Category Archives: Label Printers

LX2000 vs C7500

Recently, I’ve been asked, “What are the differences between the C7500 and the LX2000?” Frankly, this question is coming from people who do not want to spend the $8500 or more on the C7500; but want good print quality. The LX2000 is a lot less expensive and can print up to 8″ wide labels. In this post, I’ll explain my view of the 10 biggest differences between these two color label printers.

Before I start, you may find my initial post on the LX2000 of interest:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2015/06/lx2000-full-bleed-color-label-printer.html

On our blog, I found 38 different posts on the C7500. Here is my first post on this printer:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2014/09/first-review-tm-c7500-at-label-expo.html

Now the 10 biggest differences between the LX2000 and the C7500

Print Quality:
With a max print resolution of 4800 DPI (https://www.primeralabel.com/lx2000_specs.html),

the LX2000 can print great looking labels. At the highest settings, you can produce great lookihng labels. But with 1200 x 600 resolution

(https://epson.com/For-Work/Printers/Label/ColorWorks-C7500-Inkjet-Label-Printer/p/C31CD84011),

so can the C7500. Top is C7500 and bottom is LX2000; both are at the standard settings. See how the blue in the top of the picture (C7500) is darker, richer.

C7500 (Top) vs LX200 (Bottom) Print Quality Comparison

Ink Cost:

The ink cost in the LX2000 is much higher; but not as much as I expected for this artwork at normal settings. Using this label artwork, the LX2000 ink cost is estimated at $0.069/label versus $0.049/label for the C7500. $0.02/label more. These estimates are at normal settings. To get a higher print quality, many companies would be forced to run the LX2000 at a higher print quality setting. Therefore, I believe in reality the ink cost difference would be much higher.

LX2000 Ink Cost/ 4″ x 6″ Label

C7500 Ink Cost/4″ x 6″ Label

Yield per cartridge.

LX2000 vs C7500 Ink Cartridge Comparison

The LX2000 ink cartridge is much smaller than the C7500. Therefore, yields are much lower. In the above example, you would get 1094 labels/LX2000 Cyan cartridge and 9,085/C7500 cartridge. Almost 9X more. Magenta and yellow are about the same difference. Black is only 2X as the black cartridge is larger in the LX2000.

Printhead:

The LX2000 uses consumable printheads. You’ll need to spend $250+ for a printhead occasionally when printing large volumes.

Speed:

The LX2000 is very slow compared to the C7500. Watch how long it takes to print one label. In the video, the printer just finished cutting one label. Overall it took about 5 minutes to print 10 labels for the ink calculation at the normal setting. At the high print quality setting, the speed would be much slower.

And here is the C7500 printing 10 copies of the same label artwork:

Relatively, the C7500 prints much faster than the LX2000.

Rewind:

The C7500 offers a built in rewinder; the LX2000 does not. Watch the C7500 print and rewind 100 4” x 6” labels in 1 minute.

Button Push:

The LX2000 uses a series of button pushes that I still don’t understand. I believe you can get 20+ different actions based on these three buttons.

LX2000 Buttons to Push

Design:

The LX2000 is a HP printhead inside of a metal box. I find the design finicky. In fact, I cut my finger printing the 10 labels required for the ink calculation.

Inside the LX2000

The inside of the C7500 is well designed; especially the media path which prevents side-to-side movement of the label media.

C7500 Media Path

Label Roll: the LX2000 has a max OD of 6”. The C7500 has a max OD of 8”. Larger rolls mean fewer changes and lower label costs.

Support:

You’ll get a lot more support from us. Here is an example of the type of support we provide that I published earlier:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2017/07/1-solution.html

FULL DISCLOSURE: I find Primera difficult to work with. For sure, Primera does not want resellers like us as partners as they prefer to sell direct to consumers. For our customers, we’ll provide technical support; and we’ll help you negotiate the repair processes of our vendors. We work hard for our customers.

I hope these 10 aspects explain our view of the differences between the C7500 and the LX2000. I understand hardware cost is important; but you sometimes get more value by investing a bit more money.

If you have questions comparing label printers, call us. We’ll be happy to gain an understanding of your requirements and recommend the best label printing solution for your organization.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

New CA Prop 65 Requirements

Label Printers

For those of you doing business in California, have you seen this symbol?

New CA Prop 65 Icon

Beginning August 2018, you will begin seeing this symbol everywhere in California with the implementation of the new Prop 65 warning labels. Proposition 65 (California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986) was implemented as a so-called right-to-know statute that requires everyone in the chain of commerce to ensure that California consumers receive “clear and reasonable” warnings prior to being exposed to a growing list of chemicals—now numbering more than 900. In 2018, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has defined “clear and reasonable” to include the above warning symbol. You’ll notice the difference.

