A mobile rugged printer is an ideal tool in demanding environments such as industrial, retail and field operations, for recording/printing inventory receipts, invoices and labels. A well designed rugged mobile printer should be easy to mount in a vehicle, on a belt or on a shoulder strap. It should also be weather and temperature resistant, fast and simple to use, and economical. Mobile rugged printers can be either a stand-alone or compatible with a PC and other mobile devices. This article focuses on 4-inch rugged mobile printers, most of which can print 2-inch to 4-inch output.

Repair estimates, work orders, maintenance and service reports, and chemical data sheets are just a few uses for rugged mobile printers. Industries that can benefit from this technology include, but are not limited to, HVAC, home repair, equipment repair, IT services, utilities, pest management and even law enforcement.

Brother Mobile Solutions™ recently introduced RuggedJet™ to their line of rugged mobile printers. This rugged mobile printer can be used for a wide range of printing applications for field service personnel with output sizes from two to four inches.

[Image courtesy of Brother Mobile Solutions, Inc., reprinted by permission]

The RuggedJet features damage-resistant construction, low maintenance costs, multiple connectivity options (Bluetooth® or WiFi, with WLAN security to handle indoor and outdoor applications), high memory to handle multiple fonts, compatibility with existing mobile applications and a variety of accessories.

"The use of rugged mobile printers has gained significant momentum in the field service sector as industry professionals search for products and solutions to help become more productive, lower operating costs, improve responsiveness and up-time, gain a competitive advantage and achieve system-wide efficiencies in the field," said Ravi Panjwani, director of business development & sales of Brother Mobile Solutions. “Brother RuggedJet™ mobile printers offer faster print speeds of 5 inches per second (IPS) for higher productivity, they’re built tough with 6 foot drop protection and IP54 certification to meet the needs of mobile professionals, and they provide a better total cost of ownership than non-ruggedized mobile printers. The RuggedJet™ printers are also versatile – easily printing both receipts and labels on paper and synthetic media, with output sizes from 2 inches to 4 inches to meet a wide range of vertical market applications.”

Intermec’s PB50 rugged mobile printer for receipts and labels is designed to help companies improve productivity and efficiency. The printer can host stand-alone applications developed through Intermec software to address custom requirements, and is scalable to meet future application needs. Workers’ tasks can easily be changed without changing equipment. Built to thrive in the same environment as Intermec computers, the rugged mobile printers have forklift-strength shock and vibration specs, minimizing repairs and downtime.

[Image courtesy of Intermec, used by permission]

The Zebra RW 420 rugged mobile printer was designed for printing delivery receipts and invoices in the field. It features a modular design that allows users to choose among wireless options, card readers, and integral accessories such as vehicle mounts for simplified route printing, and can be easily mounted and charged in the “road warrior’s” vehicle.

[Image courtesy of Zebra, reprinted by permission]

Of course, there are other brands available, and business owners with staff in the field and/or warehouse should explore all options to fit their specific needs. This brief overview highlights only a few of the benefits available with rugged mobile printers.

www.brothermobilesolutions.com

www.intermec.com/

www.zebra.com

 

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