computer science

Label printer

Label printer is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Label printer rather than just read about it. In short: A label printer is a computer printer that prints on self-adhesive label material and/or card-stock (tags). A label printer with built-in keyboard and display for stand-alone use (not connected to a separate computer) is often called a label maker.

Key takeaways

Label printer belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Label printer to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Label printer from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A label printer is a computer printer that prints on self-adhesive label material and/or card-stock (tags). A label printer with built-in keyboard and display for stand-alone use (not connected to a separate computer) is often called a label maker. Label printers are different from ordinary printers because they need to have special feed mechanisms to handle rolled stock, or tear sheet (fanfold) stock. Common connectivity for label printers include RS-232 serial, Universal Serial Bus (USB), parallel, Ethernet and various kinds of wireless. Label printers have a wide variety of applications, including supply chain management, retail price marking, packaging labels, blood and laboratory specimen marking, and fixed assets management.

Mechanisms Label printers use a wide range of label materials, including paper and synthetic polymer ("plastic") materials. Several types of print mechanisms are also used, including laser and impact, but thermal printer mechanisms are perhaps the most common. There are two common types of thermal printer:

Direct thermal printers use heat sensitive paper (similar to thermal fax paper). Direct thermal labels tend to fade over time (typically 6 to 12 months). Their life is shortened when exposed to heat, direct sunlight or chemical vapors. Therefore, direct thermal labels are primarily used for short duration applications, such as shipping labels. Thermal transfer printers use heat to transfer ink from a ribbon onto the label for a permanent print. Some thermal transfer printers are also capable of direct thermal printing. Using PVC (vinyl) can increase the longevity of the label as seen in pipe markers and industrial safety labels found in much of the marketplace today. There are three grades of ribbon for use with thermal transfer printers. Wax, the most popular, has some smudge resistance and is suitable for matte and semi-gloss paper labels. Wax/resin is smudge resistant and suitable for semi-gloss paper and some synthetic labels. Resin is scratch and chemical resistant and suitable for coated synthetic labels. When printing on continuous label stock, there is a tendency for the print location to shift slightly from label to label. To ensure registration of the print area with the target media, many label printers use a sensor that detects a gap, notch, line or perforation between labels. This allows the printer to adjust the intake of label stock so the print aligns correctly with the media.

Types

Label printer capabilities vary between home, corporate and industrial-oriented models.

Desktop label printers These are usually designed for light to medium-duty use with a roll of stock up to 100 mm (4 in) wide. They are quiet and inexpensive. Commercial label printers can typically hold a larger roll of stock up to 200 mm (8 in) wide and are geared for medium-volume printing. Industrial label printers These are designed for heavy-duty, continuous operation in warehouses, distribution centers and factories. Additionally, industrial portable label printers are designed for heavy-duty operation on location. They are usually handheld and come with an industrial hard case. Examples of applications are labeling for electrical installations, construction sites, and production floors where there are no computers. RFID readers These are specialized label printers that print and encode at the same time on RFID transponders (tags) enclosed in paper or printable synthetic materials. RFID tags need to have printed information for backwards compatibility with barcode systems, so human users can identify the tag. Label printer applicators These are designed to automate the labeling process. These systems are common in manufacturing and warehousing facilities that require cases and pallets to be labeled for shipping. Labelling software This runs on a general-purpose personal computer, and is designed to create and/or format labels for printing. The software can use native OS printer drivers, or embed drivers in the software, bypassing the OS print subsystem. It may work with dedicated label printers as described in this article, or use sheet- or continuous-fed labels in a general-purpose computer printer. Personal label printers or label makers These are handheld or small desktop devices. They are intended for home office and small business use. The cost of these printers is generally very low, making them popular with low volume users; but they print on special tapes, often thermal, which are usually expensive as is the case of Seiko Smart label. In the past, mechanical systems which worked by embossing a colored plastic tape, called embossing tape, were common. A hammer in the shape of the letter caused a letter-shaped extrusion on the opposite side of the tape. The raised plastic would discolor, providing visual contrast. Today, this type has been almost completely displaced by electronic thermal transfer devices with built-in keyboard and display, and an integrated cartridge containing the label material (and print ribbon, if used).

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Label printer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Label printer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Label printer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Label printer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Label printer

In research: Label printer appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Label printer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Label printer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Automatic identification and data capture, Computer printers, Labels, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Label printer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Label printer in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Label printer means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Label printer out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Label printer in simple terms?

Why does Label printer matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Label printer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Label printer.