Choosing a printer 1

[dvannoy]

Currently I am running a Datamax Allegro2 printer that prints Lables within a program that i developed. But this printer is very very slow. I will be adding barcoding to our labels very soon and speed is an issue.

This printer currently will only print about 2 labels per 1-2 minutes.

is there any printers out there that are faster?

Thanks DVannoy
A+,Network+,CNA
dvannoy@onyxes.com

 

[DougP]

There are lots of faster printers.
up to 10 ips
SATO
Take a look at their WEB site

http://www.satoamerica.com

ZEBRA

http://www.zebra.com/printers/index.html

but you will have to get their ESC characters which are different than Data MAX
contact this company
Universal Labeling Systems
1-877-236-0266
They sell all of them DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site

http://www.barcodeone.com

to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive

 

[Paul7905]

Dvannoy,

I am not familiar with the Datamax model printer you are using but I am using the Datamax Prodigy Plus thermal transfer printer and it prints complex bar coded labels like blazes.

We print a few thousand labels a day on it and drive the printer with a program called BarTender which accesses a microsoft access2000 database to get the information printed on the labels and the quantity of each label to print. I am sure this printer is running at least at 6 inches per second. It has been running daily for the last three years without a single bit of maintenance other than a periodic cleaning of the printhead.

Some things that may affect your print speed is the complexity of the label and whether you are printing graphics as well. Certain printers can store repetitive graphics in memory so that the printer does not have to work so hard to format every label (in which case you need to make sure your printer has enough and is configured to use it (the driver you use may have software settings and or switches which can be set to download instructions to the printer). one example of this is that the datamax prodigy plus can be set to run fast or slow (inch per second settings for print and slew) via the software driver.

I therefore can make the printer run slow as molasses or lickety-split merely by setting the print driver settings for a particular label. Like i said, i am not familiar with your printer, but maybe, before you fault the printer, take a look at the other parameters that may affect your print speed and see if the issue lies there.

Paul

 

[DougP]

DataMax puts their stickers on bunch of other printers.
The main way you know this is the printers are total different from one another in styling and color.
Prodigy being one of them. The Prodigy Plus is a lot faster than the Allegro2 which is yet another company they do that too as well.

here you can see

http://www.barcodemegastore.com/symbol/allegro2.htm

price is the key here this is $800 ~
speed 3ips

Datamax Prodigy Plus, Direct Thermal/Thermal Transfer, 203 DPI $2,195.00
speed 6ips

So the Prodigy cost 2-3 times as much.
Cost equals speed
DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site

http://www.barcodeone.com

to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive

 

[Bretto]

I work for a company called Checkpoint Meto Australia I sell and intergrate both the datamax and zebra range of barcode printers. The Datamax Allegro 2 will print at 2.5 inches per second. the problem you are having is probably because you are using True Type Fonts or you are uploading some type of graphic. the Allegro 2 only has a serial interface and with each diferent lablel format you send to the printer the whole fontset and/or graphic must be uploaded this is very slow on a serial connection.

If you are using the windows driver that comes with the printer you should also have internal fonts for the printer on you PC. Use them for all your text they are pretty crappy but it will speed up things heaps. no need to upload all the fontsets.