There’s a lot to think about when buying a new barcode printer. Performance, capability and size are key considerations which will depend on various factors, such as your specific application requirements and the space that you’re working in.

Whether you’re buying your first barcode printer or looking at replacing what you’ve currently got, we’ve broken down some key things to bear in mind to help you find the device that best suits your needs.

1. Take the stress out of integrating a new printer

Upgrading your printers is a daunting prospect, especially if you are used to your existing devices or feel tied to your current brand for fear of disrupting your operation. Luckily, BCI technology – also known as Basic Command Interpreter technology – gives you the freedom to explore alternatives. BCI enables connectivity to a wide range of systems without the need for system changes, so you can gradually replace your print estate instead of overhauling all your devices at once.

All Toshiba barcode printers benefit from this handy feature so no matter the application, they can understand the language of your existing devices and print correct label formats via other data flows. Whatever your brand of printer, our pre-sales support staff can help you to integrate one new Toshiba printer at a time, without the huge cost of committing to an entirely new fleet.

2. The value of reliable service

It’s vital to have kit you can rely on but from time to time an issue could arise which may require maintenance, to ensure that your operations can continue to run without a hitch. That’s why it’s important to consider the level of service you’ll receive should you ever need support. The first thing to ask yourself is: one for all or all for one? For the most part, engineers look after devices from any number of different brands; Toshiba, on the other hand, is the only thermal printer manufacturer with their own engineers throughout mainland UK. Our devices are serviced by a fully trained team who exclusively look after Toshiba printers, so they know the kit inside out.

For even more peace of mind, it’s prudent to select devices that come with a robust warranty so that any post-setup problems can quickly be resolved. All Toshiba industrial printers come with a 3-months on-site and 21 months return-to-base warranties as standard, which can also be upgraded to on-site for added reassurance. With this option, should you need one, you can expect a visit from an engineer within as little as 8 hours.

3. Reduce waste to increase savings

To keep the cost of consumables down, try to avoid unnecessary ribbon usage. It may sound easier said than done, but ribbon save technology gives the peace of mind that ribbons aren’t going to waste. Developed and patented by Toshiba, this unique technology reduces ribbon consumption to ultimately lower the cost of ownership over the course of a printer’s life. With ribbon save, as the non-printable area of a label is reached, the printhead raises itself and the ribbon motor stops. In the long run, this neat little feature can deliver savings of up to 75% on your ribbon consumption.

4. Size does matter!

Frequent ribbon changes can slow down production, so the longer the ribbon, the more efficient your operation will be. Not to mention, longer ribbons require fewer restocks, take up less storage space and requires less packaging. You’ll easily find 450 m and 600 m ribbons out there, but if you want the longest ribbon on the market then it’s Toshiba you need to turn to: our 800 m ribbon is a cut above the industry standard. And using our unique ribbons saving technology to only use ribbon when required, even less changes are necessary.

5. Are you a linerless label lover, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ fanatic, or a multi-size stasher?

Holding several label sizes in stock to suit various print jobs can be costly and hard to manage, while a ‘one size fits all’ approach also comes with downsides – especially when using large labels for very small prints! Linerless labels, on the other hand, are a smart alternative for reducing inventory and ensuring labels are suitably sized for each print job. Toshiba’s innovative “save technology” for the direct thermal process ensures that only the label length required is actually printed, and since our linerless labels have no backing paper, wastage is significantly reduced. If you’re committed to sustainability, then go linerless!

6. Cut production time where possible

Many factors can impact print speed, so it’s important to select a device that eliminates unnecessary inefficiency. The label-cutting process can slow down thermal printers, and the traditional disc cutting method often struggles against demanding requirements. A rotary cutter is a way around this, giving Toshiba printers the fastest cutting performance out there. Available on the EX4 and EX6 industrial devices, the unique rotary cutter is ideal for manufacturing companies seeking a highly efficient, high-speed option. (The B-EX6T1 can print 10 labels in just 3 seconds, compared to 12 seconds on a printer with a standard disc cutter!)

With its precise, non-stop cutting method and capacity for thicker materials, a rotary cutter is 75% quicker than traditional disc cutting methods.

7. If you can pre-empt downtime, you can ensure technology uptime

Selecting a provider with easy device management for its products can help you save some serious money, especially when considering the huge cost of production downtime. All Toshiba printers can be centrally managed using the supplied SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) software, making status checks and other remote settings tasks available in real-time, from a single access point. This enables complete remote management of your printer and even supports an alert function that can pre-empt certain failures and notify relevant people; for example, when you are at the last 25% of ribbon, an alert can be emailed to a particular individual so that any potential downtime can be prevented. Priceless!

8. Look for features that extend the life of your printer and lower the overall cost

Barcode label printers work around the clock to keep your products moving. The printhead is a vital, hard-working component of a printer and the longer they can last, the less you’ll have to spend in the long-run on replacements or production downtime.

Most manufacturers use flat-head edge technology on their printers, making Toshiba’s own near-edge head technology fairly unique. But what is it? Near-edge technology provides high print speeds and gets its name from the fact that only the front edge of the printhead touches the ribbon, reducing contact and wear-and-tear on the printhead. Using a floating printhead eliminates the need to adjust its pressure, since it automatically adapts to the thickness of a label. By reducing friction on the printhead, its life is significantly extended, contributing to the low cost of ownership of our printers.

Source: https://www.toshibatec.co.uk/