BARCODE PRINTERS – BUYING GUIDE – BLP CONNEXION CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRINTER IN 5 STEPS   Barcode systems have applications in every commercial activity and in every corner of the world.   Which markets and industries mostly use the barcode? the transfers logistics pharmaceutical companies shipping distribution & disposal stations industrial production By conducting thorough market research and ultimately choosing the right printer for your work environment and business needs, along with the right barcode label, will maximize ergonomics, productivity and produce a quality barcode label, cut and tailor-made for you. So choose the printer you need through 5 steps - criteria.   Step 1. Determine the print volume.

 

Questions to answer.

How many labels will your company print per day, week and month?

Print volume prediction is an important parameter that leads you to specific categories of printers. Your choices per category based on the print volume parameter are as follows:

 

PORTABLE BARCODE PRINTERS

They are designed for demanding printing conditions, usually printing on the go, and are chosen when accuracy and speed are the main performance criteria.

In this category there are:

The portable barcode label printers. which are used to print barcode labels, receipts and tickets Portable barcode label printers are ideal for: retail the hospitality the supply chain the warehouses retail stores and in the health industry & picking stations   Fast Link: portable barcode printers   The portable barcode receipt printers. which are used to print receipts, orders, etc. Portable barcode label printers are ideal for: direct sale of products service industries sales in-store check-out e-citation applications   Fast Link: portable barcode receipt printers

 

DESKTOP BARCODE PRINTERS

They are designed for low volume label printing of 2 rolls (1000 labels per day).

 

Desktop Barcode printers are ideal for:

• offices
• retail
• health sector
• small & medium enterprises
• packing and transportation
• light use for production
• management of small and medium-sized warehouses

 

  Fast Link: desktop εκτυπωτές barcode

 

MID-RANGE PRINTERS (MID-RANGE PRINTERS)

Reliable and robust, these printers are designed for medium to high print volume of 2000-7000 sheets per day.

Mid-range barcode printers are ideal for:

• Product sorting & collection stations
• Warehouse management
• Product traceability
• Production
• Transport
• Logistics
• Environments in healthcare facilities

 

HIGH PERFORMANCE BARCODE PRINTERS (INDUSTRIAL)

Built for continuous operation and critical applications in the production process.

Volume printing needs: 5000-10000 labels per day.

The industrial barcode printers are ideal for:

• warehouses
• Product sorting & collection stations
• Product traceability
• Production
• Transport
• Logistics
• Environments in healthcare facilities

Fast Link: industrial εκτυπωτές barcode

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Step 2. Determine the use that the barcode label itself will have.

 

Choosing the right label starts with evaluating the following criteria:

How will I use the barcode label? What environment will the tag be in?

Barcode label selection parameters.

• what surface it will be attached to.
• ambient temperature (max-min).
• lifetime.
• use or not of chemicals.

The parameters below will guide you to the appropriate label type for the use you want to make.

 

a. SURFACE

Depending on the surface, adhesion is also affected. The surface, then, will determine the type of adhesive and label material you will need. Labels generally stick best to a clean, smooth, non-porous surface. For example if a surface is rough and not clean then you will need a permanent label adhesive.

The surface can be divided by:

Shape: Flat, angled or curved.
Composition: Glass, metal, plastic, paper, wood, fabric, polycarbonate.
Texture: Wild, smooth, porous, non-porous.
Cleanliness: dirty, greasy, frozen, dusty.


b. TEMPERATURE

When evaluating temperature you must consider both application temperature and intended use temperature. Does the label need to withstand a refrigerated environment? Or at high temperatures? Will it be used before freezing a product or after it is frozen? Temperatures exceeding 930C or falling below -53C require thermal transfer labels.



c. USE OF CHEMICALS

Consider whether the label will be exposed to chemicals such as cleaners, oils, grease or alcohol. For example, a label that is exposed to heavy or medium chemicals such as oil/acetone requires the use of a thermal transfer label with an extra strong resin ribbon to prevent its deterioration.



d. OUTDOOR/INDOOR

Environmental conditions will determine the type of adhesive needed as well as the durability of the print. If the label is in an outdoor environment you must determine factors such as: rain, sun, humidity level, extreme hot & cold.

If indoor, specify factors such as lighting (uv, fluorescent) & environment (freezer, storage, retail)



e. STANDARDS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Important to know, if the label for the product or service you are marketing, must meet some specific conditions within the framework of compliance of a standard.

Examples of standards: UL, CSA, RoHS, REACH, MIL-SPEC and SAE.

