AstroNova Inc. Unveils Tabletop Label Printer That Uses 5-Color CMYKW

The world’s technology is advancing at a startling rate, and now it seems printing has been added to the growing list. With the development of digital cameras and devices that allowed you to print photos at home, printing tech has taken off. The latest update refers to an innovation made by AstroNova, an American company based in Rhode Island. This “world leader in data visualization technology” produced a label printer for its European market that changes the game by utilizing a five color system.

Printers have long relied on the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) color model to produce the full rainbow. The CMYK model worked because it masked colors on a lighter (usually white) background — the ink reduced the light that would otherwise be reflected, leaving the desired color on the final product. This shift to five colors — namely cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white (CMYKW) — allows direct printing on colored materials, such as black polyester or silver paper, and is relatively unheard of in the printing industry.

AstroNova’s QL-300 also offers a 1200 dpi (dots per inch) resolution, creating clean and crisp details with a fast digital printing speed of up to 152 mm/s. The release announces it as a “universal label printer perfect for all applications”: the ink is highly resistant to oils, solvents, water, UV-rays, and can print on various materials — from paper and metalized polyester to transparent materials.

However, it is only a label printer; if you needed anything else printed, it wouldn’t be worth the cost. For example, the addition of labels to your trade show exhibit would be beneficial, but only in a minor way as they would most likely not garner enough attention. Employing a digital printing service to handle the printed materials for your business (which have been proven to engage customers more than online) is a much better investment.

Essentially, if you need anything professionally done beyond labels, your best bet is to find a printing company — many of which do custom work — to manage the details and production. They’re more likely to offer fast digital printing options and you won’t be forced to break the bank in the process.