A Zebra label printer that makes the right label
Choosing a label printer is ninety per cent choosing what has to be on the label and how long it has to last. The printer follows from that — and the label, the ribbon and the software belong to the same decision.
Four properties of the label decide the printer
Start here rather than at the model list; otherwise you buy a printer that cannot make the label you need.
- How long must it stay readable?Direct thermal fades in heat and sunlight and is meant for short turnaround. Thermal transfer with a ribbon stays good for years. For a freezer store, outdoor storage or an archive that is not a preference but a requirement.
- How small is the smallest code?Small 2D codes and fine text ask for a higher resolution. A low-resolution printer is cheaper and produces a code the scanner cannot read — and you find that out in the process, not at purchase.
- How wide is the label?Print width is a hard limit and cannot be adjusted. Pick it on the widest label you make today, with room for the one that arrives next year.
- What does it stick to?Cardboard, film, metal, a frozen product or a wristband. Surface and temperature decide the adhesive, and the wrong adhesive lets go in exactly the conditions you bought it for.
Which version for which use
Four versions that between them cover almost any labelling application.
Zebra ZD range, direct thermal
Shipping labels, receipts and counter labels with a short life. No ribbon needed, so lower cost per label and fewer handling steps.
Zebra ZD range, thermal transfer
Same footprint, with a ribbon. For labels that have to stay readable for months or years without the volume being industrial.
Zebra ZT range, thermal transfer
Industrial, for thousands of labels per shift and for conditions where a desktop model does not belong.
Zebra ZQ range, mobile
Labelling at the item: in the aisle, on the forklift, at the delivery. Saves the walking back and forth that adds up over a day.
How you buy it from us
The same device can be ordered anywhere. What comes with it differs, and that is where the money and the time sit.
- Buy or rentFor equipment that lasts years, buying is usually better value; with fluctuating numbers or a season, renting is calmer. The same equipment either way — the choice is about your situation and not about the product.
- Delivered ready to useConfigured, registered in management and tested before it ships. At larger volumes sorted per site or per user and delivered straight to the address.
- Warranty and replacement handledWe handle the warranty instead of sending you to a service number, and we track which serial number sits where and when cover ends. Where downtime costs money directly, we supply pre-configured spares.
- The old equipment goes back with usCollected, wiped to the standard and disposed of with certification, and you get the certificate. That belongs to the lifecycle and not to a separate job afterwards.
Lead time depends on the model and on the manufacturer. We quote the term the manufacturer gives and report it the moment it shifts, rather than naming a date that sounds good. Call +31 85 060 9347 or email info@itproposal.com.
See also
What this connects to.
Questions we get about this
The ones that come up most, answered briefly.
What resolution do I need?
That follows from the smallest code on the label. Small 2D codes and fine text ask for a higher resolution; a low-resolution printer produces a code the scanner cannot read, and you find that out in the process.
Do you supply the labels and ribbons as well?
Yes, and they belong to the same decision. Surface and temperature decide the adhesive, and the wrong adhesive lets go in exactly the conditions you bought it for.
Tell us what you need, we work it out
Quantity, use and where it has to go. The model follows from that, and the quote follows from the model — with the lead time the manufacturer is giving at that moment.
Practical IT knowledge in your inbox
New guides on management, security and the workplace, written by the people doing the work. No sales talk, and you can unsubscribe in one click.