Label printers are very important for managing and labeling stock. They are quite useful whether you are working at the distribution center, in the factory, or at the office.
In this guide, we will be exploring the types of label printers. We will also get to know how a label printer works and what its uses are. Let’s take a deep dive into the types of label printers and in which circumstances they are perfect to be used. But before that, let’s get to know what exactly a label printer is.
A special-purpose printer specifically designed to print the labels on a variety of materials is known as the label printer. The material on which the labels are printed may vary. These may be plastic or thermosensitive paper. Whatever the material of the label is, it should be such that it supports long-term storage and can withstand extreme weather conditions as well.
Types of Label Printers
Industrial Label Printers
An industrial label printer can print labels that can not only withstand hot and wet temperatures but can also work better for high-traffic environments. These printers are specifically used for high volume printing so they must be heavy-duty as well as durable.
Laser Printers
By using an electrostatic digital printing process, a laser printer produces good-quality printed material by passing a laser beam over a light-sensitive drum. If you require printing labels at home or office that are also durable and can withstand wet and cold temperatures, laser printers are not a bad choice at all. They can not only print text with simple graphics but can also print in monochrome and color.
Thermal Transfer Label Printers
These types of printers use a thermal transfer printing technology in which the costing of ribbon is melted and material is applied to the paper, plastic, or polyester so that the print can be glued to the material. The print ribbon used is made of resin, wax, or a combination of resin and wax. Moreover, with a thermal transfer printer, you can print:
- Safety labels
- Barcode labels
- Arc flash labels and much more!
The best thing? This custom label printer can print labels whenever you need them.
As they produce long-lasting and high-quality labels, these printers are in much demand these days.
Direct Thermal Label Printers
Another type of label printers is direct thermal label printers that use heat-sensitive or chemically treated media to create printed images. Unlike thermal transfer printers that use ink ribbon, these types of printers produce labels that have a specific layer of chemicals underneath the surface of the labels. This type of label printer machine is easy to set up and affordable as well.
Desktop Label Printers
For light to medium office use, the desktop label printers are the best option. As the name suggests, you can put this type of printer on a desktop so if you do not have enough space for putting a printer, you can buy a desktop printer. Not only there are compact and inexpensive but they can produce high-resolution prints as well.
Portable Label Printers
The printers that you can use on location without any plug-in or wireless connections are known as portable or mobile label printers. As they are suitable for light to heavy-duty use so you can use them in residential, commercial, or industrial settings.
Which Type of Label Printer is Suitable for your Business?
So, now you have come to know the types of label printers. The question that arises here is which type of label printer is right for your business. The answer is very simple. You need to identify the needs of your business. You must decide whether you want to put the printer on the table, or you want the printer to print the labels on the go. In such a case, you will have a desktop or a mobile label printer respectively. Plus, you need to determine the ideal size of the label along with the maximum amount of time until the label can exist.
Final and Last Thoughts:
From the above discussion, we hope that now you are able to make an educated choice and an informed decision about buying the right label printer for your business.