New Prop 65 Label Requirements

To see the latest 900 cancer or reproductive compounds on the list, visit here:

https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/crnr/p65single07072017.pdf

Having worked in the crop protection industry for many years, I recognize many of the compounds. However, one of the compounds on the list was surprising to me:

Marijuana smoke:

https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/marijuana-smoke

With the changes coming to the cannabis business in January, I wonder how this warning will affect labeling prerolls, etc. in California.

Or aspirin:

https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/aspirin

A list of all the published fact sheets on each compound are here:

https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets

Also interesting to me, the new Prop 65 labeling requires specific font size for the warning; no smaller than 6 point font and/or no smaller than the largest font for consumer information on the label. For more specific answers to questions, see this link:

https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/crnr/art6businessqa.pdf

You may say this new Prop 65 warning does not apply to us as our company does not sell directly to consumers. In this situation, the manufacturer of a product that contains a compound on the list must notify their customers of the requirement. Given the notification requirement, I don’t know if they’ll decide to place the warning on their labels as well. That’s a question for the regulatory experts inside each company.

For our customers already meeting the requirements for GHS labels, printing this new warning symbol on-demand and in color will not be any big deal. On our blog, www.colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com, we have 59 different posts covering GHS. One of my favorite post covering GHS labels involved NIC Industries:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2016/06/c7500g-whiz.html

And Engineered Lubricants:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2015/01/ghs-needs-erin.html

If you need assistance printing labels for products covered by Prop 65 and/or GHS contact us. We can help you print color labels on-demand.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

Color Rebar Tags

Label Printers

Rebar (short for reinforcing bar) is a steel bar or mesh of steel wires used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen and hold the concrete in tension.

Rebar fabricators supply various grades, sizes and shapes to meet the requirements of construction projects. Given all the types of rebar, construction sites need a means to quickly identify the correct bundle for each part of a project. Color is the easiest method to identify rebar. Let me tell you more about using on-demand color rebar tags.

Brooklyn Rebar (http://www.brooklynrebar.com/) is a rebar fabrication company committed to serving contractors and warehouses in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. They provide fabricated rebar to complex, large and small bridges, concrete high rises, tunnels, treatment plants, power plants, ranging in size, from 1 to 10,000 tons of rebar. Brooklyn Rebar is located on the Brooklyn/Queens line with easy access to all east side tunnels and bridges into Manhattan.

In January 2016, a Project Manager, of Brooklyn Rebar contacted us to discuss how they could print color tags for their rebar. During our conversation and subsequent work together, I learned that Brooklyn Rebar uses Soule Software, (http://www.soulesoftware.com/), which offers a complete suite of software for rebar fabricators and placers. In their software, Soule built the capability to use color in their customer’s operations. According to Bob Boeving, Vice President of Sales for Soule Software, “Color has become a very valuable tool for rebar fabricators. Now fabricators can add color bars to their tags to help the job site stage and locate the correct materials for each specific part of a project. Fabricators can set up unique colors for each section of a project, which print automatically. This color capability helps contractors reduce errors and increase productivity on the job site.”

Bob continues, “color on-demand tags helps fabricators as well to stage, load and offload rebar correctly. With color, fabricators can pull off the truck rebar in the correct sequence. In addition, our software enables the use of images to show unique dimensions or bends in the rebar. These images help the fab shop understand what’s required to reduce potential errors. We can also use color to identify foreign or domestic steel; and to identify different grades of steel. This color identification helps the fab shop pull the correct steel inventory for their job. Overall, color on-demand tags are a powerful tool to help reduce errors in a rebar operation.”

Based on the capability of the Soule Software, Brooklyn Rebar purchased a C7500 and 4” x 6” matte poly tags.

Print On-Demand Color Rebar Tag

Initially, we had issues with the tags. First, we learned the C7500 can’t use standard shaped tags; tags with a notch for thermal transfer printers to detect top of form. When the printer pulls the tags back into the printer to start printing, the notches catch causing the printer to error out. Second, we tried new material with a shinier back. Although the tags would work in a C3500, they would not function in a C7500. It seems the C7500 has a substantially different blackmark sensor. The reflection on the back of the tag caused the printer to misread the blackmark. Third, we tried a thinner, 5 mil poly tag. Although durable, the 5 mil tag could tear at the notch, potentially losing the tags during shipping or moving in the yard. Because of these problems, we had supply issues, getting the tags to our customer. One aspect of the 5 mil tag; they print great!

