Sato, a global developer of auto-ID and labeling products, has launched CL4NX Plus, a thermal industrial printer designed for durability and dependability in business critical track and trace operations across the globe.

The CL4NX Plus aims for precision, speed, continuous use, connectivity and usability – to cater to the common pain points of manufacturing and logistics worksites.

High precision is required for micro labels used on small components. The CL4NX Plus is equipped with a micro label print mode with high print position precision to print high-quality labels right in the factory. In terms of speed, CL4NX Plus prints 16% faster than other industrial printers at high resolution for high speed, high quality labeling and a boost in productivity, the company says.

The CL4NX Plus holds 30% more media than others in its class for longer continuous usage, Sato adds. The cloud-based IoT preventative maintenance service SOS (Sato Online Services) functions as a virtual engineer, right on site to minimize downtime. It also gives users the ability to centrally manage fleets of printers via a single dashboard to contribute to stable operations.

In terms of connectivity, Sato’s Application Enabled Printing (AEP) “intelligence in the printer” platform enables smart, PC-less label printing directly with connected devices like scanners, keypads and weigh scales. It also has network/cloud communication to access a database, which can drastically reduce the workload for operators or IT teams tasked with updating label formats with new variable data. As for usability, the CL4NX Plus gives businesses the option to deploy a single printer model globally with 31 pre-installed languages and 47 character sets. It also features video guidance to provide troubleshooting help for resolving various issues. An original platen roller also gives the operator a visual indication of wear as a means of proactive maintenance.

“Thanks to our many touchpoints with users worldwide, we could listen to the market to improve upon the already iconic CL4NX series in the spirit of ceaseless creativity,” says Hayato Shindo, president of Sato International. “The CL4NX Plus really raises the bar. It’s hands-down the best in the industrial printer class, and naturally so, since its world-class functionality came directly from the voices of our customers.”

The evolution of the CL4NX series is directly connected to changing needs of the market. The CL4NX Plus has been designed for the requirements of retail, supply chain, manufacturing, automotive, food industry and healthcare sectors, which are increasingly turning to e-commerce for growth.