1. How to select the right barcode printer
2. Thermal Transfer vs. Direct Thermal – What is the difference
3. Resolution
4. Print Head - When to change
5. Interface types
6. Printer Width - Why decide the LABEL size first followed by printer width
7. Printing Software
8. Printer Memory
9. Ribbon
10. Label
11. Printer Options

1. How to select the right barcode printer

1. Quantity - How many label printing a day ?
   

   Label per day	Printer type
   100 – 1000	Desktop
   1000 – 3000	Light Industrial
   3000 - onwards	Industrial

    
2. Quality - What print resolution is required ?
   Resolution is measured by dpi (dots per inch). More dpi provides a sharper image.
   

   Dpi available	Purpose
   203 dpi	Most commonly used.
   300 dpi	For logo or fine barcode printing
   600 dpi	Laser printing quality. To print image files or high quality printing.

   
    
3. Size - How big is the required label ?
   Label size is usually based on the amount of information required on the label.
   More information means the label should be larger.
   

   Printer Width	Purpose
   2 inch	Ticketing; Wrist band
   3 inch	Van sales
   4 inch	Most common – retail, manufacturing
   6 inch	Compliance labeling for shipping; Pallet labeling; Drum labeling; warning labels
   8 inch	Compliance labeling for shipping; Pallet labeling; Drum labeling; warning labels

   
    
4. Print Speed
   This is related to amount of labels required to print a day.
   More speed is required to print more labels in a shorter period of time.
   High speed printers are normally Industrial based printers.
    
5. Consumables
   Some label material such as Art card may not be suitable for some printers.
   Thermal labels cannot print on thermal transfer only printers.
   So always be sure on what you plan to print.

2. Thermal Transfer vs. Direct Thermal – What is the difference

• Most printers will have already these 2 options installed
• Thermal Transfer requires ribbon to transfer an image (data) onto the label
• Direct Thermal requires thermal label to transfer an image (data). No ribbon required
• Use Thermal Transfer labels when labels are required to last longer than 6 months.
• Direct thermal labels may fade or become yellow under high heat just as sunlight. It may show scratches if there is too much contact. Thus, it is for short term only.
   

3. Resolution

• Refers to the print out quality after it is printed out of the thermal printer.
• More resolution brings out a clearer image.
• It is measured by DPI (dots per inch) that comes from the printhead.
• Most common DPI is 203.

4. Print Head

• Always be careful with the printhead.
• Once damaged, it will affect the label print out.
• This is one of the most expensive part of a printer that requires replacement.
• Average lifespan is 25km. With regular service, it may last longer.

5. Interface types

• This is a type of connection to connect the printer to a PC system.
• Type of common interfaces are : USB | Parallel | Serial (RS232) | Ethernet (Network)

6. Printer Width - Why decide the LABEL size first followed by printer width

• Label size is usually based on the amount of information required on the label.
• More information means the label should be larger.
• Once you confirm the maximum size of label, you can choose the printer with the specific width.
• Most common size is 4” thus printer cost is lower compared to wide label printers. Cost can be 5 or more times more expensive.

7. Printing Software

• Barcode printers need printing software to create labels.
• Commonly there 2 ways to design a label from :
  (1) Barcode Designer software such as Bartender & Label Matrix
  (2) Programming languages like VB.Net, C#, JAVA, ASP.NET
• If you are not a programmer, the Barcode Designer software will be useful & easy to use.
• Most printers will already come with a standard Barcode Designer software but with limited feature, just enough to design, input data & print.
• For more features like database linking and label tracking, you need to pay a licensed copy separately.

8. Printer Memory

• There are 2 types of memory : RAM & Flash.
• RAM (short-term memory) : This is used when we send a command to print a label job. Information is taken from the PC to the printer.
• Flash (long-term memory) : This permanently stores information on the printer such as commonly used label formats or fonts.
• The printer may need to ‘clear memory’ time to time when the memory is full. By not doing so, it may not be able to print out the data correctly or properly.

9. Ribbon

• This is the material that provides the visible information of the label.
• Colour is normally Black but there are other colours like; Red | Green | Blue | White
• Very important, always match the right ribbon with the right label material otherwise the printout may not be well visible.
• Ribbon is a protective layer for the printhead.
• Always ensure that the ribbon width is wider than the label width otherwise the sides of the label may scratch the printhead leaving a visible line every time it prints out.
• When ordering the ribbon, inform what requirements are needed. Best to inform the printer brand & model. Some requirements would be :
  core size | with/out notch | Face In / Face Out | with/out double core | left/right side winding.

10. Label

• Every printer will have a minimum & maximum print width.
• Check if your label is within the printing limit.
  Example : Wide label printer (8” printer) cannot print on 2” labels.

11. Printer Options