Laser Color Label Printers | Toner Based Label Printers
Laser color label printers bring speed, color consistency, no banding, print quality, versatility, better durability, ease of use, and the benefits of dry toner laser printing to the label printing mix. DuraFast Label Company carries leading laser toner color label printers such as the Primera CX1000, Primera CX1200, iSys Label Edge 850, iSys Label Apex 1290, UniNet iColor 700, and Afinia R635 digital label press.
Any of these laser color label printers will allow you to print thousands of labels at a time. When combined with digital label cutters and finishers, laser color label printers become one of the most flexible, high volume label production options available.
The two main technologies or print engines used in color laser label printers are the Lexmark laser print engine and the OKI Data LED print engine.
Lexmark Laser Technology Advantages
Lexmark laser technology works at a very high temperature, creating a strong bond with synthetic materials like polyesters and GHS BS5609 labels. It also provides good UV protection on the toners and produces the best print quality at 2400 dpi.
Lexmark Laser Technology Disadvantages
That same high operator temperature brings with it a disadvantage: limited media that can be used with these laser color label printers. Adhesive leakage onto the fuser is a problem, with the replacement fuser being quite expensive.
You must print your labels with the matrix on, and you can only print on 8.5-inch wide media. Lexmark laser print engine-based color label printers can only print at a print speed of 16.25 feet/minute. This technology does not support white toners, and you cannot print variable data on any of your labels. Finally, Lexmark laser print engine-based color label printers tend to have a higher consumable cost since the drum and toner are in a single unit.
Laser Color Label Printers Based on Lexmark Laser Print Engine Technology
The following laser color label printers use Lexmark laser technology:
- Primera CX1000 (die cut labels only)
- Primera CX1200 (die cut and digital press)
OKI Data LED Print Engine Technology Advantages
Laser color label printers based on OKI Data LED laser print engine technology operate at a low temperature. Therefore, you can use a large variety of label materials — including gold and silver foils and GHS BS5609 glossy polypropylene (which would melt if used on the Lexmark laser-based label printer) — with these laser color label printers. You do not need to worry about adhesive leakage due to the lower temperature; therefore, adhesive will not melt and leak out into the fuser, and you can print your labels with or without the matrix in place. When you print your labels with the matrix on, you are required to purchase additional equipment, like a matrix removal system in order to remove the matrix from the printed labels. This is necessary if you are going to use an applicator to apply the label to the products.
OKI Data LED toner-based color laser label printers allow you to print media from 3 inches to 8.5 inches wide, with the matrix on or off. This allows you to print, for example, a 3" x 4" label one label across with the matrix removed so that once it is printed, the roll can be put on the application machine immediately without any further processing. However, with any of the Primera CX1000 or CX1200 printers using the Lexmark laser print engine, you have to print this label 2 across on 8.5" media and then use a matrix removal system to remove the matrix and slit these two labels onto separate rolls so that you can put the individual rolls on your applicator.
They also have a white toner option so that you can print white on clear or black label materials. In addition, with the optional white toner RIP plugin, you can even put a white layer down on clear labels so that when the different colors are printed, you get a more vibrant color and image. OKI Data LED laser toner technology offers the lowest cost consumables to produce labels in the industry since the toner and drum are two separate units.
Variable Data Printing Made Easy by Oki Data LED-based Color Label Printers
More and more businesses require the placement of unique information on their product labels, like serial numbers, text, serial numbers, lot codes, dates, images, barcodes and other information. This information is variable from label to label, and ideally should be done without stopping or slowing down the printing process.
With the OKI Data-based laser color label printers that integrate with RIP software, you can print all of your color labels with variable data. When you purchase the Variable Data Printing option with your OKI Data-based color laser label printer, you will get a copy of BarTender 2016 Professional with Acrobat Professional. This allows you to design your label in BarTender and then create the PDF file that the RIP software needs to print your labels with variable data.
OKI Data LED Toner Technology Disadvantages
There are a few disadvantages to be aware of with OKI Data LED laser toner-based color label printers. For example, printers such as the Afinia R635, iSys Label Edge 850, and UniNet iColor 700 only allow you to use rolls up to 8 inches outside diameter (OD) on the label unwinder. The starting price for these printers is $16,000 USD. RIP software does not allow you to modify the colors.
Laser Color Label Printers Based on OKI Data LED Laser Toner Technology
The following laser color label printers use OKI Data LED toner technology:
- iSys Label Edge 850 (die cut and digital label press)
- iSys Label Apex 1290 (die cut and digital label press)
- Afinia Label R635 (die cut and digital label press)
- UniNet iColor 700 (die cut and digital label press)
- UniNet iColor 900 (die cut and digital label press)
Die cut means the printer can print pre-die cut labels only on rolls.
Digital label press means the printer can be used to print on continuous label rolls which can then be used with a digital label cutter and finishing system to die cut, laminate, slit and rewind onto finished rolls.
Browse our selection of Lexmark-based and OKI Data-based laser color label printers below or contact a DuraFast Label Company sales consultant for assistance.