 

g. LIFETIME

At this point you have to consider, what is the life cycle of your product. The life cycle is divided into 2 intervals. 1st interval. The longest period from the moment it is produced until the moment it is unfit for use/sale. 2The interval. The shortest period from the moment the product is sold, will be stored until the moment it is finally consumed/used.



h. SIZE – LABEL DIMENSIONS

What is its use? Will it be used as a patient wristband, as a clothing tag, in a container or as a transport label? The size of the label will determine the size of the print head as well as the dpi (dots per inch). Large labels require large print heads while small labels require a higher print resolution (dpi) so that they are easy to read.



i. INDUSTRIAL BRANCH - BRANCH OF ACTIVITY

There are industries that require label production in compliance with rules and standards or labels that require high precision and error-free printing.

It is essential to know the requirements of your industry and to have the corresponding compliance with the rules & restrictions governing the market in which you operate.

Selecting the wrong label can result in low accurate barcode reading rates due to label corruption.

See here the detailed guide:  how to choose a barcode label

See here the available dimensions: label dimensions

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Step 3. Review the different print technologies.

You basically have to match the printing technology to your needs.


LASER PRINTERS

Laser printer capabilities: high quality text and graphics on paper labels. The barcode printing density is high and can be easily read by an infrared scanner. Barcode technology printers are not suitable for industrial use. They cannot produce labels which are resistant to water and chemicals.



INKJET PRINTERS

Inkjet printer capabilities: typically used for high-speed production applications where barcodes must be placed at high speed. Inkjet printers can become expensive and complicated to use. This class of printers need constant monitoring and control to prevent jamming and maintain print quality. You cannot print barcodes on a dark background because the ink will clog and be difficult to read. If you choose an inkjet printer, choose a model that is designed for barcode printing.



THERMAL TRANSFER OR DIRECT THERMAL PRINTERS 

Both thermal transfer and direct thermal printers use a thermal print head to print on a blank label. Generally speaking, thermal printers are an ideal solution for printing text, images, graphics & barcodes because they have high printing accuracy and give a continuous, consistent quality combined with high speed. Direct thermal only printers cannot be made thermal transfer (use of ink ribbon) Printers that are thermal transfer can also print with direct thermal printing (without the use of ink ribbon)

 

DIRECT THERMAL PRINTERS

 

In direct thermal printers, the printhead comes into direct contact with the label material which interacts with the coating to produce the print. Extremely reliable/high strength with very few moving parts which minimizes the need for maintenance and repair. A label printed with a direct thermal printer is sensitive to light, heat and rough handling and has a shorter life than a label using an ink ribbon (thermal transfer)/ For example, if such a label is used on a pallet and exposed, the surface of the paper will turn black making the barcode useless.

Ideal for:

• transport labels
• patient-visitor identification
• proof
• drinks & food
• tickets

Thermal printers that are direct thermal only (do not use ink ribbon) have a lower cost because they do not contain hardware that is necessary to drive and control the ink ribbon during printing. Without ink ribbon and parts to use the ink ribbon, the printer has fewer parts to break or wear, leading to lower repair/maintenance costs.

 

THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTERS

In thermal transfer printers, the print head applies heat to an ink ribbon to print. The ink tape is made of wax or resin which is absorbed into the surface of the label. Ideal solution for barcode printing where accuracy is the main requirement. Unlike direct thermal printers, thermal transfer printers accept a wider variety of label roll materials such as paper, polyester and polypropylene. The ribbon and label must be selected carefully to ensure print performance and durability.

Here we have a much larger variety and combination of label material and adhesive. In this category it is possible to produce labels that withstand extreme temperatures, ultraviolent exposure, chemicals, etc.

For example, pharmaceutical or chemical products are ideal candidates for thermal transfer labels. The cost is comparatively higher but the legibility and durability of the label is clearly much higher.

 

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Step 4. Determine your connectivity needs.

 

Below you will see examples of connectivity that printers usually have by category


Portable barcode label printers: USB 2.0, Serial (RS233), Wireless 802.11b/g & 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth

Mobile Receipt Printers: Mobile Receipt Printers. USB 2.0, Serial (RS233), Bluetooth, Wireless 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, iRDA

Desktop Barcode printers (desktop): USB 2.0, USB Host 2.0, Ethernet LAN (10/100), Serial (RS233), Parallel, Wireless 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth.

Mid-range barcode printers: USB 2.0, USB Host 2.0, Ethernet LAN (10/100), Serial (RS233), Parallel, Wireless 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Industrial Interface, SDIO, GPIO

High-performance barcode printers – (industrial): USB 2.0, USB Host 2.0, Ethernet LAN (10/100), Serial (RS233), Dual Serial (RS232), Parallel, Wireless 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Industrial Interface , SDIO, GPIO

 

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Step 5. Do a research on the latest models on the market
and new technologies applied in your industry.

 

As with all technologies, professional barcode printing has seen significant developments. Take the time to research the latest models in the category you're interested in and understand what improvements built into them can really deliver and pay off for your business and increase the productivity of your operations and workflow.

 

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