In a competitive work environment, the race to improve processes and produce better results never ends. With companies constantly on a quest for optimization, no one can afford their label printer to be the weakest link.
Epson recently commissioned a study that compared the ColorWorks® CW-C6000 label
printer to a leading thermal ribbon-based competitor. This wasn’t just a lab test; each
printer produced 500,000 labels in a controlled environment and another 500,000 labels in a
warehouse to assess their performance in a real-world environment. The results enabled
us to answer some important questions about inkjet as an alternative to thermal printing technology.
Are inkjet printers easy to set up?
A reliable label printer should get out of your way and do its job efficiently, with minimal fuss. No one wants to fiddle with messy ribbons that may jam inside a printer. With an Epson inkjet printer, there’s no ribbon to jam. It feeds liquid ink to the label paper via its proprietary PrecisionCore® print head technology. This enables the ColorWorks CW-C6000 to offer fast, user-friendly setup and maintenance with no ribbon issues.1
How does inkjet label printing technology help make operations efficient?
Workers in busy environments don’t have time to wait for printer maintenance or consumable replacements. Every minute of downtime is a minute of lost productivity that can affect a company’s bottom line. Epson engineered the ColorWorks CW-C6000 with reliability in mind to maximize printer availability in busy business environments.
- Epson ColorWorks CW-C6000 required approximately 25% less maintenance time.1
- ColorWorks Inkjet printed up to 50 percent more labels before changing consumables using Epson ColorWorks CW-C6000 ink cartridges versus ribbons1, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
Can inkjet label printers help meet sustainability goals?
Moving from thermal to inkjet technology can help reduce material waste because of the more efficient use of consumables. Thermal ribbon printers use up ribbon material every time they print a label. That material must be discarded after use. Epson inkjet printers don’t use ribbon. During extensive tests, the ColorWorks CW-C6000 generated 82% less consumable and packaging waste than a leading thermal printer, which produced 167 pounds of ribbon waste.2
Looking for more information about Inkjet vs Thermal label printers?
Download the Epson eBook about
“Inkjet vs. Thermal: What to Consider When Buying a Label Printer”
Will my inkjet printer keep printing quality labels?
Label print quality isn’t just an aesthetic issue; it can also be the difference between a product being delivered to the correct address, a food order being prepared accurately, and pharmacy prescriptions labeled clearly. Any problem with label legibility could mean a failure to scan, resulting in delivery delays or reputational damage. Misreading a faded set of shipping or handling instructions could even cause safety and compliance issues.
The Epson study found that even after printing one million labels, the ColorWorks CW-C6000’s barcodes remained scannable and its label text stayed sharp, with no degradation in quality.1
Can an Epson inkjet label printer help with energy savings?
Thermal ribbon printers use heat to melt and transfer their inks to paper. Epson PrecisionCore technology doesn’t require heat. When comparing the Epson ColorWorks inkjet printer to the thermal transfer printer, the study found that the CW-C6000 used 80% less energy consumption while printing.3
How do I keep my data secure when printing in a busy work environment?
Thermal transfer technology leaves a carbon copy of the label print-out on the ribbon, which requires safe handling to avoid the compromise of confidential or personal information. In contrast, every drop of ink passing through PrecisionCore’s tiny nozzles only leaves a trace where it’s supposed to go — on the label itself. There are no carbon copies to worry about.
Time to upgrade
Label printers are an often-overlooked part of the work environment. They help keep operations running behind the scenes, often operating without upgrades. Many organizations forget to explore their label printing options in their quest for more efficiency.
The Epson test proved that advanced inkjet printing technology can be a low-maintenance, energy- and waste-efficient alternative to ribbon-based thermal printers.
Learn more about ColorWorks advanced inkjet label printing and how it can benefit your business
at Epson.com/colorworks
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1 Keypoint Intelligence June 2024 performance evaluation, commissioned by Epson, of the ColorWorks C6000 vs. a top selling thermal transfer label printer over the course of printing 500,000 labels in a controlled environment and 500,000 labels in a warehouse environment.
2 Keypoint Intelligence June 2024 performance evaluation, commissioned by Epson, of the ColorWorks C6000 vs.a top selling thermal transfer label printer over the course of printing 1,000,000 labels in a controlled environment. Waste percentage calculated by total weight of spent consumables and packaging for the C6000 vs competitor product. June 2024
3 Keypoint Intelligence June 2024 performance evaluation, commission by Epson, of the ColorWorks C6000 vs.a top selling thermal transfer label printer over the course of printing 1,000,000 labels in a controlled environment. Energy savings calculated using Superior Electric POWERSTAT variable transformer and Yokagawa WT210 power meter printing 1,000 labels or one media role.
