as a matter of fact, a magnetic read card dispenser for kiosks is typically priced below US$1000, while a real self-service terminal magnetic read/write dispenser would cost over US$1500.
MUTEK Magnetic Card Dispenser Products:
- MTK-X91 all function card dispenser: The machine have magnetic R/W dispensing function while optional to have IC/RFID read/write modules. We don’t suggest this model to be used on self-service kiosks; it’s mainly used by card manufacturers for batch initialization and verification.
- MTK-X61 hybrid Magnetic Read Dispenser: The machine has magnetic read only dispensing function and optional Smart card Reading/writing modules. This one is possible to be used on kiosks and other unattended self-service terminals.
Smart Card (IC/RFID) Card Dispensing Solutions:
Smart Card dispenser is supposed to have one of or both of the IC and RFID card reading/writing modules integrated. It would generally support the ISO standard contact/contactless card types. Customers may also integrate their own specific card reader/writers for other non-standard card types such as HID or iClass types.
MUTEK Related Smart Card Dispensing products:
MTK-571 and MTK-F31 are smart card dispenser that is compatible with each other, both would support RFID/IC card dispensing with front card reading/writing. MTK-F31 is short inprofile which allows it to be installed in slim chassis. Furthermore, card recycling function is supported by MTK-F31.