New thermal printer offres serious speed increase

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 20, 2001

The BP-2461 is a new version of an existing printer with many improved features, amongst which a speed increase of 33 percent is the most evident.

The BP-2461 is a new version of an existing printer with many improved features, amongst which a speed increase of 33 percent is the most evident.

An important advantage of this thermal label printer is its wide range of applications, resulting from its durable cast-aluminium construction, along with its ease of use, versatility and a modular design.

A valuable investment The advanced electronics of the BP-2461 provide outstanding performance, with the Motorola ColdFire processors delivering processing speeds of 66 MHz and 90 MHz, the fastest in this product sector.

A single processor does the work of two - allowing the BP-2461 to look after communications, image processing and buffering the printouts simultaneously.

The operating system can also be updated at any time, thanks to a flash memory program, and this feature can be used, for example, to set a new language for the screen menu.

The standard configuration of the BP-2461 includes an LCD screen with five buttons, 8 or 16 MB of DRAM memory, serial and IEEE-1284 bi-directional parallel ports, a metal enclosure and a high-precision material handling mechanism.

The screen at the front is clearly legible and is used to set all printer configuration parameters.

Clearly displayed instructions make installing a ribbon and filling the label container especially easy.

All service parts are coloured green to indicate they can be removed or replaced.

The modular design simplifies the installation of accessories, which include: a cutter, an internal take-up reel, an availability sensor, an internal font or flash memory expansion or an Ethernet microprint server, all of which can be installed by the end user.

Furthermore, the design drastically reduces the time needed for maintenance.

It only takes a minute to replace the main circuit board, and the printhead and platen roller can be replaced in less than five minutes, with no need to access the printer electronics.

The cast aluminium enclosure is exceptionally rigid, eliminating any distortions that could have a negative effect on print quality.

The electronics and printhead mechanism are effectively screened by metal covers, and the internal label feed is also protected against dust and soiling by a metal enclosure.

All of these features contribute to making the BP-2461 a highly durable label printer.

Available in three different models, the BP-2461 enables end users to select the printer best suited to their particular application from the broad range on offer.

It is able to generate labels that are suitable for use in logistics and storage, e-commerce activities, transport, health care, retail trade and the office.

Even in highly demanding environments, such as the petrochemical industry, the automobile trade, air transport, marine transport and the general electrical market, the BP-2461 is a reliable source of high-quality labelling.