Sato, a developer of auto-ID and labelling technologies, has launched the CT4-LX smart mini label printer.
CT4-LX is a direct thermal/thermal transfer printer with print resolutions of 203/305dpi and a maximum print speed of eight inches per second. Available print modes include continuous, tear-off, cutter, dispenser and linerless.
The printer has been designed to be an interactive smart printer, supporting existing applications and operations. Intelligence in the printer allows users to print labels without a PC by connecting to a number of peripherals. With AEP, applications are possible such as automatic updates for price changes or SKU amends to reduce repetitive manual work. Another possibility is tapping a smartphone to a reader to let consumers print shipping labels for parcels.
A media profile function allows registering and saving of settings for each label, while a label waste prevention feature automatically senses the first label to reduce waste. Basic operations like setting labels and ribbons is facilitated by a cover mechanism that opens wide. A small footprint of 178 x 238 x 214mm and suitability for use in various environments further enhance the printer’s usability.
The CT4-LX RFID model can read and encode RFID labels in UHF and HF bands. In order to write labels stably with a printer, individual configuration settings are typically required for each type of RFID label. Using the CT4-LX RFID model, a new function enables the printer to read and encode UHF RFID labels automatically for fast, stable encoding. Further RFID features are soon to be added.
Equipped with a 4.3in colour touch panel LCD, CT4-LX is claimed to be easy to use for operators of varying skill levels, in a space-saving manner, widely across many sectors and geographic regions. It supports menu display in 31 languages and printing in 47 languages. It is designed to serve as a common model for customers with workforces deployed around the world.
The company noted numerous reasons for the development of CT4-LX, with the diversification of the economy principally cited as creating a shortage of skilled labour and a more competitive job market. This is seeing sectors from retail, warehousing, transportation and logistics, to food manufacturing and healthcare being faced with the common challenge of procuring and retaining human resources at worksites where variable data labels are printed. The result is an increasing need to improve productivity using smaller and more diverse teams, according to Sato.
Taking such needs into consideration, CT4-LX has been designed to be intuitive and suitable across many worksites for use by anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Sato International president Hayato Shindo commented, ‘I am excited to unveil this irresistible smart mini printer, which is a totally new category for barcode label printers. The great potential of the CT4-LX is its value added features that users in different sectors can pick and choose from to optimise their on-site operations. Together with our customers and partners, we want to turn ideas into reality.’
