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Archive for February, 2012

The line of Datamax-O’Neil label printers include stationary printers such as ticket printers, RFID printers/encoders, compact desktop printers, and industrial bar code printers. Portable label printers are also available which include forklift printers, thermal receipt printers, ultra-rugged receipt printers, and multi-part dot matrix printers. While each of the Datamax-O’Neil printers has a distinctive function, without proper care and maintenance these printers will fail to do their job successfully resulting in frustration, poorly printed labels and higher maintenance costs.

This article will concentrate on the cleaning of desktop printers although many of the techniques described below can be used on the portable thermal label printers as well. Cleaning any standard Datamax desktop printer will require a set of cleaning supplies. Keep a kit filled with isopropyl alcohol, cotton swabs, lint-free cloths, and compressed air. These are the only supplies that should be needed to clean any of the Datamax desktop label printers.

Before you start cleaning you will need to be able to identify the various parts of your printer. The most important parts are the print-head, platen roller, and media sensor. The media sensor is the mechanisms that detects if the label and ribbon is in place as they roll simultaneously through the printer. The print-head, via heat exchange, prints the image directly on the media or ribbon which transfers ink to the media. The platen roller advances the media as it prints. Check your manual to give you a visual for each of these parts.

Before you clean anything on a Datamax printer, turn the power to ‘off’ and unplug the printer. Never clean a printer that is hot to the touch to avoid getting burned. Keep in mind that alcohol is flammable, so never use it around open flame. Also never use a sharp object, such as a knife or toothpick, to clean the print-head, media sensor, or platen roller.

Clean the print-head and platen roller after 3 rolls of labels or one roll of ribbon has run through the machine. As you open the printer to replace either the labels or ribbon, take advantage of this by cleaning the print-head and platen roller before adding the new media to the printer. To clean the print-head, dip a cotton swab into alcohol. Shake away any excess liquid. Wipe the cotton swab across the print-head to remove any build-up from the ribbon. For cleaning the platen roller, moisten a lint-free cloth with alcohol. Swipe the cloth back and forth across the length of the platen roller, rotating the roller as you wipe. Allow the print-head and platen roller to dry completely before replacing the media.

In order to clean the media sensor, or the ‘eye’ of the print-head, use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to wipe it clean. This should be done at least once a month, or if you see visible buildup of residue. Each time you replace a roll of labels or ribbons, inspect the interior space to ensure there are no scraps of paper or pieces of ribbon that are loose in the printer. Clean the interior of the label printer using compressed air to remove label and ribbon debris, as well as dust, at least once a month or as needed. For the exterior of the printer, wipe it down using a cloth soaked in alcohol to remove dirt and dust. You should clean the exterior at least once a month.

When a label printer is not clean your labels will come out with incomplete bar codes, faded lettering, skips in graphics, and wrinkles. If bar codes are poorly printed they won’t be able to be read by bar code scanners which will cause frustration and wasted time for all involved. Avoid these issues by keeping your Datamax label printer at peak performance with regular cleaning and proper maintenance.

Mark Oetken has been in the data collection (Auto/ID) industry for over 15 years. His expertise has helped guide many organizations in selecting the right barcode scanners and label printers to implement in order to meet their operational requirements. You can check out his latest website at Datamax Printers, where he provides a review of Datamax label printers, including the popular Datamax I-4208.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an international campaign designed to increase awareness of breast cancer, which affects one in every eight women. In the U.S., this campaign was founded in 1985 to promote mammography as the most effective tool at preventing breast cancer. Throughout the country, participants in charity events receive imprinted promotional products featuring the well-known pink ribbon.

During fall 1991, pink ribbons were distributed to participants in the Susan G. Komen Foundation New York City breast cancer survivor race. In 1993, Estee Lauder Companies Senior Corporate Vice President Evelyn Lauder created the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. She designated the pink ribbon as the symbol for the foundation. Since then, this small ribbon has become a powerful international symbol for breast cancer awareness.

