At the recent WestPack 2020, John Roberts of General Data Automation
showed in our booth the Smart Touch Panel running the C6000P.
John Roberts with the Smart Touch Panel/C6000P
General Data is the new parent of Color Label Solutions; learn more here.
And John leads our automation group, which designs and deploys label
application and other automation equipment; and is the developer of the Smart
Touch Panel."
According to John, “ The Smart Touch Panel is a powerful, single board
computer, running on open source Linux. The Smart Touch Panel is ideally suited
for data collection over networks with barcode scanners, printers, or PLC’s.” In our case, it’s great with the new C6000P
printers.
Smart Touch Panel
Continuing, John says, “The Smart Touch Panel fits where an operator is
applying a label by hand. With the Peel
and Present feature of the new C6000P, the printer prints the label and
presents it ready to apply. With the
Smart Touch Panel, the operator doesn’t require a PC to operate; and fits where
you don’t want the operator running a computer.”
Watch John start a print job and print here:
In this video, John has produced a label template and adds variable
data such as lot, date, and/or shift codes along with a color code to identify
the production date of the product easily.
“In the past, companies used this type of solution with preprinted
labels using a thermal transfer printer such as Zebra to add the lot and other
codes.Now with the C6000P,
manufacturers can start with blank labels and print the entire label on-demand
just prior to use.This system makes
labeling with variable data easier to do”, says John.
You might find these earlier posts on the new C6000 series printers of
interest:
Smart Touch operates on a network with a server running a label
software program such as Codesoft or BarTender.This software creates the template that serves the data to the Smart Touch
Panel to operate.According to John,
“the Smart Touch Panel works best in situations with multiple printers/stations
running similar templates/printers”.
The Smart Touch Panel costs $995 with $895 for the stand that holds
both the printer and the panel.
If you have multiple stations applying labels by hand, consider not
only the Smart Touch Panel, but also moving to color with the C6000P
printers.This new technology will save
you time; and make your operation much more productive.
Contact us if we can help with the Smart Touch Panel or the C6000P
printer.
As I tested this exciting new technology, I thought you might find my
out-of-the-box experience of interest. You might find my introductory post on the C6000 series printers of interest:
After opening the box and removing the printer,
I started the printer without ink and attempted to install the driver (Get the driver here); but the driver would not install.
I realized quickly the install had to be done from the LED front screen
and not the driver. The initialization
took about 20 minutes (longer than the C3500).
After the initiation process finished, I could install the driver; and learned
the initiation process consumed about 50% of the initial ink cartridges
(similar to the C3500).
Once initialized, I checked the firmware version to see if it was
up-to-date; it wasn’t.It is not
surprising as these printers are brand new to the market.Epson has the updated firmware on the same
site as the driver above.After
downloading the firmware, I installed the updated firmware.
C6500 Firmware Update
I found the firmware update process very similar to my inexpensive, Multifunction,
WF-4720, Epson printer.
Now that the driver was installed and the
firmware updated, I decided to print some matte paper labels. I found loading the paper using the spindles very
easy to do. (Note to self: we need to order more spindles). If you have ever used a LX2000, you’ll find the
process with the C6500 much easier to do. (see my previous post comparing the
LX2000 to the C7500. Check out the paper loading section):
C6500 Media Spindle
For the matte paper, I selected the normal quality setting;
C6500 Media Settings
In addition, I changed the Ink Profile in the Advance setting to the
darkest setting. I’d recommend this change
on most all artwork and applications.
C6500 Ink Profile
Finally, be sure to configure the settings to “Rewind” if you are not
using the Peel & Present feature:
C6500 After Print Settings
Otherwise, the printer will tell you to remove the label. If you don’t change this configuration, the
next label will not print. You can move
the label slightly and the next label will print.
And found the print quality and speed (about the same as a LX2000) very
good.
C6500 Matte Paper Labels
After my first print jobs, I loaded some gloss paper and printed both
at the Quality and Max Quality. I did
notice a slight difference in colors; but very little. Notice the differences in the green bar; and
maybe the red block. Frankly, I don’t
think that vast majority of users will use the Max Quality setting.
C6500 Gloss Paper Labels
Max
Quality on the Gloss Paper is the maximum print resolution and slowest
print. Watch these two labels print
here:
Now that I was printing labels, I tested the Peel & Present feature
on the C6500P. I changed the
configuration in the driver to “Manual Apply”; and loaded the liner through the
peeler.The Peel & Present worked
great!
C6500P Peel & Present Feature
No other color label printer offers this feature. If you have operators on the line printing
and applying labels by hand, this feature will increase productivity. Please know: the Peel & Present version
does not have a cutter.
After using the Peel & Present feature, I tested the new Spot Color
replacement capability in the Epson driver.
With this capability, the printer can change one color
automatically. In the Printer Setting
Utility (Stored Data section), you establish an RGB value to replace an
existing color.
C6500 Spot Color Setting
And then you select the color in the media definition section of the
driver:
C6500 Spot Color Driver Setting
And you can change the print output colors without changing the
artwork. See how the blue block below
has a different color. Again, no other
printer I know offers this capability.
C6500 Spot Color Replacement; Check out the Blue Differences
This feature seems to work only with artwork created as RGB, and not
CYMK. More to come on the Spot Color
Replacement.
After all these tests, I want to try rear feed using very large drum
labels; 8.375” x 13.875”. Again, I see
the C6500P as a perfect replacement for the C831 printer. With large labels and rear feed, opening the
media cabinet from the back was very convenient.
C6500 Rear Feed of Large Labels
And using the Synthetic setting at the Normal Print Quality, I found
the print speed faster than expected; probably faster than the C831. Watch me
print this long label here:
And the print quality as well better than expected with the C831.
C6500P Print Quality on Drum Labels
After testing these large drum labels, I wondered how well the Peel
& Present feature would work on 8.375” x 13.875” size. Peel & Present seemed to work well.
C6500P Peel & Present-Large Drum Labels
This long label did stick to the liner below; but came loose when
pulled. The Peel & Present feature
would seem perfect for chemical drum labeling.
I suggest owners of C831 printers upgrade ASAP.
Overall, my out-of-the-box experience with the
C6500P was very positive. High Print
Quality, Easy Operation, Unique Features like Peel & Present, Spot Color
Replacement and Multiple Door Openings make the C6500 a great alternative to
printers from Primera such as LX2000, LX900 or LX1000; from VIP such as the
VP485 and VP495; or from Neuralabel, the 300x.
If you have one of these printers, you should consider upgrading. And I did not test several the new features; MAC
driver, Remote Printer Management or I/O port.
We’ll get these tests done in the new future. Be sure to see my post on printing with ZPL here:
Contact us if you find the features of the C6500A or C6500P of
interest.We’ll make printing with these
new technology printers easy to do.