5 Mil On-Demand Color Tag

(FYI: We featured this same tag material in our post on mattress tags) http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2017/06/on-demand-color-mattress-tags-labels.html

Through all these start up issues, Brooklyn Rebar stayed with us. And we appreciated their support. Ultimately, we settled on an 8 mil, matte poly tag with the design in the image above. And these thicker 8 mil tags seem to be working well.

Print On-Demand Color Rebar Tag

During a recent visit, a Project Manager for Brooklyn Rebar, showed me how they use color in their operation. According to the Project Manager, “we assign colors to specific areas of the project, using the Soule Software.”

Color Rebar Staging Document

“And in the software, it’s easy to pick the color for each section of the project”, said the Project Manager.

Soule Software Color Selection

“We use both solid colors and different color hash marks for each of the locations on a project. For most projects, the solid colors are sufficient. When we need more locations, we use different color hash marks. We find the color coding helps our customers and us internally to reduce errors and increase our productivity”, said the Project Manager.

After working with Brooklyn Rebar and learning more about Soule Software, I do believe automating color codes on tags will help fabricators significantly. Plus I like the fact that Soule built in the capability in advance of available technology; specifically the C7500. Even today, I know of software applications that have been built using printing languages from the 1980’s.

And more importantly, I appreciate companies like Brooklyn Rebar who search and use practical technology that improves their productivity and reduces the potential for errors.

If you need a color-coded label or tag solution for rebar or any other item, be sure to contact us. We would enjoy working with you to build a color-based solution that fits your business.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

Summer PR Tour

Label Printers

Recently, Andy Scherz, Product Manager for Epson America approached us with a request. Andy asked:

“Do you any customers who might like a little PR? We are focusing on the boutique product labeling market. Cheese, juice, lotion… The idea is that we would like to get some quantity of actual product with labels. We will show these labels and highlight how they were printed by Epson solutions. If you have any willing customers, please let us know.”

It seems Epson America was planning for the annual Epson Summer Press Tour.

ColorWorks Label Press Tour

The Epson Summer Press Tour is an annual event that Epson PR conducts for press and analysts to showcase new solutions and corporate initiatives. This event is not open to the public and is by invitation only to industry analysts and members of the press. And this year, over 100 press and analysts attended in New York City.

Originally, this event was created and remains primarily for media to see Epson’s latest consumer products for Holiday Gift Guide inclusion. In the last several years, Epson has shifted its company focus toward business solutions and leverages the event to generate larger brand awareness for Epson solutions that may not be as well known. For this reason, Epson incorporated displays from more industrial business lines at the event such as robotics, point-of-sale printing and commercial label solutions.

How could we say no to Andy? Based on this request, we suggested to Darek Connole, Public Relations for Epson a handful of customers who produce their product labels using Epson printers. Based on this list, the Public Relations firm for Epson, Walt & Company, www.walt.com, purchased on-line a selection of products from these companies.

ColorWorks Booth-Summer Press Tour

One the products/labels of company featured was Hummingbird Nectar. Douglas Everett produces beautiful labels for his product; using his great graphic artist skills.

Hummingbird Nectar Products

Many years ago, I wrote about Hummingbird Nectar, http://www.hummingbirdmarket.com/, on one of my first posts:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/03/customizing-my-nectar.html

Since day one, Hummingbird Nectar has invested resources and energy into producing innovative hummingbird nectar and offering quality hummingbird products. Over the past years their nectar has evolved; and will continue to change as this company introduce best-in-class products for your hummingbirds.

As Douglas says, ““The team a Color Label Solutions and Epson keeps us humming along”.

In addition to Hummingbird Nectar, Epson showed a product from Burn Hotsauce, https://www.burnhotsauce.com/, in their display:

Burn Hot Sauce

Burn Hot Sauce is an original, small batch, farmer and chef owned business in Santa Cruz California. All of their produce is grown on sustainable organic farms in California; and all of the fermented hot sauces highlight the farm on the label. Burn Hot Sauce is raw, alive and full of probiotics.

And I featured this company with some great products in a post earlier this year:

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2017/01/hot-labels.html

Next, we got one of our long-time customers, Tongue River Winery, http://www.tongueriverwinery.com/, involved.

Tongue River Winery

Their slogan, “Quality Made Wines with fruit exclusively from the Northern Plains!” sums up not only their wines, but also the quality of the owner of Tongue River Winery: Bob Thaden and family. You’ll find the letter Bob included with the box of wine to Epson of interest:

Letter from Tongue River Winery

As Bob didn’t have to include this letter, it shows what a wonderful and kind man he is.

Also, Epson had products from Rejunvenation Therapeutics, https://rejuvenation-therapeutics.com/, in their display.

