Bixolon · Label printers
Bixolon XT5-46 label printer
A 600dpi model, about 23.6 dots per mm, on which one 100×150mm label becomes a bitmap of about 1.0MB in GoodLabel Designer. Bixolon XT5 series: max 5ips, 105.6mm print width, 1,000mm labels. Designer entry: XT5-46 (ZPL, 600dpi); set speed in the printer menu at 1–5ips.
- Print method
- Thermal transfer and direct thermal
- Resolution
- 600dpi (23.6 dots/mm)
- Max print width
- 105.6mm (2,496 dots)
- Max print speed
- 127mm/s (5ips), speed menu 1–5ips (3ips at shipment)
- Max print length
- 1,000mm (24,000 dots)
- Density menu
- 0–30, 15 at shipment
Specifications
| Print method | Thermal transfer and direct thermal |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 600dpi (23.6 dots/mm) |
| Max print width | 105.6mm (2,496 dots) |
| Max print speed | 127mm/s (5ips), speed menu 1–5ips (3ips at shipment) |
| Max print length | 1,000mm (24,000 dots) |
| Density menu | 0–30, 15 at shipment |
| Media | Width 25–114mm, thickness 0.06–0.30mm, outer diameter up to 203mm, core 38.1–76.2mm (1-inch optional) |
| Ribbon | Ink side out or in, up to 450m, 1-inch core / width 50–110mm on the spec sheet, 40–110mm in the manual specification table |
| Emulation | SLCS, BPL-Z (ZPL II), BPL-E (EPL), BPL-D (DPL) / menu auto at shipment |
| Interfaces | Standard: USB + serial + Ethernet (10/100/1000Mbps) + 2 USB hosts |
| Sold variants | Connection: USB or RS232 |
| GoodLabel Designer model | XT5-46 (ZPL, 600dpi) |
When you send one 100×150mm shipping template label to the XT5-46, the bitmap GoodLabel Designer creates is about 1.0MB, nearly 9 times what the same label is at 203dpi. This comes from the 600dpi head, which prints about 23.6 dots per mm (each dot about 0.042mm); the print width is 105.6mm (2,496 dots), the max speed is 5ips (127mm/s), and a single label can be up to 1,000mm long.
Larger print data at 600dpi
GoodLabel Designer draws the label as a black-and-white bitmap and sends it in the ZPL ^GFB command. The dots across and down are each about 3 times those at 203dpi, so the data for one label grows nearly 9 times.
| Label size | Dots at 600dpi | Data per label at 600dpi | Data per label at 203dpi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20×10mm | 473×237 | About 14KB | About 2KB |
| Product barcode shared template (50×30mm) | 1,182×709 | About 102KB | About 12KB |
| Shipping shared template (100×150mm) | 2,363×3,544 | About 1.0MB | About 117KB |
When printing multiple copies of the same label, the image is sent only once and the quantity is added with ^PQ, so data size is not a problem. When a data file is linked and the content changes on every label, a new image is sent for each label, so using this model for small part labels puts less load on the transfer than hundreds of 100×150 labels.
Speed and Density fields and the printer range
| Item | Designer Print window | XT5-46 printer menu |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 1–14, default 3 (^PR) | 1–5ips, 3ips at shipment |
| Density | 0–30, default 21 (~SD) | 0–30, 15 at shipment |
The Designer sends the numbers in the two fields before the first label of a job as ^PR and ~SD commands. Whether the two commands take effect on the 600dpi printer has not been confirmed. This model's max speed is 5ips, so set the speed within the printer menu range of 1–5ips.
Editing canvas and barcodes
The default zoom of 30% on the editing canvas is applied when you change the resolution to 600 under Printer settings in the ribbon or open a file with Open. If you only change the model to XT5-46 in the Printer settings window, the zoom stays as it is, and the actual label size is the same either way.
Opening a .glb saved at 203dpi or 300dpi restores the resolution it was saved with, so when you select XT5-46 in Printer settings, barcode widths and 2D code module sizes are recalculated for 600dpi. The module size and error correction (L, M, Q, H) of 2D codes are set as described in the Barcodes chapter of the guide.
Sold variants offer a USB or RS232 connection. First install the Bixolon unified driver on the PC to create a Windows printer.
Compatible with GoodLabel Designer
You can design and print labels for this model with GoodLabel Designer, our free label software. GoodLabel Designer · User Guide
FAQ
- Does the Designer support 600dpi?
- Yes. The XT5-46 entry in the model list has only ZPL commands at 600dpi, so when you select the model, the resolution is set to 600 and labels are sent as bitmaps of about 23.6 dots per mm.
- Can the XT5-46 print labels longer than 1,000mm?
- The printer's maximum label length is 1,000mm (24,000 dots) at 600dpi, and the Designer's label height field is also 5–1,000mm. On the printer alone, the XT5-40 accepts up to 4,000mm and the XT5-43 up to 2,500mm, but a single label printed from the Designer is limited to 1,000mm on all three models.
- Small labels look faint, or thin lines look broken.
- Raise the density in the printer's setup menu, lower the speed to 1–3ips, and print again. The numbers in the Designer's Density and Speed fields are also sent as ~SD and ^PR before the first label of a job, but there is no confirmed record of them taking effect on Bixolon printers.
Drivers & manuals
How to buy
- In Korea, this product is sold through our Korean online store. Korean product page →
- Outside Korea, contact us by email. Email: Contact →
- Or buy from an authorized dealer in your country.
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