Barcode label printers: 4 professional questions to ask before your purchase

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Buying a label printer is the ideal way to customize your own labels and barcodes. This is a real advantage when you want to print several small quantities of labels. It is also a time advantage as it is usually much quicker than professional label printing. It goes without saying that for large volumes of labels, it makes sense to contact label makers in order to benefit from better prices. 

The use of barcode labels can be wide: it can be use as pricing labels; tracking labels; identification labels; product labels&#; In order to print all your labels in-house, it is essential to have

• A printer
• Ink ribbons 
• Suitable labels 
• A label design software such as Nicelabel

In this article, we will answer the 3 main questions you should ask yourself before buying a label printer:

- What type of printing for your self-adhesive labels?
- How will you use the printer?
- What size of label to print?

You will also find all the best printers we have selected available on our SBE Direct website.

What type of printing for your self-adhesive labels?

Label printers can be equipped with a variety of printing functions and technologies. There are four techniques for printing barcode labels:

• Thermal transfer: thermal transfer printing technology uses heat to transfer the ink from the ribbon to the substrate.
• Direct thermal: in this case, there is no need for ink ribbons, thanks to a thermal print head equipped with a heating resistor. Thus, the chemically treated paper will blacken on contact with the heat.
• Inkjet printing: Inkjet printing uses ink cartridges and is mainly used for colour printing.
• Laser printing: Laser printing is similar to inkjet printing, except that it uses coloured powders and the laser to fuse the ink and the substrate.

At SBE we only work with manufacturers of thermal transfer and direct thermal transfer printers, as the print quality is superior with better adhesion. In addition, this type of printing is more suitable for synthetic labels, which we also offer.

Now that you know the printing techniques, you need to decide which one best suits your needs.

• For short term labels, direct thermal printers.
• For long term labels, we recommend thermal transfer printers.

Depending on the print choice, you can compare our self-adhesive label printers. And if you don't know which print is right for you, there are always printers with thermal transfer and direct thermal printing.

The resolution of printers is the number of dots that the printer is able to align over a given length. This can be in inches and therefore expressed in dots per inch (dpi) or in dots per inch (dpi). If we convert dpi to dots per millimetre, 203dpi is 8 dots/mm, 305dpi is 12 dots/mm and 600dpi is 24 dots/mm. 

You may not want to print barcodes, so there are specific printers for smart labels. For RFID labels, RFID printing technology writes data onto RFID chips embedded in smart labels. This type of printer is able to transmit data to the chip and encode it. For this type of label, the Sato CT4-LX printer is ideal.

What is the use of the printer?

Printer models are diverse and varied but they can be classified into three main categories. Depending on the use and environment, it is preferable to choose a certain model:

• Industrial printers: robust, imposing and durable printers that are suitable for harsh environments. They combine high quality printing with fast printing to ensure traceability of items, parts and materials in your industry.
• Desktop printers: more compact and multifunctional printers. Because of their small size, they are easy to transport and install in an office. They are suitable for printing shipping labels and identification labels.
• Portable printers: Lightweight, self-contained and mobile, these printers do not require a connection to a PC and can store a lot of information. They are ideal for price marking or sample labelling.

This classification obviously applies to the printers offered by SBE Direct:

To better understand the difference between each of our printers, I recommend that you consult the following article: How to best choose your label printer?

Also, discover our  article on ink rolls, compatible with our printers.

What is the size of the label?

The choice of a label printer is not only a question of printing technology, but also of the size of the self-adhesive label you want. Not all printers accept all label sizes.

Here is a table showing the maximum width of a label to be printed:

To complete your in-house label printing system, please check out our wide range of ink ribbons as well as our variety of labels: polypropylene labels, polyester labels, destructible labels and VOID labels.

cncvicut supply professional and honest service.

We also advise you to protect your self-printing with the transparent inventory label protectors, which will ensure a longer life for your labels at a low cost!  

If you have difficulties to choose your labels rolls, consult our article.

Posted By

Camille BABE

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5 Key Questions To Ask When Quoting Labels

The 5 Key Questions to Ask When Quoting Labels

Are you wanting to expand your product offering with a high profit consumable item? If so, labels are what you&#;re looking for! Follow the 5 Key Questions below to get started on your label journey. Each answer is a simple step into winning repeating business.

Below is an example of the quote sheet your Abbott Label rep fills out for each custom quote opportunity.

The 5 key questions to ask, covered below, will help us get you the quote you need faster.

The 5 Key Questions

1. What is the size of the label (Width x Length)?: In the label industry we measure a finished label width x length. We want to know the size so we can search our die inventory to see if we already have a tool that will work for the job. If not, we send the measurements to our DIE tool manufacture to build a new custom cutting die for your order.

2. What is the material and / or application?: If your customer has a specific material spec they use it is not a problem. Simply forward the spec to your Abbott Label representative when requesting a quote.

If you do not know the material, no problem! Just let your Abbott Label representative know what the label application is. From there we can take our 40 years of experience to suggest the perfect material / adhesive.

3. Is it printed? If yes, how so?: If Abbott Label is printing the label with either flexographic or digital printing technology; please let your Abbott Label representative know how many colors will be printed.

If you&#;re not sure, get artwork or a sample and forward to your representative.

BLANK LABELS CAN BE PRINTED! Some blank labels will be printed by your customer with a Thermal Transfer, Direct Thermal, Laser or InkJet printer. If you or your customer are not sure which method &#; let your rep know the make and model of the printer they are using.

4. Rolls &#; Fan Fold &#; Sheets?: Labels can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. However the dispensing mode they are finished to comes down to three options:

Rolls: Labels will be rolled on a paper core. Industry standard is 3&#; core diameter with an 8&#; outside diameter. A secondary standard for smaller printers / dispensers is a 1&#;core with an 4&#; outside diameter.

NOT SURE? Just find the printer&#;s / applicator&#;s make and model number. With that information your Abbott representative can suggest the correct size to maximize load capacity.

Fan-Fold: Accordion style folding at the perforation &#; stacked in a box. Fan-fold items can be finished with multiple rows of labels across. Most commonly used with thermal transfer, direct thermal or dot matrix printing.

Sheets: Single cut out sheets &#; may have internal cuts on a sheet. Stacked between chip-board inside of a poly-bag for curl protection. Then placed in a box and labeled. This is most commonly seen for return label packing slips and other laser printed items.

5. How many labels will they order at a time?: How many labels will they be ordering at a time? Abbott Label does not have a minimum but can offer discounts with larger volume orders. With our excellent service and quick turn times, Abbott Label is a great partner for Just In Time programs!

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A QUOTE TODAY

Are you interested in learning more about roll label printer? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!