Hardware Costs
Printing
The cost of hardware will depend on a number of factors:
- Do you store inventory outdoors ?
- Is your inventory exposed to ultraviolet light ?
- What size of label do you require ?
For a variety of reasons we recommend weatherproof labels
with plastic thermal transfer printing, rather than adhesive
paper or card labels using a direct thermal transfer process.
Our standard label formats are 4" x 6" to accomodate most of the
key information your customers will want in barcode as well as
printed form.
You could get by with smaller labels carrying only a 7-digit
serial number and supporting data in character form.
This might allow you to use a cheaper printer, and would reduce your
media costs at the expense of having a less standard looking
label that may not meet your compliance needs.
The printer required for this may be a smaller desktop printer
such as the Zebra TLP-2844Z, or a full size printer such as the
Zebra S600 or 105SL.
Since the media costs are comparatively quite high for the smaller
printer,
and the 105SL is designed for an industrial environment, we
recommend the latter despite the higher initial capital cost.
A typical price can be found here.
We do not endorse this supplier or recommend them over any other,
but are simply using this link to give an indication of current pricing
without having to maintain a price ourselves on this page.
Used prices are typically half to one quarter of the new price
depending on condition.
Beware of worn thermal printheads on used printers.
If you wish, we can sell you a new or used printer, but we
would prefer you to use a local supplier who can support you.
Scanning
Many models of scanner will serve your purpose.
You should choose a laser scanner which can read from a reasonable
distance, rather than a contact or near-contact CCD scanner.
There are essentially six varieties,
- handheld, trigger operated (recommended)
- triggerless, hands free (also generally suitable)
- cordless (will work, but cordlessness is not a benefit)
- omnidirectional (workable, but not a good idea)
- mobile batch (unsuitable)
- mobile RF (unsuitable)
There are numerous ways of connecting a scanner to your system, but
the one method we recommend is keyboard wedge for simplicity and ease
of use.
Typical prices can be found here.
We do not endorse this supplier or recommend them over any other,
but are simply using this link to give an indication of current pricing
without having to maintain prices ourselves on this page.
Used scanners are typically less than $50 and are readily available
on eBay, provided you know what you are buying.
If you wish, we can sell you a new or used scanner, though a local
supplier may be a wiser choice.
