TORRANCE, Calif. — Seiko Instruments USA Inc. Thermal Printer Division, a provider of thermal kiosk printer technology, has introduced the 24-volt LTPD and CAPD series direct thermal printer mechanisms for OEM applications. The LTPD (printer only) and CAPD (printer and auto-cutter) embedded thermal printers offer two-inch and three-inch print widths and EZ-OP clamshell-style paper replacement, in a wide range of form factors.
According to a news release, this mechanism features up to 60 percent reduction in footprint, improved reliability and a menu of configuration options. For engineers designing point of sale (POS) systems, self-service kiosks, medical equipment, and other printer-dependent OEM applications, the competitively priced mechanisms significantly ease integration, speeding time to market.
"The new 24V LTPD and CAPD printer mechanisms demonstrate the engineering excellence for which Seiko Instruments is renowned," said Kaz Onishi, vice president and general manager, Seiko Instruments USA. "By shrinking the size of the thermal printer mechanism and providing a wide range of configuration options, we give our OEM customers a cost effective thermal printing solution with substantial reliability and design flexibility."
Both LTPD and CAPD mechanisms are significantly smaller than preceding models, and incorporate many space-saving features to help reduce OEM device size. Depth of the 2 inch CAPD247 model is reduced by 60 percent, compared to previous generations. The mechanism now measures just 3.27 inches (83.1mm) wide by 1.01 inches (26.9mm) high and 1.39 inches (35.4mm) deep. All printer models feature a redesigned paper guide, to shrink the distance between printer and paper and reduce overall design depth. A new, smaller pitch, flexible print circuit (FPC) cable adds further space savings. The FPC includes a framed ground line to protect the device against electrostatic shock, without additional wiring. The mechanisms also incorporate fixing points within the footprint of the printer to reduce overall mechanical design width.
The new thermal printers offer exceptional reliability. Each is rated for a minimum 62.1 miles (100 km) printed output and 100 million pulses. A platen latch redesign adds durability by eliminating accidental release from external shock. And the CAPD series is reengineered to house the printer and auto-cutter in a single, rigid assembly, enabling precise positioning of the cutter blade for reduced cutter errors and further reliability gains.
New mechanism configuration options provide a boost in flexibility and substantially ease mechanical integration. LTPD models offer a choice of horizontal and vertical orientation, with options to mount the motor either behind or below the print head. ASIC and interface boards are available for all models, supporting USB, Parallel, and Serial interfaces, and drivers are available for Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, OPOS, and Linux operating systems.
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