Available as the single-sided Simplex (525302-001) or the double-sided Duplex (525302-003). Same 300 dpi printer, same security architecture, same warranty. Choose your model from the Model dropdown above.
The Entrust Sigma DS3 is the top of Entrust's Sigma direct-to-card range, and this listing carries both builds: the Sigma DS3 Simplex for single-sided cards and the Sigma DS3 Duplex for double-sided. The printer, the software, the consumables and the three year warranty are the same either way. The only thing that changes is whether the machine flips the card.
It prints at 300 dpi using dye-sublimation for full colour photo ID and resin thermal transfer for sharp black text and barcodes, and it runs at up to 250 cards per hour single-sided or 180 per hour double-sided. A 125-card input hopper means a decent batch runs unattended, and a separate 10-card reject hopper keeps misprints out of the finished stack.
What sets the Sigma line apart from cheaper card printers is the security architecture underneath it. Secure Boot cryptographically checks the firmware and refuses to run if it has been tampered with, a Trusted Platform Module holds a factory-installed Entrust TLS certificate, and network traffic follows NIST SP 800-52 Rev. 2 using TLS 1.2 or 1.3. For organisations running Zero Trust networks it supports 802.1x with RADIUS. That matters when the thing you are printing is the credential that opens your doors.
This is the only decision to make on this page, and it is a straightforward one. A simplex printer prints one side of the card. A duplex printer prints both sides in a single pass, automatically flipping the card inside the machine. If your card design has anything on the reverse, terms and conditions, a barcode, an emergency contact, a signature panel, a second language, duplex pays for itself in handling time and in cards not ruined by being fed through twice the wrong way up.
| Sigma DS3 Simplex | Sigma DS3 Duplex | |
|---|---|---|
| Part number | 525302-001 | 525302-003 |
| Prints | Front of the card only | Both sides, automatic flip |
| Colour print speed | Up to 250 cards per hour | Up to 180 cards per hour double-sided |
| Resolution | 300 dpi | 300 dpi |
| Input / output hopper | 125 / 25 cards | 125 / 25 cards |
| Connectivity | USB and Ethernet | USB and Ethernet |
| Security features | Identical | Identical |
| Ribbons and cards | Identical, fully interchangeable | Identical, fully interchangeable |
| Warranty | 36 Months Return to Base | 36 Months Return to Base |
| Choose it when | The back of the card is blank or pre-printed | The card carries anything on the reverse |
One thing worth knowing before you decide: a simplex machine cannot be upgraded to duplex later. If there is a reasonable chance your card design will grow a reverse side, the duplex model is the cheaper decision over the life of the printer.
Staff and contractor credentials where Secure Boot, TPM and 802.1x are procurement requirements rather than nice-to-haves.
Student and clinician cards issued in batches at intake, with smart card encoding available when the card also opens doors.
Clubs, gyms and secure sites printing durable dual-sided cards with terms or a barcode on the reverse.
| Brand | Entrust (formerly Datacard) |
| Model | Sigma DS3 |
| Part numbers | 525302-001 Simplex, 525302-003 Duplex |
| Print technology | Dye-sublimation and resin thermal transfer |
| Print capabilities | Single-sided or dual-sided depending on model, rewritable technology supported |
| Print resolution | 300 dpi (300 x 600, 300 x 1200) |
| Print speed, colour | Up to 250 cards per hour single-sided, up to 180 cards per hour double-sided |
| Input hopper | 125 cards |
| Output hopper | 25 cards |
| Reject hopper | 10 cards |
| Card sizes | ID-1 (CR-79, CR-80) |
| Card thickness | 0.25mm to 1.016mm (0.010" to 0.040") |
| Card material | PVC, PETG (test other card types before use) |
| Connectivity | USB and Ethernet |
| Software included | Instant ID Express |
| Security | UV printing support, Secure Boot, Trusted Platform Module, TLS 1.2 / 1.3 to NIST SP 800-52 Rev. 2, 802.1x RADIUS, optional locks |
| Operating temperature | 15°C to 35°C |
| Humidity | 20% to 80% RH non-condensing |
| Dimensions | 44.2 x 22.1 x 22.9 cm (17.4" x 8.3" x 9") |
| Weight | 5.49 kg, varies with options |
| Optional Wi-Fi | 802.11g/n/ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, WPA2 Personal and Enterprise |
| Optional magnetic stripe | ISO 7811 three-track, high and low coercivity, JIS Type II single-track option |
| Optional smart card | Contact ISO 7816, contactless ISO 14443 A/B, ISO 15693, MIFARE, DESFire EV1/EV2, HID Prox, iClass, iClass SE, Seos, Felica |
| Optional multi-hopper | Six compartments, 125 cards each, 750 cards total |
| Optional modules | Card Lamination Module (CLM), Tactile Impression Module (TIM) |
| Warranty | 36 Months Return to Base |
| Sigma DS3 (this page) | Sigma DS2 | Sigma DSE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sided | Simplex or Duplex | Dual-sided | Single or dual-sided |
| Resolution | 300 dpi | 300 dpi | 300 dpi |
| Colour speed, single-sided | Up to 250 cph | Up to 225 cph | Up to 185 cph |
| Colour speed, double-sided | Up to 180 cph | Up to 140 cph | Not published |
| Input hopper | 125 cards | 125 cards | 100 cards |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, optional Wi-Fi | USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi | USB, Ethernet on the duplex model |
| Warranty | 36 Months Return to Base | Contact us | 2 Years Return to Base |
| Best for | Secure, higher-volume issuance with room to add modules | Dual-sided issuance with Wi-Fi as standard | Entry-level in-house card printing |
Ribbons, blank cards and the cleaning kit are optional extras. Add them to this order using the Ribbons, Cards and Cleaning dropdowns above, or buy them separately from the Entrust range.
