How to Protect a SATO Industrial Printer

Run SATO industrial printers 24/7 in harsh environments with the right industrial printer protection for your business. SATO's CL4NX Plus and CL6NX Plus provide fast, future-proof printing across industries. By housing these printers in protective enclosures, you ensure maximum reliability and longevity in washdown locations, dusty environments and extreme temperatures.

Learn how to choose the best SATO label printer protection for your environment.

When To Protect SATO Industrial Printers

SATO printers are suitable for most dry industrial environments with minimal airborne debris. However, extra protection is important in harsh conditions and high-risk locations. Consider extra protection when the environment, application and position require it:

Environment

SATO label printers aren't waterproof. This makes extra protection essential in washdown locations. Even if direct printer washdown isn't needed, damp or high-humidity environments can cause printhead moisture damage and label reel warping. A waterproof printer enclosure solves these issues by housing your printer in a climate-controlled, IP65 cabinet — ideal for food and pharmaceutical industries.

You should also protect printers in areas with heavy airborne particulates. For instance, in milling plants and metal fabrication workshops, where grinding and cutting create large amounts of dust. Exposure to fine dust will kill an unprotected printer, causing downtime, lost revenue and high repair costs. That's where mild-steel printer enclosures come in. These dust-proof cabinets have an IP54 rating to prevent particulate ingress.

Application

Industrial printer protection is essential if your application requires high-volume or continuous printing. Downtime can be extremely costly if you rely on your SATO printers for round-the-clock operations. An industrial printer enclosure is a long-term investment that maximises printer lifespan and reliability, protecting against lost revenue and missed shipping deadlines.

Position

Consider using industrial enclosures for printers when the position on your shop floor demands it. For instance, a mild-steel printer enclosure protects against physical impact when a printer is installed close to industrial hazards. You can choose from wall, stand or worktop mounting to integrate a printer into a busy production environment. You can also request an enclosure on a stand with castor wheels to safely move a SATO label printer around your facility.

Introducing Armagard Industrial Printer Enclosures

Armagard SATO printer enclosures are made from 316 stainless steel or powder-coated mild steel — never plastic. Unlike plastic alternatives, Armagard enclosures deliver the durability and hygiene essential for industrial and washdown environments. Plastic options simply don't last, often costing more in the long run.

Plastic enclosures also don't meet hygiene requirements in clean industries. They damage easily and harbour bacteria in scratches. Unlike 316 stainless-steel enclosures, plastic enclosures warp and degrade under high temperatures, which means you can't steam clean them. By comparison, Armagard's steel enclosures deliver a low total cost of ownership and years of reliable use. Each enclosure has a five-year warranty and expected 10-year lifespan. You can use a single enclosure to protect successive generations of printer, making it highly cost-effective.

Choose from a range of sizes and specifications to suit your needs, including mild-steel printer enclosures for dusty locations, IP65 printer protection and waterproof printer enclosures for corrosive environments, and heated printer enclosures for deep-freeze applications.

Each enclosure has a range of features that maximise printer lifespan while boosting productivity:

• Lockable label window/magnetic access flap: Workers can quickly retrieve printouts without opening the main enclosure door. Staff get a fast workflow, and the printer stays protected.
• Slide-out printer shelf: For quick access to printer roll, ribbon, printhead and settings, without uninstalling the printer from the enclosure.
• Positive airflow: A recirculating fan prevents heat and moisture build-up, protecting the printhead from damage.
• IP-rated locks and door gaskets: Locks and closed-cell foam seals stop water and fine particulates from getting inside the enclosure.

You benefit from reliable, 24/7 printing directly on your shop floor. Improved printer reliability and longevity ensures maximum production uptime. Lifetime customer support gives you peace of mind about your investment.

How To Choose The Right Level Of Printer Protection

It's important to choose enclosures with the right specifications for your application:

Material

• 316 stainless steel: These waterproof printer enclosures are ideal for food and pharmaceutical industries. Enclosures made from 316 stainless are antibacterial and highly corrosion resistant. You can safely jet wash them, plus they withstand deep cleaning with harsh chemical agents.
• 304 stainless steel: Enclosures made from 304 stainless have lower corrosion resistance than those made from 316. This means they don't last as long and are more likely to pose hygiene risks due to degradation. Armagard doesn't make any enclosures from 304 stainless, as 316 provides higher levels of hygiene and represents a better long-term investment.
• Powder-coated mild steel: Mild-steel printer enclosures are ideal for workshops, warehouses, depots and production lines. These robust enclosures provide high levels of physical protection and dustproofing while also allowing low-pressure wipe down.
• ABS plastic: Plastic printer enclosures are cheap, but they're a false economy by any measure. They don't provide adequate protection from common industrial hazards, leaving your printers vulnerable to damage and increasing the risk of downtime.

IP Rating

• IP65: Choose IP65 printer protection for any application requiring heavy washdown. These enclosures allow quick and easy cleaning to strict hygiene standards.
• IP54: Enclosures with an IP54 rating guarantee protection from airborne particulates. They also protect against splashing oil and liquid, giving you peace of mind about your SATO printers in general manufacturing environments.

Climate Controls and Security

• Internal heating: Choose Armagard's deep-freeze heated printer enclosure to protect a SATO label printer in temperatures as low as -30°C.
• Recirculating fans: For more typical temperatures, choose an enclosure with a recirculating fan that maintains stable operating conditions for the enclosed printer.
• Security: Choose key-operated locks to stop unauthorised access, or request turn-and-release handles for quick access.

Why Armagard?

Over 100,000 Armagard enclosures protect IT equipment and digital displays in over 50 countries. Previous customers include businesses in food and beverage, pharmaceutical, healthcare and manufacturing.

You get peace of mind from a proven supplier:

• Over 30 years of industry experience
• In-house design, manufacturing and testing
• A wide product range available around the world
• Lifetime customer support
• A five-year warranty

Get In Touch To Learn More

Protect uptime and maximise the longevity of your SATO industrial printers. Contact Armagard to discuss the best printer protection for your industry.

Call +44 (0)121 608 7226 or fill in a contact form today.