Barcode label printers - of numerous sizes - are utilized each day in factories, shipping centers, industrial buildings, and harsh production areas (both inside and outside).

Stainless steel, printer box enclosures, with a NEMA 4X rating, are the best enclosure solution for the food, beverage, or pharmaceutical industry. These heavy-duty printer cabinets have the capability to protect against harsh washdowns, dirt & dust, and corrosive materials.

In manufacturing environments, the demand for label printing continues to rise!  

Just about every product that a company ships includes some sort of barcode label. From product labels, to serial numbers to shipping labels, it is almost impossible for a product, in the consumer or commercial business world, to leave a factory or warehouse without some type of identification sticker. Popular label printer brands like Zebra or Sato can be enhanced with environmental enclosures that will protect vital electronics from dust, dirt, lint, grease, or even hose directed water in wash down climates.

There are many reasons that manufacturers, especially in the food processing or pharmaceutical industry, use a NEMA 4X Zebra printer enclosure. 

Barcode printers, such as Zebra or Sato, are commonly used to print product or shipping labels on the plant floor. However, these climates can present a unique set of challenges for washdown areas. When the cleaning process occurs, it is advantageous to find a solution where the printer will not need to be removed from the environment.

Deploying a NEMA-rated printer box enclosure will allow a Zebra barcode printer to be installed in a multitude of areas.

At busy warehouses and distribution centers across the country, barcode tracking has been actively used for decades. It is how companies do business in the digital age. However, not every environment is created equal! Less than ideal conditions may make the use of a Zebra barcode printer especially challenging in a manufacturing setting.

Luckily, there is a perfect solution! Deploying a NEMA-rated printer box enclosure will allow a Zebra barcode printer to be installed in a multitude of areas that would normally be out of reach. 

By deploying a printer enclosure with the correct thermal management, a Zebra printer can operate in a multitude of areas.

Many Zebra printers use a process called “thermal transfer” to produce small or large high-quality prints on labels. The innovative method uses a precise heated ribbon to create long lasting images on the surface of a label or tag. Zebra printers can create robust wristbands, colorful cards, product identification tags, or certification labels.

With the versatility to create durable labels, it is natural for manufacturers, distribution centers, or warehouses to utilize these printers on the factory floor. However, not all areas are created equal!

“The global mobile thermal printer market posted a 7% growth from 2014 to 2015 and is expected to increase to $509 million by 2020, according to a new report by VDC Research”

Zebra barcode printers are becoming more and more commonplace in manufacturing and industrial fields. Companies require barcode printers to print labels for shipments or product tags. Although it is always beneficial to have thermal label printers on the factory floor, these expensive printers cannot be exposed to dust, dirt, or splashing non-corrosive fluids. A dust-free printer enclosure is the perfect solution for protecting a barcode printer from harsh particles and elements. When researching a viable solution, what should the enclosure include in order to be functional?

3D printers have been around for some time (as early as 1980), “but it wasn’t until January 2009 that the first commercially available 3D printer… was offered for sale. This was the BfB RapMan 3D printer… Since 2009, a host of similar deposition printers have emerged with marginal unique selling points (USPs) and they continue to do so,” as described in the article, ‘History of 3D Printing: The Free Beginner’s Guide.’

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

As long as the proper planning is executed from day one, finding the best computer enclosure does not have to be overwhelming. Taking the time for adequate research can - and will - pay off in the long run. Keep in mind: not every enclosure company has the same product for the same price. Various comparisons should be made between the products. One company’s spotlight product may be priced low comparatively speaking, but could have unknown fatal flaws, which could require additional time and cash if the product fails to operate correctly. What needs to be done to find the perfect solution?

Do not overlook cooling! 

Many system integrators tend to load up computer enclosures with various electronics, but fail to consider the abundance of heat that is produced - by each unit - in a sealed enclosure.

Finding a good balance between maximizing production and increasing efficiencies with electrical equipment can often be a tough task. When configuring how much equipment can be housed inside an enclosure, taking the approach of “more is better” is not always the best idea. If not properly managed, increased loads of electrical apparatuses -- plus the amount of heat produced -- can have damaging effects on the reliability of equipment.

As desktop 3D printers become commonplace, companies are realizing that simply purchasing the latest and greatest 3D printer is only half the battle.

Many factors during the 3D printing process must be met, in order to achieve the best product. 3D printers are an innovative and exciting product to use, but there are some drawbacks to using a 3D printer. Users of 3D printers complain about the fumes that the plastic emits, the heat that the printer generates, and the fact that it produces a loud noise when printing an object. 

Environmentally sealed industrial enclosures can help alleviate some issues that arise when using a 3D Printer.