What is a label printer?
Have you ever noticed the small labels or tags that are pasted on each product in some stores? On each of these labels, a barcode containing the information of that product is usually printed. These labels are printed by a label printer and are used in various businesses. This device is also known by other names such as label printer, label printer and label printer.
Labels include all types of barcodes and tags and contain information that can be identified by scanning them with a barcode scanner and its specifications can be seen. Labels can be printed on different surfaces such as stickers, cardboard, roll sheets, etc. Some label printers can also print on metal surfaces, jewelry and PVC.
The advantages of a label printer compared to a regular printer
You might imagine that the efficiency of the label printer is similar to that of ordinary printers. A regular printer may be able to meet your needs for a while, but you should definitely think about getting a label printer as your sales increase and your business expands. The advantages that this device can have for you are:
Higher quality and reducing the risk of printing unreadable barcodes
Greater confidence in higher workload and reducing the risk of printer failure
The possibility of printing as many labels as you want and saving on label paper consumption
Cost reduction in the medium term due to lower cost of equipment and less risk of failure
Types of label printers in terms of printing technology
Direct thermal label printer:
This type of printer uses direct heat for printing. In this way, by creating heat on the special paper, it causes chemical compounds to react on the paper and darken the print spots. The printing speed of the thermal printer is high and does not require ribbon and ink, but thermal and heat-sensitive paper rolls must be used. On the other hand, labels printed with these printers have a short life and are sensitive to heat or strong light.
The price of thermal printers is lower than thermal transfer printers due to the initial cost and current costs, but due to the direct connection of the machine head (the main factor that generates heat) with the label, the life of the head is less. In addition, thermal label printers need regular service and maintenance.
Indirect thermal transfer printer (Thermal Transfer):
This type of label printer is completely similar to the direct thermal printer in terms of functionality, with the difference that they use a type of technology like carbon, which is called ribbon; Therefore, it has the ability to print on different surfaces. Behind the ribbon there is a cover that prevents damage to the head of the device and acts as an insulator. Labels printed with an indirect thermal transfer printer are not sensitive to heat and light and have a long shelf life. For this reason, this type of printing is the most common process used to print quality barcodes in the world.
The use of thermal transfer printers is more because they print much better, clearer and more durable. Therefore, it can be said that despite the high price, taking into account the higher quality and longer life compared to thermal label printers, they are more economical in the long run. Biomax XT-300 label printer uses this method to print labels.
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As mentioned, in indirect thermal transfer printers, we must use ribbons for printing. For each type of label, there is a special ribbon to get the best print quality and durability.
Types of ribbons
The ribbons that can be used for printing are:
Wax ribbons: Suitable for printing on paper labels with relative durability that is sensitive to wear and moisture.
Wax Resin Ribbons: It is suitable for printing on paper and metallized labels with relatively high durability and resistance to wear and moisture.
Resin Ribbons: Suitable for printing on metal labels and property labels. With high durability and resistant to wear, water and alcohol
Super Resin Ribbon: This type of ribbon is mostly used for special purposes and for printing on property labels and PVC. Therefore, they are more resistant to strong detergents.
Types of label printers
In the continuation of the article “What is a label printer”, stay with Bayamg to learn about the types of label printers.
Desktop Label Printers: This type of printer is usually designed for light to medium jobs. It uses rolls about 10 cm (4 inches) wide and are usually quiet and inexpensive. Desktop printers can accommodate 70 to 300 meter ribbons based on their tank model. If your printing amount is less than 1000 labels per day, this type of label printer is a very good option.
Commercial or semi-industrial label printers: This type of printer can typically accommodate larger rolls, up to 20 cm (8 inches) wide, and is designed for medium-volume printing.
Industrial label printers: This printer is designed for heavy duty, continuous work in warehouses, distribution centers and factories. Portable industrial label printers are also designed for heavy-duty on-site printing. Industrial printers are used to print high volumes of labels per day, mainly in industries and chain stores. The body of these devices is often metal and they have large paper roll tanks with the possibility of using large ribbon rolls, up to 450 meters. The head of these devices is much stronger than the desktop models, and with the addition of accessories such as an automatic label cutter, a peeler and the possibility of connecting to the network, it provides many possibilities to its users.
RFID Printer (RFID Reader): These devices are special label printers that simultaneously print and encrypt the embedded chips on RFID tags and labels. These types of printers have a radio or RF encoder that transmits data to the chip, and after checking the data and making sure it is correct, the RFID printers also print the labels themselves.
Mobile label printers: basically, it is a compact and portable printer that works using an internal rechargeable battery and can print on thermal labels from 5 cm wide to finally 11 cm wide depending on the model, and from They connect to a controller, either a handheld, computer or tablet, through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication platforms. These devices are used to issue mobile price tags, codes, property tags, quality control, etc. in factories, chain stores, etc.
If you are planning to buy a label printer, in order to choose the best device according to your needs, we suggest that you read the label printer buying guide article.
