Choosing the Right Label Printer for Your Business

Whether used for shipments, products, or equipment needed to conduct operations, printed labels offer an optimal way to identify items quickly and easily. They can be used for various applications as a means to organise and manage any tracking system, and there are a number of different types of label and printing options suitable for your business needs.  

Label printers come in a range of formats, from desktop, to stand alone and industrial, for low level printing to larger scale industrial applications. Choosing the right printer for your printing level demands and business needs is vital in order to achieve maximum practicality and cost efficiency. Desktop label printers are ideal as a lower volume printing solution for offices or smaller retailers. Industrial sized printers in comparison are suited for the continuous printing of thousands of labels, for a quick turnaround. There are also mobile printers, which are suited to printing labels on the move. Connecting to a range of smart devices such as tablets and phones, this option would be beneficial for companies within transportation or logistics, or those operating outside for instance. 

 

 

Label printers allow businesses of any size and within any environment to enhance the accuracy of their data for any assets or stock, at the same time increasing efficiency and maintaining consistency in operations. When choosing the right label printer there are a number of questions to consider, some of which include:

• What is being labelled, and what conditions will the label will be exposed to?
• What will be the printing volume and cycle level?
• Where will the printing be carried out, at fixed station or in a mobile environment?
•  How long does the label need to last?
• What will be printed on the label, and what label sizes are needed?

The types of label needed can vary massively according to the different industry your business falls within. For example, small silver polyester labels, are designed specifically for use as a security device, often to protect high value goods such as electrical equipment from unauthorised access or tampering. Polyester is a durable label material for high performance requirements, and can withstand harsh weather conditions, chemicals, or extremely high or low temperature environments.

Printing on label rolls is a rapid way to print fixed label designs for use in sales or automatic machines. These labels are versatile, and come in a range of materials including vinyl, aluminium and paper. Labels in rolls can easily be transferred between print machines, such as direct, thermal or ink injection printers. 

Clear and concise label design is essential for medical, chemical and food processing companies, where labelling needs to provide critical information to prevent danger. Digital label printers are best suited for companies within these industries, because of the high quality and clarity of the label graphic and text that will not fade over time.

 

Once the requirements for labelling are apparent, it will be easier to select the type of printer that would best fit the needs of your business in line with time and budget. Thermal printers are an efficient and practical solution for businesses in that they support the application of most materials from paper to synthetic, like polypropylene and polyester, for a range of different environments. Most barcode labels are produced by thermal based printers, as they are provide a cost effective solution compared to the other technologies, and achieve a precise, clear print for even the simplest scanning device.

There are two types of thermal printing, direct thermal and thermal transfer, which both have different functions according to the demands of a business. 

Direct Thermal Printing – direct thermal printers are simplistic, and do not use a ribbon. This form of printing creates a clear print quality with good scanning ability for barcode labelling. Direct thermal printers are highly effective for short term labelling, such as shipping or mailer labels.

Thermal Transfer Printing - labels printed through thermal transfer are also noted for their clarity, and can often have a glossy finish. Using a ribbon, thermal transfer printers produce a durable, reliable label solution for a number of business applications. The ribbon used for thermal transfer label printers also determine the labels’ suitability for use, as the three different types of ribbon, wax, was resin and resin, can function to improve label resilience to substances, resistance to wear or image quality. 

The TSC printing range offers a diverse selection of thermal label printers and equipment ideal for office based operations to large scale applications. To see their range of desktop printers and label printing devices, and for more information on available label printers, please contact the Phoenix Supplies team on 08454 66 66 55.