Simplex prints one side of the card. Duplex prints both sides in a single pass, flipping the card automatically inside the printer. Part numbers are 525302-001 for Simplex and 525302-003 for Duplex. Resolution, hoppers, connectivity, security, consumables and warranty are identical, so the choice is purely about whether your card design uses the reverse. Note that a Simplex unit cannot be converted to Duplex later.
The Sigma DS3 printer driver is a free download from Entrust's support site, and the same driver package covers both the Simplex and the Duplex model. The printer is supplied with a USB cable so you can install and test locally before moving it onto the network over Ethernet. Call 1300 115 808 if you would like us to confirm the current driver version for your operating system before the printer ships.
It takes the Sigma ribbon range. POS PLAZA stocks the YMCKT colour kit at 250 images, the YMCKT colour kit at 500 images and the monochrome kit at 1,500 images, and all three can be added to this order from the Ribbons dropdown. Entrust also produces YMCKT-KT, KT, KTT, WTT, ST-KT, YMCKF-KT and YMCKL-KT films plus a range of monochrome colours if you need something specific.
Yes, as factory options rather than standard fit. Magnetic stripe encoding covers ISO 7811 three-track in high and low coercivity, with a JIS Type II single-track option. Smart card encoding covers contact ISO 7816 and contactless ISO 14443 A/B, ISO 15693, MIFARE, MIFARE DESFire EV1 and EV2, HID Prox, iClass, iClass SE, iClass Seos and Felica. Encoding has to be specified when the printer is built, so tell us what your access control system uses before you order.
Yes. The Sigma DS3 accepts the Card Lamination Module (CLM) for DuraGard laminate, and the Tactile Impression Module (TIM) for raised tactile effects. With front-side lamination fitted the printer runs at up to 210 cards per hour on a front-side YMCK ribbon, or up to 185 cards per hour with a YMCK-K ribbon printing black on the reverse. Lamination is the usual answer when a card has to survive several years in a wallet or resist tampering.
USB and Ethernet are standard on both models, and for a card printer sitting in an office or a security room Ethernet is what we would recommend. Wi-Fi is an optional build supporting 802.11g/n/ac on 2.4GHz and 5GHz with WPA2 Personal or Enterprise. Because it is a factory option rather than a retrofit, decide before ordering.
Yes. Datacard was rebranded to Entrust, so older documentation, purchase orders and tender specifications may call this a Datacard Sigma DS3 or an Entrust Datacard printer. It is the same product line and the part numbers are unchanged.
ID-1 format cards in CR-80 or CR-79, from 0.25mm to 1.016mm thick (0.010" to 0.040"), in PVC or PETG. Entrust recommends testing any other card material before committing to a run. Blank white cards in packs of 500 can be added from the Cards dropdown above.
The Entrust Sigma DS3 is a 300 dpi direct-to-card ID card printer sold here in two models: the Sigma DS3 Simplex (part 525302-001) for single-sided cards and the Sigma DS3 Duplex (part 525302-003) for double-sided cards printed in one pass. Both use dye-sublimation and resin thermal transfer, run at up to 250 cards per hour single-sided or 180 per hour double-sided, hold 125 cards in the input hopper with 25-card output and 10-card reject hoppers, accept ID-1 CR-80 and CR-79 cards from 0.25mm to 1.016mm in PVC or PETG, and connect over USB and Ethernet with optional Wi-Fi. Both ship with Instant ID Express software and a 36 Months Return to Base warranty, and both carry the same Sigma security architecture: Secure Boot, a Trusted Platform Module, TLS 1.2 or 1.3 to NIST SP 800-52 Rev. 2 and 802.1x RADIUS support. Optional magnetic stripe and smart card encoding, a six-bay 750-card multi-hopper, the Card Lamination Module and the Tactile Impression Module are available as factory-fitted extras. The printer measures 44.2 x 22.1 x 22.9 cm and weighs 5.49 kg. Entrust was formerly known as Datacard, so this is also listed as the Datacard Sigma DS3.
Ribbons, cards and cleaning kits for the Sigma DS3
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