People worldwide wear pink ribbons to express their moral support for women and men who have breast cancer. The ribbon is imprinted on clothing, bags, and promotional items like mugs, cups, and water bottles. It has even been designed as a magnet for display on automobiles. Charities shopping for promotional items may be able to design their own breast cancer awareness ribbon that features full color printing and an image of their choice. These thick magnets are water-repellent, fade resistant, and designed to be used outdoors.

Many shoppers are taking steps to reduce their use of plastic and paper shopping bags. Instead, they take their own reusable totes to transport their groceries. A pink non-woven customized tote will be in high demand with this crowd. It is durable enough to hold heavy grocery items, clothing, or even beach gear. The tote folds compactly and can be stored in a compartment behind a vehicle seat when not in use.

Insulated mugs keep hot beverages at the desired temperature. When a breast cancer fundraiser is held outdoors on a blustery day, filling these with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate helps keep participants going. They are attractive enough for everyday use and feature a sturdy handle and a thumb slide lid that helps prevent beverage spills. The bottom of the mug is designed to fit into the cup holder of the automobile and BPA-free material eliminates fear of contamination.

A unique promotional item with cancer in mind is a safety kit. Two packets of sunscreen, one packet of lip balm, adhesive bandages, and antiseptic and wash-up towelettes are contained in a case that fits into the glove compartment or a briefcase. Charities can have their logo imprinted on the lid of the case, advertising their support. Quantity discounts are often provided for promotional items like this, making it worthwhile for charities to order enough for events throughout the year.

Imprinted promotional products designed for breast cancer awareness feature the well-recognized light pink color. Fundraising groups imprint their logo and the pink ribbon onto these items and distribute them at events held throughout the year, particularly during October. In exchange for a donation to the cause, each supporter is provided with one or more of these promotional items.

Would you like more information on how you can use imprinted promotional products to help promote awareness for your favorite charity? PromosCanada.com has many affordable imprinted promotional products you will be able to use regardless of your budget. For more information, visit our website today!

To all you mom’s out there looking to purchase hair bows for your little girls, I just wanted to give some insight on all the options out there and, all of the different uses from, hair clips, headbands, crochet beanie hats, decorating, and arts and crafts. Grosgrain material is a type of fabric with a ribbed appearance. Most grosgrain fabric has a dull appearance but, is very strong. Being very strong can come in handy at times with some of the uses like, bows being worn on tennis shoes, flip-flops, baby dolls or just having your little one pulling and tugging on them. The grosgrain fabric is what is used in making book bindings and gift wrapping ribbon. The grosgrain ribbon can be found in a variety of patterns and colors. Also, grosgrain ribbon is sturdy and a bit stiffer so, with this kind of ribbon the bow will stay crisp and more attractive longer.

One of the more popular bows out today is the korker bow. The korker bow has many uses from wearing it in your hair to adding it to a hat. The korker bow fits onto headbands, hats or even shoes with an alligator clip. The bows come in about any color you can imagine and, with all the different strands of ribbon associated with one bow, you can mix or match colors to fit most any outfit you are wearing. Also, you can get sizes that range from Mini which is normally 1″ to the larger sizes that range to around 4″. The little girls seem to love wearing them on all their outfits and, I’ve even seen some wear the smaller ones on their wristbands.

Another bow that is popular is the larger 4″ hair bows that can also be worn on outfits, hats, headbands and more. They also come in a huge variety of colors. A really cool looking color out now is animal prints. They have zebra prints, cheetah prints and a lot more. These bigger bows work well clipping them onto a dress. You can get these bows with or without alligator clips. With clips you have a wide variety of different ways you can use the bow by interchanging them from one outfit to another.

Chunky bows are cute bows that can also be used pretty much anywhere. The chunky bows are normally between 2.5″ to 4.5″. The smaller bows can even be used to pin onto your child’s favorite baby doll or stuffed animal. Again, these bows come in a wide variety of colors and styles, they work great on flip-flops as well.

