Ready to purchase label printers for your business? If you are new to printers, here is a brief explainer on the different categories of printer available for you. It’s important to consult with an expert like CSSI to ensure you are ultimately choosing the right model.
Print Process – Thermal Transfer or Direct Thermal?
When it comes to selecting a printer, the first thing is to understand the best type of print process for your application. Typically, you will choose between thermal transfer and direct thermal. In specialty cases where color labels are necessary, you may do best with color inkjet. Once you know the print process you wish to use, you can select the best class of printer for you.
Classes of Label Printers
There are several different printer classes or categories. The correct category for your business will depend upon the usage environment, label requirements, and print speed, in addition to the level of ruggedness which is necessary.
1. Desktop label printers
Desktop printers are a bread-and-butter choice. These are durable and business-ready printers, typically available in either 4 inch or 6-inch label widths. Direct thermal and thermal transfer models are available. Typical print speeds run around 6 ips (inches per second), making this a good choice for applications where volume is high, but not extremely high. Desktop printers are smaller than industrial printers, so it’s easier to find space for them.
2. Industrial label printers
Industrial printers serve harsh and demanding use environments such as production floors, where the printer must be able to withstand dust and particles, as well as high use. Industrial printers may run as fast as 12 or 14 ips (inches per second), making this a necessary choice for high-volume label generation. Options are available in thermal transfer and direct thermal, although thermal transfer is more common. Some industrial label printers offer a label verifier, which can confirm that each label generated has a readable barcode. This is necessary for applications where non-readable labels are not acceptable (for example, the company may be hit with chargebacks from larger retails for non-conforming labels). Industrial printers require more desk or counter space, so take that into consideration.
3. Mobile printers for labels and receipts
Do you need to generate labels or receipts while on the go? Then mobile printers are the best choice. These are smaller, battery-powered printers, typically employing a direct thermal process. The focus is on mobility and relatively light weight. Most mobile printers use a direct thermal process, but we have specialty label materials which allows you achieve thermal transfer results from a direct thermal printer.
4. RFID printers
RFID printers have the ability to encode RFID tags as well as print labels. These printers are necessary if you are printing unique RFID labels at the point of use. We can work with you on your RFID process and pair you with the right printer.
5. Color Inkjet
If you are printing labels which require high-resolution graphics (retail labels, packaging labels), then the right choice may be a color inkjet printer. CSSI offers several color printer choices and can help you with your selection and testing.
Need Help with Labels & Print Supplies?
CSSI offers years of experience in the specification and procurement of reliable and cost-effective label media solutions and print supplies. Whether you are looking to introduce a new label, or seeking alternate sources for your existing labels, our print media team can propose options from our reliable suppliers.
CSSI Can Help You Select & Configure Label Printers
If you are preparing to purchase or upgrade label printers, CSSI can help – we can assess your usage and recommend the ideal printer for your application. Our professional services team can support your configuration and deployment. Need help with label design? We offer software such as BarTender to make bulk generation of labels and barcodes simple.