Basis

1. What can we do by using bar code printers?

With bar code printers you can print labels or tags under an unfavorable condition and/or in continuous printing that can not be realized by laser printers. In addition bar code printers assure the same density image for barcode scanning in continuous operation, and you can get equally clear labels at necessary quantity on demand. Using TEC bar code printers you can issue various labels for various applications such as shipping labels, Item labels, Container label, Bar code label, Ticket, and Industry standard label (SSCC 18, SCC 14, EIA556-A etc). Also, you can connect printers to autolabelers, or install them as a component of large system like ticket printing.

2. Please advise me of necessary environment to use bar code printers? (Hardware, software, and supplies)

To operate a bar code printer, you have to prepare following items as a minimum environment.
1) PC
2) Off the shelf application software to design label format or proprietary application
3) Thermal transfer ribbon and Media
4) Cable to connect the printer to PC (RS-232C, Centronics etc)

3. Please advise me of the difference between direct thermal and thermal transfer print method.

Direct thermal
Direct thermal print method means to print on special media with thermal which change the color by heat of printer thermal heads. Direct thermal method does not require either ribbon or its control mechanism for printing. So you can get labels comparatively at low cost. But on the other hand, the labels are weak at long-term preservation.

Thermal transfer
Thermal transfer print method means to print on conventional media with ink ribbons which consist of ink layer and film layer. Ink layer are transferred on the media melted by heat of printer thermal head. Although the print cost is comparatively high than direct thermal method, you can get various quality labels by utilizing appropriate ribbon types according to the application, for instance, Wax ribbon for standard label, Super premium ribbon for high quality printed label and so on.

4. Please advise me about the variety of bar code and how to use them.

5. How should we select bar code printers?

Recently barcode printers are required various features according to the expansion of application and systems that utilize bar code. However, no printer can meet those requirements at the same time unfortunately. So TOSHIBA TEC prepares various printers to provide suitable solution for each customer's application. A model for wide-web printing, a model to build up system at a low cost, a model used at mobile environment or a model with network capability. You can select appropriate printers out of our wide range of product line-up. Please confirm system requirements such as print speed to get necessary piece of labels a day or dot density to ensure print quality, and decide a best model for your operation.

6. What sorts of bar code printers do you deal in?

TEC has full lineup of printers which are suitable for various width media such as 2,3,4,5,6, and 8 inches.

2 inches width printer B-211
3 inched width printer B-372
4 inches width printer B-472, B-482, B-452, B-431, B-442, CB-416, CB-426
5 inches width printer B-572
6 inches width printer B-672
8 inches width printer B-872

For more detail information, please look at the " Products information".

7. How can we order bar code printers from you?

Please contact nearby TEC subsidiaries or distributors refering to this site.

Equipment

1. Please advise me about necessary maintenance of consuming parts.

We regard a thermal head, a platen roller, and motors as major consuming parts. Our Subsidiary and distributors can advise you of details about maintenance way and parts purchase.

2. Please advise me of available I/F's and the usage.

Most TEC printers equip RS-232C, and Centronics interface as standard. And we prepare Expansion I/O interface, and LAN interface as options. Also some portable printers have IrDA interface, or R/F interface. For next generationTEC is approaching new communication standard such as USB, Blue tooth and so on.

3. Can we use your bar code printers with connected to LAN?

TEC provided the TCP/IP option for B-452 series and B-482 series, that makes possible to connect to LAN. For connection to LAN, B-452 series is needed the B-7704-LAN, B-482 series is needed the B-8700-PC and LAN card (3CCE589ET manufactured by 3COM). And B-482 series has function of Web printer. You can check the status, print the label, and download the firmware via your PC browser.

4. Please tell us which kinds of label sensors are attached and the functions.

Label sensor's functions are 1) detect of media position, 2) detect of no paper. Attached sensor is 2 sorts, this one is transmissive sensor, and the other one is reflective sensor. Those sensors are used properly each media.

Transmissive sensor
This sensor is used for detection of gap between the labels basically. Gap is detected by difference of transmissive ratio of label and liner.

Reflective sensor
This sensor is used for detection of black mark basically. Black mark is detected by difference of reflective ratio of black mark and the other parts.

5. Please tell us which memories are available and the purposes.

Usually, bar code printer has D-RAM for print baffer and Flash memory for firmware or expanded characters. B-452 series and B-482 series have less 1MB capacity for expanded character's area in flash memory.

6. Please tell us other optional items and the usage.

TEC provides the cutter module, rotary cutter module, strip module, and also, stacker, bar code verifier, and rewinder.

7. Please tell us the compatibility with TEC printers in the software and the supplies.

Software commands
Software commands are 100% compatible except for B-442.
We have named TEC Thermal Printer Command Language as follows.
B-372/472/572/672/872/431---------TPCL1 (TEC Printer Command Language 1)
B-482/452----------------------------------TPCL2 (TEC Printer Command Language 2)
B-442----------------------------------------Not compatible.
TPCL2 is 100 % campatible with TPCL1. (Upper compatible)
It means that application packages for B-372/472/572/672/872 can be used on B-482/452 without modification.

Ribbon / Media
B-482 series that released the up-grade printer of B-472 series can be used the same ribbon and same media of B-472.

Software and Supplies

1. Please tell us the relation of printers and software.

2. Please tell us which kinds of bar codes (2D code) can be used.

Manipulated bar codes are different each TEC printers. Please refer to attached matrix.

With tick: Available / Without tick: Not available

3. Please tell us which fonts are manipulated.

Click here to see the detail information.

4. Can we print by our current applications?

TEC supplied the Windows driver for individual TEC printers. You can print with your applications on windows after added the driver on your PC.

5. Which drivers do you supply?

TEC supplied the Windows driver for Windows 95, 98 and NT 4.0. You can download on this site.

6. Please tell us conditions to have printers installed into systems.

7. Please tell us how we can connect your bar code printers to ERP system.

Please check the Integration Solution on this site.

8. Which supplies should we choose?

It is changed how to select of supplies which is used each condition. For detail information, please look at the "What are you looking for" "Media" on this site.

9. Can we make a use of linerless labels?
If you consider using the linerless label, please contact to us.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you have a technical question concerning our products, please click here to send the question sheet to us.