How product image is conceived has changed dramatically in recent years. With innovative and technological processes, systems, and business models, packaging and adhesive labels have become versatile elements that extend the brand image, generate a visual impact, are modern, and adapt to any product.
In the last five years, digital label printing has undoubtedly become a fundamental printing process, with excellent examples of high quality in applications for consumer goods and other label-demanding sectors. But it is not just at this level; digital printing has made it easier for companies to have customized labels to differentiate products and make them stand out in the marketplace from the competition while building a brand image that stays in consumers’ minds.
The benefits of using self-adhesive labels printed using all-digital methods are now widely accepted by many brand owners and retail groups. These benefits include the speed of response, lower inventories, on-demand delivery, new product promotion possibilities, mass customization, and the ability to print short runs.
Color label printers are straightforward to operate since, depending on the model, they usually have a very intuitive panel that will indicate the size of the paper you have to use and the amount of ink remaining.
We know that printers are not cheap, but they can be very profitable in the long run. Investing in a good printer makes your labels look perfect. You no longer need to send to any company to produce your product labels; you can do it yourself by printing only the ones you need. This way, you will avoid wasting tags that you don’t use, and you will forget about days and days waiting for the labels of your new product to arrive. Once you design them, you can print them, and you will have them ready in an instant.
Having your printer will speed up the production process, and your product can be finished much sooner, which is a good time and money saver.
When purchasing label printers, you should consider the factors that can influence the choice of the best model: one that suits your needs is vital. The number of labels that can be printed per day, the quality of printing, the barcode symbologies required by the application, the ease of use of the equipment, and its total cost of ownership (TCO), are some of the elements considered before purchasing this type of equipment.
Thermal printers explicitly designed for label production tend to be much more cost-effective even when used for low volumes. These printers provide greater convenience and have a wider variety of consumables, consistent print quality, and superior performance when it comes to barcode production.
Inkjet label printers have the same advantages and limitations as laser printers. However, their prices are usually lower. But this initial cost should not be translated as a low cost since it is taken into account that the TCO is down due to the recurring cost of constantly replacing or refilling ink cartridges.
Thermal label printers work by using controlled heat to print images on a substrate. In direct thermal printing, the printhead applies heat to an area on the thermal substrate, creating a dark picture in that area. This system’s advantage is that it does not require inks or toner, so the only consumable is labels or paper.