Safety is something that every mom is concerned with when purchasing anything for their little one. So, make sure that if you make your purchase that all of the materials used in the product have been tested for lead. Make sure that a child is never left unattended with anything small enough for them to swallow or that could become a choking hazard.

Perry Mink owner of Beanies2Bows. We sell quality children’s fashion accessories at very reasonable prices. Visit our website at http://www.beanies2bows.com and take a look at our selection of fashion accessories.

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There are two types of thermal printing methods — thermal transfer and direct thermal. Each method uses a special print-head to apply heat to the surface being marked. Thermal-transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to print on a wide variety of materials. Direct-thermal printing prints directly and uses no ribbon.

Both printing technologies are excellent for generating bar code labels because they’re able to use a wide variety of label materials to produce high-quality images.

Here’s additional information to help you understand the differences between the two types of printers. Use this information to help you decide which type of printer (and label media) is right for your application:

Thermal Transfer

This printing technology makes use of a heated print head, which causes the ribbon to melt onto the label material. The melted ribbon material causes the printed image to literally become part of the label. It produces an unrivaled image quality and durability.

Thermal transfer printers are able to utilize a more diverse variety of label media than direct thermal printers so work well for a wider range of printing applications.

Ribbons for these printers are typically either wax or resin-based. While wax is the most common and least expensive, resin ribbons provide superior resistance to heat and chemicals. It’s important to carefully consider the label material before choosing the type of ribbon used.

Direct Thermal

This printing technology utilizes specially treated, heat-sensitive label material that changes color when it passes under the heated print head. Because of this, direct thermal printers use no toner or ribbon. These units, therefore, cost less to operate than thermal transfer printers.

There are certain trade-offs, however. Direct thermal print images tend to fade over time. If the label is constantly exposed to heat, intense light or other triggers, the material can become too dark making the bar code unreadable. While direct thermal labels are more sensitive to environmental conditions, they are quite suitable for a great many common bar code printing applications.

The brief summary discussed above provides you with a core understanding of the workings and differences between thermal transfer and direct thermal printers. Use the information as a starting point in your printer selection process.

Remember, the specifics of your printing application play a major role in deciding which printer technology type to select. Environmental conditions, media material and print image durability / readability all need to be considered carefully given the impact on your results.

An excellent source of practical advice for thermal printers, including warehouse management system applications can be found at http://www.redlinesolutions.com.

A Christmas elf is a diminutive creature that in modern times supposedly lives with Santa Claus in the North Pole and acts as his helper. Christmas elves are often depicted clad in green or red. They have pointed ears, long noses, and pointy hats. The elves are believed to make toys in Santa’s workshop and take care of his reindeer, among several other tasks. We are providing here an interesting craft activity of making Christmas clay pot elf.

Materials needed:

• 1- 1 1/2″ diameter wooden ball
• 1- 2 1/4″ diameter clay pot
• Wide ribbon with holiday pattern
• Thin green ribbon
• Green felt
• Two red buttons
• Two wooden hearts for ears
• Gold button
• 2 small gold bells
• Embellishments such as our “Believe in Santa” bag
• Acrylic paints in flesh, red, pink, and black
• White craft glue
• Newspaper sheets
• 1 large paintbrush

Procedure to make Christmas clay pot elf:

