Epson L8050 / L18050 Inkjet PVC Card Printing

Overview

The Epson L8050 / L18050 printers are capable of printing on inkjet PVC cards when used with their official Epson Disc/ID Card tray and the correct print settings. Unlike many Epson EcoTank models that only include a CD tray but lack proper driver or firmware support, the L8050 and L18050 were designed with native Disc/ID Card printing support.

These printers have been used successfully in real-world PVC card printing workflows.

Supported Printing Method

We support printing to the Epson L8050 / L18050 using ID Maker, our web-based card design and printing tool.

ID Maker handles card layout, sizing, and print alignment, and is the only printing method we officially support for these printers.

Use ID Maker here: https://brainstormidsupply.com/try-id-maker

Requirements

To successfully print inkjet PVC cards with the Epson L8050 / L18050, all of the following are required:

• Official Epson Disc/ID Card tray

  Both the L8050 and L18050 support an official Epson tray designed specifically for Disc and ID card printing. No aftermarket tray or driver workaround is needed.

• Inkjet-coated PVC cards

  Cards must have an inkjet-receptive coating. Standard, uncoated PVC cards will not work in any inkjet printer.

  Compatible cards are available here:

  https://brainstormidsupply.com/inkjet-id-cards/kits-cards-trays/cards

• Correct driver settings

  Print jobs must use the Disc/ID Card media or feed option in the Epson driver. Printing from standard paper feeds will not work.

How the L8050 / L18050 Differ From Other Epson Models

Many Epson printers include a CD tray slot but cannot reliably print PVC cards due to firmware or driver restrictions. Common limitations with other models include:

• No Disc/ID Card option in the driver
• Firmware restrictions preventing alternate drivers
• Misalignment or clipped print areas

The L8050 and L18050 avoid these issues because Disc/ID Card printing is supported at the firmware and driver level.

Print Area Limitations

The L8050 / L18050 print on a defined portion of the tray, not the entire physical surface.

• The tray is inserted halfway and then accepted by the printer
• The printer only prints within the designated Disc/ID Card area
• This behavior is normal and expected

Designs must match Epson’s expected printable area. It is not possible to print additional cards by modifying or extending the tray layout.

Real-World Confirmation

The Epson L8050 / L18050 have been independently documented printing inkjet PVC cards successfully, including photos and layout details.

A detailed walkthrough can be found here: https://research.reignofcomputer.com/2023/08/29/down-the-rabbit-hole-low-cost-pvc-id-card-printing/

This article also includes a PSD template for reference. Again, while useful for advanced users, we can only provide technical support when printing to Brainstorm ID's Inkjet PVC cards using ID Maker.

Final Notes

If you already own an Epson L8050 or L18050 with the official tray, you do not need to purchase a different printer or kit to print inkjet PVC cards. For best results and full support, we recommend designing and printing your cards using ID Maker in combination with our inkjet PVC cards.