The selection of the most suitable thermal printer is dependent on a number of variables that collectively dictate a printer’s overall sticker price. In general terms, the more printer features and options one chooses– the higher the printer’s sticker price.

Having completed the exercise of outlining one’s application requirements and budget criteria, you can now proceed to analyze which thermal printer model is best suited for your application based on the following printer performance variables:

Required Image Longevity & Stability
The environmental conditions that both the printer and label will be exposed to are important criteria to consider in choosing the right thermal printer for the job. Some Zebra printers, for example, are specifically designed for harsh industrial environments to endure hardship versus others which are better equipped for moderate to light industrial or office use, as dictated by the application. (The next section entitled Zebra/Eltron printers at a Glance will highlight the differences in industrial grades between the various Zebra printer models).

Direct Thermal versus Thermal Transfer
In terms of label longevity and stability, thermal transfer is the only alternative if crisp, long-lasting images are required to last for a number of years - e.g. 1 or more years. Direct thermal printers, in comparison, are ideal for short-term applications where the label is only required to last for a limited amount of time – e.g. 1 week to 1 year. Bear in mind that direct thermal is not as durable as thermal transfer, especially when exposed to direct sunlight or other harsh chemicals. Direct thermal paper varieties are also somewhat more limited than those available for thermal transfer printers.

Volume of Label Output Required per Day
Another important factor to consider in the printer selection process is the daily required label output or volume. Some Zebra printers are designed to operate continuously, during peak print cycles or non-stop for 24 hour cycles, while others are better suited for lower volume, intermittent printing. The volume of labels coupled with the application environment frequently determine which thermal printer is best suited to accommodate or perform to that capacity.

DPI Resolution
Most Zebra printer models offer a standard of 203dpi resolution. Certain Zebra models, however, also offer higher print resolution options like that of 152, 300 or even 600 dpi. Depending on your application, higher resolutions or dots per inch may be required to facilitate the printing of text and bar codes on small or miniaturized labels, such as those commonly used in the electronics or pharmaceutical industries for component or specimen labeling. Higher print resolutions enable more detailed labeling (often highly miniaturized and compact) to be accomplished without impairing print quality and scanner readability.

Print Speed
Print speed is yet another factor that differentiates one Zebra printer from another. Some printer models can outperform others, printing at a maximum print speed of up to 12ips (inches per second). Others are more limited printing at maximum print speeds of 2ips. Still others print within designated ranges between 2 and 6ips. Depending on the application and the daily volume of labels required, print speeds are important issues to consider to ensure that the specified daily volume requirement is met and that the printer can produce labels as quickly as required.

Note: A printer's true print speed, irrespective of the print speed that is published on the printer specification sheet, is dependent upon two criteria: (1) printing time and (2) label formatting time. Throughput is the combined equivalent of printing time plus formatting time. It denotes the time span from receipt of the print command to the completion of the printing process. Formatting time is the time required to convert the program to an image of the label. Depending on the complexity of the label format and the printer's ability to process this information in an efficient manner, label formatting time can sometimes cause significant print delays, effecting a printer's overall print speed capability. Such delays can be annoying as well as costly if they occur in a production environment where time and on-demand print capability are of the essence.

Zebra has combated the issue of print speed format delays by engineering many of its printers with sophisticated electronics, e.g. dual processors (on our Xi Series printers) which enable the printer to format a label while printing. In addition, our ZPLII (Zebra Programming Language) optimizes print speed and first label output through its ability to begin printing the label image even before the label format processing is complete.

Print Width
Print width, similar to print speed, differs from one Zebra printer to another. Many of Zebra's printer models are designed to print 4" wide labels. Still others print can print 3", 5" or 6.6" labels. The widest available print width on a Zebra printer is 8.5". Depending on the application and your required label width (e.g. the widest label you will need to print), print width becomes yet another criteria that one must consider in choosing the right printer for the job.

Note: Label images can frequently be rotated to print in landscape or portrait mode through the printer programming code or software, e.g. ZPLII or BAR-ONE. Consider the following example:

A 6" wide printer can print a 4" x 6" format in one of two ways: (1) vertically in portrait mode or (2) horizontally in landscape mode, as demonstrated by the visual examples below. By simply rotating an image using the software or programming code, a 6" wide printer can effectively print a 6" wide format. Thus, expanding its application uses even further.

ex. 4W x 6L

ex. 6W x 4L

In the 4"W x 6"L format depicted above, the bar code is shown in a "ladder" style format. The 6"W x 4"L bar code format is shown in a "picket fence" style. Zebra's E3 (Element, Energy, Equalizer) print-head technology, inherent within all Zebra Xi Series printers, ensures that the correct amount of heat is delivered to each part of a print-head at all print speeds in order to optimize the quality of the barcodes that are produced. E3 is particularly helpful when printing ladder style bar codes, which are the more difficult of the two bar code formats to produce. It also prolongs print-head life by activating only those heating elements that need to be activated at a given point in time, translating to less wear.

Printer Options
One of the last factors to consider when purchasing a thermal printer are the printer options that are required and/or desired for the application or user operating the printer. Depending on the printer, certain features are offered standard, while others are offered as options at additional cost. Depending on the printer model, these options include:

Many Zebra printers offer such options as standard features which naturally has a bearing on printer list price. As a general rule of thumb, the fancier the options – the higher the printer list price. Any of these options, incorporated either independently or in conjunction with one another into a printer can help it to perform and adapt more readily, not only, to the constraints of your application, but more importantly, to the user’s preferred mode of operation and / or work habits. The peel mode option, for example, when installed on a Zebra printer can facilitate quicker label application for a user. In peel mode, the printer will actually separate the label from its liner backing making it easier for the user to grab and simply adhere the label to the item versus having to remove the label from its liner manually. Such time saving options can greatly facilitate label output and in some cases even improve worker morale.

More importantly, however, when a proper balance is reached between printer performance capability and application criteria and/or budget, the printer becomes a more natural extension of the worker or operator, facilitating their ability to do their job more efficiently. Thus, increasing their overall productivity which translates to increased profits and money savings to the organization as a whole.