Is It Time To Dump Those Rolls For Fanfold Thermal Labels?

For most of us, the quest continues to “do more with less.”  Unfortunately, we have all been beating that same drum for too long making it difficult to find those opportunities without huge studies proving their worth.

Moving your direct thermal or thermal transfer label applications from rolled form (4”, 5” or 8” diameter rolls) to fanfold will offer large productivity gains without additional material costs.  The majority of in-use thermal printers are already capable of running fanfold thermal labels.  A box of fanfold labels replaces your current rolls and feeds through a slot in the back or bottom of the printer.  When running larger jobs, the labels will self stack once printed.

So, Why Switch From Rolls To Fanfold?

MORE LABELS WITHOUT RELOAD:  We can offer more labels in a fanfold stack than we do in rolled form. For example, a common 4 X 6 thermal transfer label on an 8” diameter roll has 1000 labels per roll.  Running fanfold in that same 4 X 6 thermal transfer label offers 2000 labels per stack.  Your users will cut their annual printer re-loads in half!

PRINT UNATTENDED:  Commonly, we see users printing larger runs of rolled thermal labels.  The printer attendant stands at the front of the printer and as the labels print, the operator hand stacks the labels.  Running 500 4 X 6 labels at 4 IPS (inches per second) is almost 14 minutes of run time and 14 minutes stacking labels.  Fanfold labels will self stack allowing the user the start the job and leave the printer unattended.

SAME COST(ISH):  So what is the cost difference between rolled and fanfold thermal labels?  The pricing is generally the same.  There are some exceptions but not with common direct thermal and thermal transfer label sizes.

Is It This Easy?  YES!

Check out this video from Sato.  The video shows the loading of fanfold thermal labels in one of their industrial printers.  Process is similar for most thermal printers.

Product Options

Labelmatch carries these lines of stock fanfold thermal labels:

• White Thermal Transfer Fanfold Labels
• Color (Floodcoat) Thermal Transfer Fanfold Labels
• White Direct Thermal Fanfold Labels
• Color (Floodcoat) Thermal Transfer Fanfold Labels

Custom fanfold label production is always available inclusive of custom sizes and artwork.

Fanfolds>Rolls?

So, chances are your thermal printers are already fanfold compatible (no increased hardware cost), the label cost will be the same (in most cases) and you reduce your labor cost on media changes and long job runs.

Still not convinced?  Contact us at 1.800.726.7334 and we will send you free fanfold samples.  Happy fanfolding.

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