Feature Logistics Thermal printing in logistics
Jörk Schüßler, European marketing manager for Citizen Systems Europe, explains how thermal printers have met and in some cases exceeded the capability of laser printers to offer simple, reliable, economical printing in the logistics sector
high-quality text and graphics onto paper, with the resolution to produce barcodes that can be read with an infrared scanner. However, thermal printers are said to offer some advan- tages over laser printers. This is because there is no messy toner to handle during reloading with thermal printers, while the lesser number of components (essentially a heating ele- ment in the print head and a motor that moves the paper) is said to improve energy efficiency over laser printing and reduce the need for main- tenance. Desktop thermal printers are also a lot smaller and can conveniently fit into small spaces, while the addi- tion of wireless connectivity, LAN capability and Bluetooth technologies have all brought greater mobility to thermal solutions.
A
lthough laser printers are widely used throughout the logistics sector they are not without their problems: cost of ownership,
unreliability, paper jams, ozone gener- ation and paper dust being just a few, according to Schüßler.
Nonetheless, laser printers do pro- vide a simple solution for printing A4 invoices, route plans and delivery notes. Schüßler says however that there is an alternative in the form of low cost, low maintenance thermal printers. These are capable of output up to six inches wide – making them suitable for A5 documents – with soft- ware being capable of downsizing existing materials to fit. Although A5 might require a slight change in oper- ating procedures, the format is more than adequate for most applications, with the added benefit that thermal printing technology offers a number of important advantages over laser. Laser printers work in the same way as photocopiers, charging particles of the paper to attract ions from the ink and bonding the two with heat and pressure. Laser printers can deliver
S8
Thermal printers can enhance efficiency in warehouses
Thermal printers are capable of output up to six inches wide making them suitable for A5 documents
Right: Thermal printers such as those offered by Citizen Systems Europe, have a number of
advantages for the logistics sector
Schüßler says the reduction in maintenance, energy consumption and waste achieved by thermal printing means a lower total lifetime cost com- pared with laser printers and so often the choice is between direct thermal printers (with no ribbon) and thermal transfer printers (with a ribbon). In logistics, the capability for whole- sale suppliers to print consignment notes quickly and simply considerably increases the efficiency of warehouse processes. And where a company operates its service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, delivering millions of items every week, the effect of this enhanced efficiency can be dramatic. Using laser printers to print consign- ment notes is far from ideal as they are time consuming to use and maintain, putting unnecessary pressure on our warehouse operatives. The printers can also be unwieldy and heavy. Above all, laser printers are typically extremely costly to run, fre- quently requiring the replacement and installa- tion of expensive toner cartridges.
By consulting a leading manufacturer of label printers with an expertise in designing for the logistics market,
JANUARY 2013 Materials Handling & Logistics
you can ensure the right printer speci- fication. Useful advice and support is also provided by value-added resellers who are able to evaluate the available technologies and provide the most suitable system to enable your labelling to be carried out with the optimum levels of reliability and effi- ciency.
From the now archaic daisy wheel and golfball printers, through dot matrix, ink jet and laser, to today’s advanced thermal printers, the face of the printing industry has changed rad- ically over the last quarter of a century. Citizen Systems Europe is a special-
ist in printer design, building machines with features that offer hassle-free, high quality output with minimal
maintenance. Citizen
Systems Europe operates from loca- tions throughout Europe covering the EMEA region. It offers a wide range of printers for industrial, retail, health- care and mobile applications special- ising in label, barcode, portable and point-of-sale printers. In each case, the company’s products are sold and supported by a network of specialised partners.
Citizen System Europe 020 8893 1900
www.citizen-europe.com Enter 351
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56