Brother Industrial P-touch series portable printers

The Industrial P-touch series labelling tools from Brother are designed to print laminated labels with barcodes, text and symbols while in the field.

The devices are tailored for creating labels for electrical or datacom installations, including cable wraps and flags, as well as other specialist labels including faceplate, patch panel and punch down block labels.

The entry-level PT-E100VP model can print 2.5, 5, 8 and 12 mm labels at a speed of 20 mm/s. It supports 168 built-in symbols - including common electrical, datacom, AV, security and safety symbols.

Built-in storage can store up to nine label areas of 80 characters each, for a total memory of 720 characters.

The mid-range PT-E300VP model likewise includes functions dedicated for engineering label applications, can print labels in sizes ranging from 3.5 to 18 mm and has support for nine barcode protocols.

The device has memory to store 50 labels with up to 2400 characters total and has support for 20 languages.

The high-end PT-E550WVP model adds support for 24 mm labels. The labels can be created via in-built functions on the backlit graphic LCD display, via PC software or from smartphones and tablets. The device supports a maximum of 1500 characters/label and 99 label memory locations.

Both the 300 and 550 models also support the creation of heat-shrink tubes and extend the number of in-built symbols up to 384.

All three devices use P-touch laminated TZe label tapes, which use thermal transfer ink sandwiched between two protective layers of polyester film. Brother says this creates labels that are abrasion, chemical, fade, temperature and water resistant.

Power is drawn from alkaline batteries or an AC adapter, and the 300 and 550 models add a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.