Avoid Label Printing Problems
The last thing to be placed on an item before it’s shipped out the door is the Shipping Label. When a manufactured product is complete it is packaged and labeled.
Labels are technically a critical part of every business. However, the thermal label printer in shipping or an office is looked at like a stapler. Manufacturers report 47% downtime due to labeling disruptions. Technically speaking all printers are Mission Critical. Production stops when:
When your printer breaks down
Your print head has voids, rendering the barcodes unreadable
You run out of labels
Your printer media jams
A label adhesive fails
Keep Your Mission Critical Printer Running
Potential label printing problems can be avoided by a few consistent steps, purchasing the right supplies and finding a supplier who is qualified and you can count on.
Clean the darn thing:
PROBLEM: Regardless of your environment all printers produce “label dust” and have platens and printhead that need to be cleaned.
SOLUTION: Keep a bottle of 90% + Isopropyl alcohol next to the printer along with a clean wiping cloth. When you change your ribbon, wipe down and clean the printhead and platen roller. Vacuum or blow out the label dust that collects inside the printer as often as needed.
Check your label and ribbon material type & quantity:
PROBLEM: Thinking the cheapest label and thermal ribbon combinations won’t damage your printer. (you get what you pay for)
SOLUTIONS: This one can be tricky so place the call to one of our sales technicians. DT or TT labels and thermal ribbons are only manufactured by a handful of companies. Our experience with thousands of clients’ will:
Let you know which combinations work best.
What materials are ISO 9001Certified and meet Mil-Spec standards.
Which Specialty Material performs better than others.
Which media delivers the best value for the price. Ever-increasing raw material costs are making this more and more important.
Ask for pricing on your annual supply of media. We can hold stock and ship it when you need them.
Printer Logistics:
PROBLEM: Your labels are too dark or light, barcodes have white lines thru them, labels jam, connectivity is lost, etc.
SOLUTIONS: You are not alone, different label sizes shapes and material all require specific print settings. Luckily, nearly all newer industrial printers come with self-diagnostics and on-screen assistance. Reliable manufacturers offer online help. Technical assistance and multiple care programs. Barcode Factory will help you find the answers or additional equipment that will solve all these problems.
