Choosing The Right Printer

Here are some pointers that you should bear in mind when choosing your Thermal Printer

• Label Size Printers are normally restricted by print width i.e. 2, 4 or even 8 inches. The wider the printer can print the more expensive it will be so choose accordingly. Although most printers can print very ’long’ labels always double check the one you select can do so - especially if your labels are more than a few inches longer than the print width.

• Speed Thermal printing speed is measured in Inches per Second (IPS). This is the only constant as they are designed to work on an infinite variety of label sizes. Like the impact printers they may have options that affect the print speed. A rough rule of thumb is that the faster the printer is printing the poorer the quality ’may’ become - depending on a wide range of factors.

• Volumes - Normally this is the length of media you may print on, measured in feet or metres. Most printers will quote a recommended amount and you should ensure this volume is greater than your anticipated requirements.

• Types of Label There are two main types (Direct and Thermal Transfer) and thousands of different qualities of media and adhesive for each.

• • Direct Media The label stock is sensitive to heat so the barcodes and other data are ’printed’ directly on to the label stock. This tends to be a cheaper process (no ribbon) but can be more prone to fading and be of a poorer quality.

• • Thermal Transfer The label stock is printed on by using the heat to melt and transfer ink from a ribbon onto the label. This is more expensive as you pay for ribbons and labels, but ensures high quality printing.

• Media Grade You can buy media across a vast array of quality and pricing. In essence there is no such thing as a free lunch. The less you pay for your media the more you will pay in down time and consumables like print heads.

• Adhesive You must ensure that you have the right adhesive for your needs. You may require high or low tack rating (stickiness) for peel or for permanency. Also, for example in food production you may need to know the chemical make of the adhesive you are using.

All in all it’s best to speak to a specialist supplier for these things (like us of course). For more information please click here

Further to think about

• Connectivity ’Normally’ fairly standard but what about that old Twinax or Coax printer over there? Is it hanging off the back of a cluster controller, or being driven over a serial line driver? Do make the effort to find out ’before’ you buy your printers.

• Language What language are you talking to your printer in? Most manufacturers have their own propietary language. Bear in mind that even though they may ’say’ they emulate such and such language the proof is in the seeing. Always ensure that you will be 100% compatible before rolling out your printers. Often it’s that last 5% that is the tough bit, and can mean the difference between a successful roll out or an expensive failure.

• Rewind is normally an optional extra. This allows you to rewind the printed labels back onto a spool for transfer and later use which is very handy and stops miles of labels forming big piles on the floor.

• Peel and Present is an option used for peeling away the backing paper (onto a spool) and presenting the label to the user for application. This is useful and quite clever as you can send a whole batch of labels to the printer but it will only peel and present the first label. When that has been removed it will then print and present the next label and so on.

• Cutter is an option that will actually cut the labels into individual (or series of) labels. You often come across this in the picking process of large warehouses’.

If you would like any further help then please contact us.