A card-flipping device for a card printing apparatus is provided. The
card-flipping device comprises a card-carrier unit for transporting the
card in a vertical direction, a motor drive means for moving the unit in
the vertical direction, and an actuator assembly including a rotatable
cam arm for flipping the card over. The card-flipping device is
particularly suitable for use in thermal dye printers that print images
on card substrates such as driver's licenses, employee badges, student
cards, and the like. After one surface of the card has been printed, the
card is conveyed to the card-flipping device, where the card is flipped
over so that the reverse, unprinted side of the card can be printed
thereon.