• Preparing surface: Place a newspaper sheet on the work surface.
• Forming face: Turn the clay pot over and glue the wooden ball to its bottom.
• Making ears: Stick the hearts upside down to the sides of the ball to create pointy elf ears.
• Painting the face: When the glue dries up, use the paintbrush to color the outside of the clay pot green. The ball and ears will be nude colored. Let it all dry and apply a second coat.
• Cheeks: Using a small sponge, gently dab on a thin amount of pink and red for the cheeks.
• Eyes: Use black paint to form eyes and mouth.
• Nose: With red paint, make nose.
• Neck: Tie the green ribbon around the elf’s neck, fashion a bow, and trim its ends.
• Clothing: Glue the red buttons to the front of the clay pot. Spread a thin coat of white craft glue around the bottom rim of the clay pot. Form a border of the green ribbon all the way around it.
• Adorning the sides: Stick the embellishments to the side of the body.
• Making the hat: Cut a tall triangle out of the green felt.
• Fixing the hat: Apply some glue to the elf’s forehead. Position the bottom of the felt triangle over the glue. Wrap it around to the back of the head. Stick it now. Glue the back part of the felt together. Bring to a point at the top. For a proper fit, trim if needed.
• Adorning the hat: Gently tie a piece of thin green ribbon, around an inch from the top of the hat. Tie in a knot loosely so that it does not bunch together. Carefully thread bells onto the ends of the ribbon that you just tied in place. Tie bells on it and adjust height. Tighten the knots and trim the ends off. Glue a gold button above the ribbon. Position a piece of thin green ribbon around the base of the hat and glue it.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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If you’re looking for some Christmas party favor ideas for your upcoming Christmas birthday party, an office party, or your annual Christmas shindig, then here’s some snazzy and jazzy options to consider. Your guests will indeed believe this to be the most wonderful time of the year!

MUG FULL OF YUM – For the chocolate lovers in your life, fill a Christmas mug full of Hershey’s Kisses, envelope the mug with Christmas-printed cellophane, tie off with some fun ribbons, and hang a glitzy snowflake ornament on the outside.

ANOTHER MUG FULL OF YUM – Capitalize on chocolate and fill a Christmas mug with an envelope of hot chocolate, a small clear bag of mini marshmallows, and a package of creamer to make your hot “toddy” a bit more decadent. Once again, envelope the cup in a decorative cellophane and tie it off with coordinating ribbons and a dangling ornament.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TREE – Melt green chocolate candy melts and pour the melted chocolate into a Christmas tree-shaped candy mold. Lay a sucker stick into the warm chocolate. After the chocolate hardens, pop your trees out of the mold. Wrap the trees in cellophane and tie off with a ribbon.

If you want your tree to have decorations, then prior to pouring the green chocolate into the mold you’ll need to “paint” your decorations onto the inside of the mold using a craft brush. Wilton’s candy melts come in an array of colors, which makes it easy to paint on your ornaments, lights, garland, or whatever floats your boat!

WHIMSICAL WREATH ORNAMENTS – Buy some mini craft wreaths and decorate them with Christmas ribbons, berries, dried flowers, cinnamon sticks, holly, etc. Create a hanger by gluing a ribbon loop on the back.

In the alternative, you could decorate each wreath to coincide with your guests’ interests. For example, if Suzie likes to sew, decorate your wreath with spools of thread, ribbons, scissors, etc. For Fisherman Frank, decorate his wreath with fishing lures, hooks, sinkers, rubber worms, thin rope, etc.

SPA DELIGHT – Make or buy a sugar scrub and put into small mason jars or decorative glass jars, which have tight lids. Decorate the outside with Christmas ribbons, cinnamon sticks, a sprig of holly, berries, etc. Tie a small spoon to the side, along with written instructions for use.

COOKIE CUTTERS – Print out your favorite cookie recipe on a recipe card. Place Christmas-shaped cookie-cutters into a decorative cellophane bag. Tie it off with colorful ribbons and attach your recipe to the outside.

CHRISTMAS CD – Download a mix of your favorite Christmas songs and create CD’s for your guests. Add a decorative CD label, put into green or red CD sleeves, and close with a Christmas sticker.

If you’re still looking for some additional Christmas birthday party favors or Christmas party favor ideas that could be used for an office party or to help make your home a sled full of fun, then you might want to visit our website. You’ll also find lots of ideas for invitations, decorations, party food, and cakes, along with a fun assortment of Christmas games, which will complement your Christmas splendidly!

Find additional Christmas party favor ideas for your Christmas party or Christmas Birthday Party by visiting www.birthday-party-ideas-101.com, a party planning website written and edited by Professional Organizer, Elizabeth Chastain.

Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.