W<\/span>elcome to the world of weigh scale! <\/span>Just like how shipping labels<\/a> are used on millions of packages around the globe, scale labels are utilized on products you buy each and every day. <\/span>There\u2019s a great deal of information that goes into the scale industry: printers and labels, equipment, consumer base, regulations – just to name a few!<\/span><\/p>\n And unlike other types of printers used for label printing, scale label printers have to be regulated by strict trade approved standards.<\/span><\/p>\n So if you\u2019re new to weigh scales or looking to gain some basic knowledge on what these printers and labels are and how they\u2019re used, this guide is here to lead the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Alaina D’Altorio<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Food Labeling & Packaging<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> June 23rd, 2023<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> So let\u2019s start off with the equipment.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve covered <\/span>thermal and inkjet label printers<\/span><\/a> before, but scale label printers are in a different league. <\/span>Scale label printers are exactly what the name describes – the combination of a scale and a label printer. They can be digital (touch screen) or use a keypad with letters, numbers and symbols.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike items you\u2019ll find on store shelves that have a set price, like bottled water or a box of cereal, scale label printers weigh individual items and calculate a final price based on a predetermined amount.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And all of this is done with the same piece of equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n While this describes the basic operation of scale label printers, they can also include other features or options depending on where they\u2019re used. Here are some examples:<\/span><\/p>\n Some of the most popular names in the scale printer industry are ones that you may have already come across. They include:<\/span><\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve covered the scale printers, what about the scale labels they use?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Scale printers are used for weighing an item and determining the price of an item according to its exact weight.<\/span><\/p>\n Scale label printers are meant to enhance the quality and speed of consumer experience in retail and warehousing environments. Items can be sold by different metrics of weight: pound, ounce, gram, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once a price is determined, all of the corresponding item information is printed onto the label. This can include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n In the end, the price determined by the scale is what the consumer pays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So now that you know a little more about scale printers, exactly what industries will you find them used in? <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> Industries that use scale labels have a wide range. However, they’re most often used where food products are packed and sold<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These include retail establishments like:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All of these businesses sell products by weight in some form. They can be large, chain stores with multiple locations or small scale, mom and pop shops in your local neighborhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just retail stores that use scale printers and labels. You can also find them in large facilities that use auto-apply equipment, such as auto-wrappers.<\/span><\/p>\n These machines automate weighing, wrapping, and labeling into one operation. They include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Any weighted food product you\u2019ve purchased from your weekly grocery trip was priced in some way by a scale printer.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Scale printers like those mentioned above require <\/span>direct thermal labels<\/span><\/a> to print.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Direct thermal labels have ink embedded within the label material and are heat activated once they come in contact with the printhead. No <\/span>thermal ribbon<\/span><\/a> is required.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, direct thermal labels only print in black ink. If you\u2019re looking for colors on your scale labels, you\u2019ll have to order them pre-printed (we\u2019ll cover this in a bit).<\/span><\/p>\n Because of how scale printers are set up, it\u2019s common for most scale labels to print in peel and present mode. This just means each individual label is removed from the liner as it prints, allowing for quick manual application. However, some scales operate with a thermal printer that attaches separately. And in this case, labels can print still attached to the liner.<\/span><\/p>\n But it\u2019s extremely important that users buy the right labels for their scale printer model. Unlike generic thermal or <\/span>inkjet labels<\/span><\/a>, scale labels <\/span>must <\/b>correlate with their specific printer brand<\/a> in order to be compatible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is because each scale brand has standard label formats that work with their printers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For example, if you\u2019re using a Hobart printer, you will need to load it with Hobart-type compatible labels<\/a>. These can be supplied through the main printer company or with 3rd party companies, who will specify labels by their scale name and models.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Scale label sizes also differ from other printer labels. That\u2019s because they\u2019re sized using both imperial (inches) and metric (millimeters) measurements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This information depends on where the printer company is based. U.S. based companies, like Hobart or Mettler Toledo<\/a>, will size their labels using imperial (2.25\u201d x 2.37\u201d) and international companies, like DIGI<\/a> and CAS<\/a>, will size their labels using metric (58 x 60 mm).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Now that we\u2019ve looked at the scales and printers, it\u2019s important to mention the types of labels being printed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Scale labels can be printed with information that varies depending on what they\u2019re being used for or what product they\u2019re applied to. Businesses can also convey important warnings or instructions to consumers buying the products.<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a list of common scale labels found throughout the industry:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/pinnaclelabels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Optimized_Your_Weigh_Scale_Beginners_Guide_Feature.jpg\" "\\"Optimized_Your_Weigh_Scale_Beginners_Guide_Feature\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>AUTHOR<\/h2><\/div>
CATEGORY<\/h2><\/div>
POSTED ON<\/h2><\/div>
SOCIAL<\/h2><\/div>
WHAT IS A SCALE LABEL PRINTER?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
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WHAT ARE SCALE LABEL PRINTERS USED FOR?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
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![](\"https:\/\/pinnaclelabels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Optimized_Your_Weigh_Scale_Beginners_Guide_Uses.jpg\" "\\"Optimized_Your_Weigh_Scale_Beginners_Guide_Uses\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>INDUSTRIES THAT USE SCALE PRINTERS<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
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WHAT LABELS DO SCALE PRINTERS USE?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCALE LABELS<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
SAFE HANDLING<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>