News | August 22, 2011

TSC Introduces ME-240/ME-340 Series Of New Small-Footprint Industrial-Class Printers

TSC Auto ID Technology recently announced the introduction of its new ME-240/ME-340 Series thermal-transfer label printers – two small-footprint industrial-class platforms that offer a great combination of price and performance, loads of standard features, and an industry-best two-year warranty.

Designed for tough industrial environments
The ME-240/ME-340 Series is designed and constructed to withstand the toughest production environments. Both printers feature a heavy-duty print engine constructed of die-cast aluminum, which is housed in an all-metal frame. Because of their low-profile small-footprint design, both models fit easily into tight work spaces that are often too cramped for larger industrial printers. As is true of all TSC industrial label printers, the ME-240/ME-340 Series is backed by an industry-best two-year limited warranty.

Loaded with standard features
The ME-240/ME-340 Series is loaded with standard features – yet is priced lower than comparable label printers on the market – and offers a wide selection of options and accessories that further enhance its capabilities. Standard features include Ethernet, USB, USB-A Hosting, real time clock and serial connectivity, a six-button three-LCD display, 8MB of DRAM memory, 4 MB of Flash memory and an SD card slot for inexpensively adding up to 4 GB of Flash memory.

Fast label throughput
The ME-240 model prints up to 4 inches wide, with 203-dpi (8 dots/mm) resolution, at up to 6-inches per second. The print mechanism supports large 450-meter thermal-transfer ribbons and 8-inch OD label rolls. The ME-240's fast print speed and large ribbon and media capacities make it perfect for many applications, including manufacturing, transportation, warehousing and health care.

The higher-resolution ME-340 model delivers 300-dpi (12 dots/mm) images and prints up to 4 inches per second. It is ideal for producing two-dimensional barcodes, fine text and small-graphics labels.

‘Out of the box' language-emulation support
The ME-240/ME-340 Series comes with TSPL-EZ firmware that supports the most popular programming languages, including Zebra and Eltron, "right out of the box," making it easy to replace older installed hardware. Both printers simply translate each label format as it is received.

Other TSPL-EZ features include a file manager and programming language that support standalone and downtime programming solutions, enabling users to print labels without connection to a host computer or, optionally, to continue printing labels during a network failure.

"The introduction of our new ME-240/ME-340 Series further expands our growing line of affordable, high-performance industrial-class printers," said David Lundeen, vice president of sales and marketing for TSC Auto ID Technology America. "Both models offer customers a great combination of price and performance, loads of standard features that are options on many other label printers and a warranty that is the best in the industry."

About TSC Auto ID Technology
Based in Taipei, Taiwan, TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd. is one of the largest manufacturers of bar code printers in the world, producing more than 200,000 printers annually. In recent years, the company has embarked on a program of product diversification and production-line automation, reinforcing its position as a major competitor in the growing auto-ID market. According to VDC Research, TSC ranked among the Top-10 Global Barcode Printer Manufacturers in 2009 and had earned an estimated 3 percent share of the worldwide barcode printer market by 2010.

KEY SERIES FEATURES

  • 6-button LCD display control panel
  • Internal Ethernet interface (10/100 Mbps)
  • USB host (supports PC keyboard or barcode scanner)
  • Easily adjustable sensors
  • 450-meter ribbon capacity
  • Flexible firmware that emulates popular printer languages
  • Models supporting 203-dpi and 300-dpi resolutions
  • SD card slot supporting up to 4 GB Flash memory expansion

KEY SERIES OPTIONS

  • Peel-off kit (including a peel off module, sensor and internal rewind)
  • Guillotine cutter
  • Standalone keyboards

ME-240/ME-340 SERIES MARKETS

  • Compliance labeling for shipping and receiving
  • Work-in-process manufacturing identification
  • Pallet labeling
  • Inventory-control labeling
  • Brand marketing involving graphics, logos and texts
  • Hospital patient ID and pharmaceutical marking

SOURCE: TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd.