Understanding Mobile Printing Technology and Capabilities

Understanding Mobile Printing

Technology and Capabilities

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 2

Throughout a wide range of industries, mobile printers

enable an endless array of documentation, ticketing

and labeling tasks—from traditional barcodes to

advanced radio frequency identiﬁcation (RFID) tags.

Wireless mobile printers include many of the

connectivity and convenience features previously found

only on stationary models. The evolution in mobile

printer functionality gives users the ﬂexibility to print

materials on demand, where and when they need

them. Seamless mobility can drive new business

processes that take advantage of point-of-transaction

printing to improve worker productivity, labeling

accuracy and responsiveness to customer needs.

Successful mobile printing applications depend on a

convenient, intuitive process for workers to follow. IT

departments must deploy mobile solutions that are

easy to operate and suitable for use in the work

environment, whether it is a busy outdoor receiving

dock, a medical center or a retail store aisle. There are

important distinctions among printers that are

“moveable” and “mobile” printers. Understanding the

design and performance features that differentiate

mobile printers from stationary models is critical to

developing beneﬁcial new processes and selecting the

optimal solutions.

Fact is, no single printing solution ﬁts all business

processes and user tasks. To help businesses make

informed choices, this paper presents several

informative topics on mobility, including mobile printing

and associated wireless technology. Then, it presents

example applications for reducing operating costs,

increasing labor efﬁciency and improving customer

service.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

According to research released by VDC in 2011, the

mobile worker population exceeded one billion in

2010.

With an increasingly mobile and distributed

workforce, this population will grow by over 10 percent

during the next three years.

Based on these facts

alone, it is clear that mobility—and the technology that

drives it, including mobile printers—is critical for

improving business agility and responsiveness.

Throughout this paper, the term “mobile printer”

includes any printer that uses a wireless network

connection, from small handheld models to larger,

cart-mounted printers. Mobile printing systems offer

the quality and convenience necessary to provide

documentation for both internal and customer-facing

operations. Modern mobile printers deliver high-quality

barcode and RFID labels, receipts, invoices and tickets,

and receive print jobs through a wireless network.

Mobile printers support many different forms and

features, allowing them to perform in a diverse range of

environments. By tackling select print jobs with small,

mobile printers instead of centrally located stationary

units, businesses are making huge strides in staff

productivity. Replacing manual hand-written documents

such as receipts, tickets and work orders in the ﬁeld

helps eliminate hidden internal costs associated with

labeling errors.

Consider the following applications. Industrial

companies can use mobile printers for shipping and

receiving, putaway, cross-docking, work-in-process

(WIP) tracking, and picking and sorting. Retailers can

use mobile printers to track inventory with barcode and

RFID labels, from the pallet, case, or package to the

item level. This includes shelf-edge labeling and price

management, returns labeling, mobile point-of-sale

INTRODUCTION

VDC Research, “Mobile Worker Trends: Fears of Managing an Increasing Mobile Workforce”, February 2011.

Ibid.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 3

Today’s mobile printers are lightweight, easy to use

and durable, and offer rich print quality, along with

support for a variety of media previously found only on

stationary printers. Most offer an 802.11b/g wireless

interface for connecting to a local area network (LAN)

and enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications

from anywhere in the facility, indoors or out. Many

contain integrated credit card readers for fast payment

processing.

Mobile printers typically ﬁnd use in conjunction with

handheld, wearable or mountable computers. The

printer receives commands from the mobile computer,

smart phone or tablet through either a cabled or a

wireless connection using short-range Bluetooth

technology. The operator can use the mobile device to

generate transaction information and print jobs or

receive tasks pushed down directly from the wireless

network.

MOBILE PRINTING TECHNOLOGY BASICS

(POS) and line busting. Direct store delivery (DSD) and

logistics enterprises also gain from mobile printing,

which helps streamline operations and improve mobile

worker productivity.

In the healthcare industry, medical staff can label

medical specimens at the patient bedside. Hospitality

and service industries use mobile printers to speed

ticket processing, guest and passenger check-in, and

tableside and curbside transactions, as well as on-the-

spot delivery conﬁrmation and proof of service receipts.

Beyond the private sector, state and local government

agencies are also looking for ways to leverage mobile

printing to cut costs and reduce errors. Many precincts

are turning to electronic citation (e-citation) systems to

meet ever-growing data collection and reporting

requirements. Ofﬁcers can use handheld devices,

mobile computers, and printers to complete trafﬁc

stops faster, safer, and more efﬁciently than through

manual ticketing.

Mobile printers are available in multiple designs to

meet the needs and preferences of a variety of mobile

workers. Form factors include devices wearable on a

belt or shoulder strap, or securely mounted on a

vehicle or a cart. Finding the best form factor requires

a clear understanding of the work environment,

collecting valuable user input, and establishing

procedures for improving printing convenience.

Mobile printers must be comfortable and easy to use,

or they will not deliver productivity beneﬁts. While

overall weight is important, balance, grip and ease of

carrying and operation are also critical. Printers also

must efﬁciently accelerate the transaction, or else

operators will not use the technology.

There are several common classes of mobile printers,

each of which are described in detail below.

Wearable

Workers can wear printers using either a belt clip or a

shoulder strap, giving them the ﬂexibility to keep their

hands free for other tasks. Users are able to

comfortably carry printers with belt clips or shoulder

straps, reducing fatigue, especially in high-use

environments. A wireless connection between the

wearable printer and the mobile computer maximizes

mobility and enhances usability, while eliminating the

need for cumbersome communication cables.

Zebra offers many wearable printers in its P4T™/

RP4T™, QLn™, iMZ™ and RW™ series of product

families. This wide assortment of printers feature

durable construction, convenient media handling and

battery-saving features, and offer a variety of print

widths, media capabilities and other functionality.

FORM FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 4

The RW 420™ Route Palette and RW 420™ Print

Station provide a single, convenient carrier for Zebra’s

rugged RW 420 mobile printer and a Motorola

handheld mobile computer. Ideal for route accounting,

direct store delivery, ﬁeld service, sales operations,

and e-citation, this integrated solution makes mobile

workers’ jobs easier and more productive. They can

use a shoulder strap, or carry it using a solid handle,

rather than struggle with separate mobile devices

attached to their belt or ﬁxed-mounted in the vehicle.

Vehicle-Mounted

Mobile printers support mounting into most vehicles,

including emergency response vehicles, police

cruisers, forklifts and delivery trucks. While the mount

is permanent and secure in the vehicle, the printer can

be easily removed for POS transactions, such as DSD

or route accounting operations. Mounted printers may

be battery operated or hard-wired to a vehicle power

adapter or battery eliminator. Although it is possible to

adapt stationary printers for use in trucks and material

handling equipment, it is generally preferable to use a

mobile printer for the operation.

Ruggedized Zebra mobile printers and vehicle

accessories are built to withstand the shock and

vibrations of vehicles and have power management,

media handling and user interface features optimized

for mobile applications. Vehicle mounts are available

for Zebra’s P4T, QLn420 and RW series mobile

printers. With Zebra’s RW series printers, users can

choose an intuitive pushbutton- or lever-release cradle,

which allows for convenient storage and charging in

the vehicle and easy removal for bringing along to a

customer transaction.

Cart-Mounted

Stationary and tabletop printers offer mobility when

users mount them on a movable cart. This

conﬁguration is ideal for when the application requires

more media capacity or added functionality beyond

the capabilities of a smaller mobile printer. Typical

applications include print jobs that require high-volume

output or a variety of media sizes, colors, formats, etc.

Cart-mounted printers require a power or battery

supply, as well as a connection to a PC or portable

computer through either a communications cable or

the 802.11b/g wireless network.

Zebra’s ZebraNet

PS4000™ is a mobility-enabling

device through which users can convert up to four

Zebra stationary printers, like the Xi4™ or ZM400™,

into an on-demand mobile printer solution ideal for

retail or warehouse applications. When using a Zebra

LA-24 battery, users can power up to four printers,

allowing businesses to leverage their existing Zebra

stationary printers and eliminate the need for power

cables and wall outlets.

Printer Accessories

Many accessories are available to make mobile

printers more comfortable and convenient to use.

Accessories include shoulder straps, belt clips, printer

stands, vehicle-mounting units, communications

cables, printer charging stations, single- and multi-unit

battery chargers, soft cases and more.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 5

Using wireless technology for cable replacement

improves ergonomics and productivity. Eliminating

cables that connect printers to handheld computers

helps reduce the risk of tangles and falls. Wireless

also improves system reliability, eliminating the

chance for cables and pin connectors to break. This is

a tremendous advantage in ﬁeld service and route

accounting applications, where users are often miles

away from headquarters and lack immediate access to

replacement cables and connectors.

Innovative wireless technologies exist for connecting

mobile printers to a single device or to multiple devices

on a network. Instead of standard serial, parallel or

Ethernet communications cables, businesses can use

Bluetooth for single device, one-to-one connections

and/or 802.11b/g for multiple device connection.

Bluetooth Technology

Bluetooth applications require a Bluetooth radio in the

printer as well as the mobile handheld terminal, smart

phone or tablet. Bluetooth targets wireless, low-power

consumption applications allowing computers,

printers and other devices to interface with each other

without routing through a centralized hub or server.

Maximum range is about 30 feet, enabling mobile

printer usage located away from a stationary PC. The

main beneﬁt is that once paired, only these two

devices can communicate to each other at one point

in time, improving security.

Wireless Networking

Mobile printers can use a wireless network connection

to receive print jobs, label formats, variable data and

other information from host systems or wireless

handheld devices. 802.11b/g is the most widely used

wireless network standard and offers excellent

performance for enterprise applications. It uses the

2.4 GHz frequency band and allows up to 11 Mbps

(megabits per second) data rates.

Other standards in the 802.11 wireless networking

series include 802.11a and the most recent 802.11n

standard, which is available on Zebra’s QLn and iMZ

series mobile printers. 802.11n delivers faster speeds,

greater range and improved reliability—increasing the

maximum data rate from 54 Mbit/s to 600 Mbit/s.

Most importantly, 802.11n is backward compatible

with 802.11b and 802.11g, which helps protect the

enterprise’s existing investment in mobile devices and

networks.

Zebra supports several leading security protocols,

including VPN, WPA, WPA 2, LEAP, Kerberos, EAP-TLS,

EAP-TTLS, PCI DSS and more, to meet user preferences

for securing wireless transmissions. Through Zebra’s

involvement with international standards committees

and strong relationships with leading wireless

technology developers, Zebra will continue to offer

advanced wireless security features and new 802.11

enhancements as they are introduced into the market.

Mobile Printer and Device Management

Mobile printers provide diverse output (barcode and

RFID labels, tags, receipts, tickets, etc.) that require

ﬁne-tuning of special features like the printer’s

darkness setting and print speed that common ofﬁce

printers do not offer. Mainstream printer utilities and IT

management systems cannot provide full control over

mobile printers, especially thermal models. Thermal

printers need their own management resources for

optimal performance and reliability.

ZebraLink™ utilities allow IT staff to centrally deploy,

manage and monitor Zebra printers from a single PC

anywhere on the network. With the consolidation of

operations and headcount that is prevalent in most

manufacturing and IT organizations, there is a trend

toward centralized management and administration of

peripheral equipment, including printers. ZebraLink

utilities take advantage of SNMP support native to

Zebra printers to provide monitoring and management

capabilities, which are extremely valuable for

improving printer uptime and reliability.

ZebraNet™ Bridge Enterprise closes the gap between

label printer-speciﬁc support provided by printer

utilities and the centralized management,

conﬁguration, and control available in general-purpose

management applications. Leveraging the power of

ZebraLink, ZebraNet Bridge Enterprise allows users to

manage all their networked Zebra printers around the

world from a single desktop application, and “push”

settings, ﬁrmware and ﬁles to printers as updates are

needed.

WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 6

Thermal-based technology is optimal for mobile

printing because of the high print quality output,

media ﬂexibility and the low-maintenance, durable

nature of the equipment. Impact printers break more

easily in dynamic and industrial environments, often

lack the print quality to produce scannable barcodes,

and contain no optimizations for adhesive label media.

There are two thermal printing methods, direct

thermal and thermal transfer. Each method uses a

thermal printhead that applies heat to the surface

undergoing marking. Thermal transfer printing heats a

ribbon to melt durable, long-lasting images onto a

wide variety of materials. Direct thermal printing does

not use a ribbon and instead creates the image

directly on the chemically treated label material. Direct

thermal media is more sensitive to light, heat and

abrasion, which reduces the overall label life.

Direct thermal is the dominant method used in mobile

printing because the simplicity and convenience of the

technology are true advantages in mobile applications.

Additionally, the label, receipt or document printed

from a mobile printer typically has a relatively short

life, again, proving the need for direct thermal over

thermal transfer. However, in applications where a

longer-lasting label or more durable label material is

needed, Zebra offers the only thermal transfer mobile

printer on the market, the P4T.

Direct Thermal Applications

Direct thermal printers can satisfy most mobile

application needs. Top-coated media resists ultraviolet

light and remains readable for years, eliminating the

problem of receipts that fade and curl after a few days.

Many types of liner-less media are also available, which

eliminate the waste and disposal problems associated

with peel-away liners used with adhesive labels.

Thermal Transfer Applications

Thermal label printers are ideal for barcode printing

because they produce accurate, high-quality images

with excellent edge deﬁnition. Thermal printers are

engineered to print within tight tolerances and to

produce the exact bar widths that successful barcode

printing and scanning require. The Zebra P4T/RP4T

printer takes thermal transfer technology to the next

level by delivering superior image durability (barcodes/

text/graphics), optional RFID and advanced wireless

connectivity options. Thermal media is also available

to resist oil, water, blood, alcohol and common

industrial solvents.

Typical mobile printers accept a variety of label, tag,

ticket and other media for producing durable receipts,

invoices, return labels, inspection labels and other

labels and documents. Users can customize blank

label, tag and receipt stock to include color, graphics

and company logos, with the variable text and

barcode printed on-demand from the mobile printer.

While the majority of route accounting customers

accept 4-inch-wide delivery conﬁrmation receipts,

mobile printers can print variable information like

invoice amounts or delivery contents on labels that are

applied to forms. This satisﬁes customer desires to

keep using familiar forms, while eliminating

handwriting and manual recording.

PRINT METHODS AND MEDIA

In addition, Zebra’s new Link-OS™ suite of software

and tools enhances the capabilities of Zebra devices

to make them signiﬁcantly easier to integrate, manage

and maintain from any location. Available on the iMZ

and QLn mobile printers today, Link-OS is an open

platform that pairs smart Zebra devices with powerful

software applications. For example, developers can

connect Link-OS devices securely and directly to

Cloud-based applications—for device management,

printing or as part of a powerful data collection

platform. In addition, users can quickly and easily

manage Link-OS devices directly from the AirWatch

system environment using the Windows

-based

Link-OS AirWatch Connector solution. This seamless

integration to AirWatch eliminates the need to use

multiple tools to manage multiple mobile device

types. To learn more about Link-OS, visit

www.zebra.com/link-os.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 7

How the mobile printer manages power consumption

is important to overall battery life and application

effectiveness. It is critically important in remote

applications, like route accounting and parcel delivery,

to have enough battery life to power printers for the

entire shift. Otherwise, workers may not be able to

complete their daily jobs.

Battery life varies widely based on how the printer is

used. Print volume, label size, the amount of wireless

transactions and other factors affect battery recharge

and replacement rate. Users should test their

applications to ensure that the batteries they use

consistently perform as needed and will not contribute

hidden expenses to the total cost of ownership. Some

mobile printers have adapters so they can be powered

from vehicle batteries. A variety of battery chargers

are also available.

Optimizing power usage and prolonging battery life is

critical for mobile applications. Zebra Power Smart

Print Technology™ allows the QLn printer to deliver

faster processing and throughput with lower power

drain, giving mobile workers higher-quality printing

and more uptime on the job. The feature recognizes

which printhead elements have already been heated,

allocating less power to those print elements. This

eliminates the redundancy of delivering the same level

of power with each line of printing and saves an

estimated 20 to 30 percent of battery power. In

addition, Zebra’s “smart battery” technology on the

Zebra QLn printer displays charge and overall battery

health.

POWER MANAGEMENT

Mobile printers help users gain new levels of control

over their warehouse operations by providing the

ability to print exactly when and where the material is

needed. The best mobile printing applications result

from process improvements that take advantage of

the convenience mobility provides. New processes

only need to save users a little time on each

transaction to provide signiﬁcant productivity gains

and labor savings.

Companies that replace handwritten forms with

mobile computers and printers for their route sales,

delivery and ﬁeld service operations typically report

their drivers are able to serve more customers per

shift, which produces revenue gains and enables

expansion without adding labor. These applications

also create electronic records that do not require

transcription and manual data entry at the ofﬁce,

which saves labor and speeds up the billing cycle.

The following section highlights how mobile printing

can beneﬁt different operations and industries.

Field Sales and Service

• Slash invoice preparation time with mobile

computing and printing systems.

• Improve the cash cycle by accepting payment on

delivery or service with a mobile printer containing

a magnetic stripe reader.

• Prevent driver delays and wait time at the central

facility by wirelessly exchanging work

assignments and delivery records at the beginning

and end of each shift.

• Mobility also helps improve DSD efﬁciency with

Zebra’s interface to the DEX electronic data

interchange (EDI) standard that looks up the EDI

transaction in the retail-store host system for

invoice reconciliation and immediate resolution.

DELIVERING REAL BENEFITS FOR THE MOST DEMANDING TASKS

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 8

Hospitality

• Prevent lines, speed transactions and improve

convenience—especially during busy periods—

by printing receipts and tickets wherever they are

needed.

• Turn the tables in restaurants quicker with

tableside order entry and bill payment systems.

• Process airline transactions and issue receipts for

in-ﬂight shopping.

Hospitals and Labs

• Protect patient safety and improve accuracy and

efﬁciency by labeling samples where and when

they are drawn and as they are transferred among

departments.

Law Enforcement and Security

• Improve safety, enforceability and efﬁciency by

utilizing mobile computers and printers to issue

e-citations.

• Reduce manual paperwork and decrease clerical

errors by accepting immediate ticket payment at

the point of citation with an integrated card reader.

• Improve evidence management by applying

barcodes to evidence as it is collected in the ﬁeld.

Manufacturing

• Reduce labeling errors at cross docking and

shipping/receiving by labeling products on the

spot.

• Improve accuracy and productivity at picking and

putaway.

• Clearly identify samples when they are pulled for

inspection, testing and quality control.

• Achieve 100 percent asset visibility with RFID

tagging.

• Stock handlers can use forklift-mounted printers

for picking and putaway operations, cross-docking

incoming shipments and generating shipping

labels at parcel pickup in the ﬁeld or anywhere

within the distribution facility.

Postal, Parcel and Logistics

• Streamline documentation by issuing delivery

receipts, pick-up notices and other documentation

at the point of delivery.

• Offer line-busting mobile POS in retail locations.

• Turn carriers into sales agents by selling postage

generated on mobile printers.

• Label parcels at pick up to eliminate backlogs at

the distribution center.

Retail

• Signiﬁcantly reduce in-aisle re-pricing and shelf-

edge labeling costs.

• Relieve congestion and increase customer

satisfaction with mobile POS and returns

processing systems that use mobile printers to

issue receipts and process card payments.

• Automate inventory tasks and create “smart shelf”

systems that help shoppers locate goods with

item-level RFID.

Utilities

• Leverage mobile printers to create legible

identiﬁcation labels and inspection QA stickers.

• Produce service records and invoices for

customers.

• Process payments and issue receipts on the spot.

Zebra has developed a series of white papers and

case studies that fully explore the applications and

beneﬁts of mobile printing in several industries.

Browse the white paper section under Research &

Learn at www.zebra.com to ﬁnd these and other

resources.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper 9

Today’s generation of mobile printers are key enablers

for improving business processes. Printing at the point

of use can deliver efﬁciency gains and cost savings to

entirely new areas of the enterprise. As a pioneer in

wireless printing technology and a leading provider of

mobile printing solutions, Zebra Technologies has

extensive experience working with its customers to

create new systems that deliver measurable business

value—whenever and wherever you need it.

A global leader respected for innovation and reliability,

Zebra offers technologies that illuminate organizations’

operational events involving their assets, people and

transactions, allowing them to see opportunities to

create new value. We call it the Visible Value Chain.

Zebra’s extensive portfolio of marking and printing

technologies, including barcode, RFID, GPS and

sensoring, turns the physical into the digital to give

operational events a virtual voice. This enables

organizations to know in real-time the location,

condition, timing and accuracy of the events occurring

throughout their value chain. Once the events are seen,

organizations can create new value from what is

already there.

For more information about Zebra’s solutions, visit

www.zebra.com.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

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