Technology is a wonderful thing.  It makes our lives easier, our jobs faster, and our companies look good. But we have to face the truth…machines do have life cycles. Generally, most printers last for years but usage and proper maintenance are the driving forces behind the lifespan of your printer, not its age.

Sometimes technology changes faster than your printer ages or your business needs grow to the point that your current printer no longer delivers.  Relying on old technology can have adverse effects, slowing productivity and affecting your bottom line. We have to preserve our investments and stretch them as long as we can to optimize ROI, but when it is time, it’s time.

Just like a car, when the warranty period for your printer is over, the repair and maintenance costs previously covered begin to increase. Printers have many points of failure, from the printer head to the roller.  While some parts can be replaced at relatively low cost, complex components such as motherboards and chips cannot. There are also hidden costs in replacing parts for older printers especially if the unit has been discontinued for several years.  If the cost of repairing your printer exceeds the cost of a full replacement, it’s time.

Even if your old printer is working and under a service contract, it will undeniably break and usually at the worst time, requiring more time and resources to repair it. Replacing your obsolete printer to improve performance is an essential piece of reducing downtime. Replacing your unit at the right time allows your company to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies while improving productivity.

There are several common causes of efficiency loss due to printer obsolescence:

• Breakdowns
• Poor Quality Printing
• Reduced Speed
• Minor Stoppages
• Rework Time Lost to Resolve Quality Issues

Sometimes your functional needs outgrow your current printer. Older models may not have all the capabilities you need or be able to keep up with your increased printing volume. Your business may also have other printing needs, that cannot be accommodated by an older printer. A well-timed hardware refresh will give you the advantages of new features and added efficiency.   When your outdated equipment becomes a hindrance with hidden costs and time spent on error messages, poor quality printing, and recalibration, it’s time. 

You might be apprehensive to replace your printer which appears to be working fine. However, proactively solving your printing problems and upgrading your equipment could save a lot of time and money later on especially in the case thermal barcode or card printer.  

Technology advances at the speed of light and today current models are engineered to gain visibility across the enterprise, expand business intelligence, increase staff productivity, reduce downtime and lower maintenance costs.

Take for example the newly launched Zebra industrial grade printers, the ZT600 series, and the ZT510 which are perfect to use in manufacturing, warehousing, transportation and logistics, and will keep you up to date with the newest, most effective technology.

The ZT600 Series is an upgrade to the retired Xi Series printers to combine rugged durability and exceptional performance on a user-friendly, future-ready platform.

The ZT600 series includes the ZT610 and the ZT620. They provide 24/7 reliability, next-generation operating visibility and adaptability to meet growing production line demands. The characteristics of the industrial printers of the ZT600 series include:

• Exceptional Performance from micro labels to high-volume shipping
• Cloud-accessible Link-OS™ software platform and managed services for total visibility and control
• Hassle-Free setup, daily use, maintenance and troubleshooting
• Operational visibility, remote management, and future-ready adaptability

The excellent performance of the new mechanical design of the ZT610 keeps operations running and, it has easy-to-use features that provide visibility and total control at all times. Prints up to 4 “wide print and 600 dpi.

Whether you’re looking to keep up with high volume demands or find ways to advance your business technology portfolio, the Zebra ZT620 designed for high-performance label printing will offer the same high-performance printing capabilities as the ZT610 and print 6 inches widths.

The Zebra ZT510 industrial printer was created to replace the 105SLPlus to allow users to print with greater performance and value at a cost-effective price point. Based on the legacy of its industry-leading predecessor, the ZT510 provides proven and durable design and construction plus longevity and advanced functionalities. The ZT510 works well in manufacturing, transportation and logistics environments and works best in applications such as:

• Asset management
• Work-in-process tracking
• Packaging and labeling
• Receiving/shipping
• Cross-docking
• Compliance labeling

Thanks to the GO Zebra Trade-in Program, your operations will be running smoothly and efficiently with the next generation of compact, simple to operate, reliable and cost e­ffective printers from Zebra.