Rejuvenation Therapeutics Label

Rejuvenation Therapeutics is a health-centered, science-driven company that strives to extend lifespan and improve overall wellbeing. Within a burgeoning field of dietary supplements and nutritional ingredients, Rejuvenation Therapeutics stands out with their dedication to scientific evidence and regulatory compliance to ensure that their products are safe, effective, and beneficial.

Rejuvenation Therapeutics is using a C7500G to produce their gloss poly labels. I think they look great!

Lastly, Epson showed products from Miracle Botanicals, https://miraclebotanicals.com/, one of our customers from Hawaii.

Miracle Botanicals Labels

Essential oil is the passion of Miracle Botanicals! Ever since Hope Johnson was introduced to essential oil after the birth of her third child, these precious plant spirits have become part of their family’s daily life and over time every aspect of their lives has been transformed.

Rev. Hope Johnson is an Essential Oil Alchemist and Reiki Master. I love that she signs all of her emails to us, “With Fragrant Blessings”.

We’re fortunate to have such great customers like the one featured above. Please visit their website and try some of their products. Or if you have requirements for other food and beverage companies, contact us and we’ll connect you to some of our other customers.

I’d like to thank Epson and the Walt Company for the pictures from the event; and for including us and a few or our customers. Contact us if you want to produce beautiful and functional labels yourself.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

Meet Tim

Label Printers

Recently, our Support Manager, Tim Semic, reached a milestone in providing support to our customers: 1,000 support calls.

Color Label Solutions’s Support Manager-Tim

You may have read some of Tim’s previous posts.

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2015/07/word-sucks.html Word Sucks

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2015/09/over-wan.html Over A Wan

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2016/02/printing-from-epson-label-printers.html Printing Labels Using Mac’s

http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2017/07/no-risk-label-printing.html No Risk Label Printing

Tim’s first call entry was May 7^th, 2015; about 2.5 years ago. When I learned of Tim’s call milestone, I asked, “what do you remember from your first call logged?” According to Tim, “My first call was from a large beverage company and I remember being a bit nervous. The problem turned out to be a bug in the C3500 printer driver software that I was able to resolve by uninstalling and then reinstalling it using the Epson Install Navi. The Epson Install Navi is a more comprehensive installer and is helpful in installing label printers onto an Ethernet network. I have found that certain problems can be resolved by reinstalling the printer driver.” Having never trained or worked as a Network Manager, I find these support situations the most difficult.

Install Navi

I also thought immediately, how many calls did you take prior to starting a call log? Tim said, “I took about fifty calls before I started logging them. At first, all I logged was the problem, but later for reference I noted what the fix was too.” Initially, I did a lot of the support calls. But now Tim handles almost all of them.

C7500G

When I provide support, I get frustrated easily; as I want to provide the answer to the issue quickly. Given my personal experience, I asked Tim what he does not to get frustrated. “If I begin to feel frustrated, I know it’s time to take a break. I don’t want to burden our customer with this feeling. I just take it one step at a time and enjoy the work.” Good idea.

But some calls are difficult. I asked Tim what was his worst support call. Tim said, “My worst call is any call where I find a hardware failure. I like to be able to solve problems for our customers. When a device has a hardware failure, I can’t fix this kind of problem over the phone. I have to give my customer the bad news. Depending upon the problem, the device may be unusable until it has been repaired. That’s not the kind of resolution that I hope for when I take a call. Machines and electronic devices are susceptible to failure. Ask yourself this, if a device you own fails, would that be an inconvenience or a catastrophe? If the answer is catastrophe, you should have a plan in place for when that device fails. All mechanical and electronic devices will eventually fail. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when, so please be prepared.” Good advice Tim.

But for the difficult calls, you get great calls as well. I asked Tim what was the call that you provided the most support. According to Tim, “I helped a chemical company set up their printing system. After the setup was completed, I went on to create PDF format labels for them over the course of a year. That on-going support was great as it allowed me to form a relationship with the customer.”

Tim continued, “Also, I recently took a call around 10 p.m. at night, where the customer was planning on just leaving me a message. We wound up working together that night to set up his new label printer. We finished up slightly before midnight. He was very grateful for the late night assistance which allowed them to be up and printing the next day. I was happy to help.” All I can say it, thanks Tim for great customer support! You’re raising the bar for us high!

C3500

At Color Label Solutions, we provide technical support to our customers, both initially to get them printing quickly and easily; and anytime they need additional help. And we help them navigate the break/fix process when their printers need repair. If you need a label printing solution, purchase from someone like us that is available to help when needed.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

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Category Archives: Label Printers

LX2000 vs C7500

New CA Prop 65 Requirements

Color Rebar Tags

Summer PR Tour

Meet Tim