Barcode Printers - Making the Right Choices

The need for bar codes is increasing these days along with its popularity. Since the bar codes are an electronic system of identification, their usage has increased four folds. Such a method of identification is generated using special software known as bar code software and is then printed on labels with the help of bar code printers. But these printers can be purchased only from retail outlets and not from any printer shops.

One can also buy these printers online too. But before purchasing one must be aware of all the varieties of these bar code printers available in the market. The bar code printers are either hand held or desktop ones, and are available at various price levels suitable for every budget and all pockets. The most commonly used printers such as laser jet and inkjet printers cannot be used for printing bar codes as they are not equipped to print barcodes. So to make them able for bar code printing, there is a need to fit an additional module to be able to do so. But these printers provide limited symbologies.

The requirement for multiple symbologies for a bar code printer can be met by thermal barcode printers. Zebra and Symbol are the most popular brands of thermal bar code printers. Thermal printer prints the barcodes either by direct thermal printing or thermal transfer. The printing method of both the printers is different from each other. The direct printing method prints the barcode directly on the label, while thermal transfer makes use of a print head and ribbon. The only disadvantage that a thermal transfer printer faces is the need for changing the ribbon repeatedly which may lead to shutting down of printers for some time and then restarting again.

One can even buy a large printer which can perform the double function of both direct thermal printing and thermal transfer printing. It is of much importance in manufacturing places where there is need for both the printings. One can save the time as well as money while printing but it has only one shortcoming that it has a limited capacity for printing bar codes. The direct thermal printers are preferable for small jobs only where the requirement of printing bar codes is small.

Thermal transfer printers on the other hand have no such limitations. They do not have limiting capacities for printing bar codes and are much preferred where the need for printing bar codes is long term. Keeping in note the printing capacity one must also ensure a larger printing width of the printer as this will help in quick printing of bar codes. Even the type of paper or material on which the barcode has to be printed is the deciding factor for selecting the barcode printer.

Since the manufacturers of bar code printing have exceedingly becoming a victim of counterfeiting, they have installed multiple security features into their barcode printers so that they can save from being forged. One such feature to counteract counterfeiting is the RFID tag which is popularly known as Radio Frequency Identification Devices which helps in ensuring the authenticity of the printer as well as checking any attempt at duplicating.