What Are Martel Instruments Panel Printers and Who Are They For?

Updated

Martel Instruments panel printers are durable thermal printers manufactured entirely in the UK and designed for integration into industrial and OEM equipment. They come in 2 inch, 3 inch and 4 inch variants, with a range of panel widths, panel depths and connection options. They are aimed at equipment builders and OEMs that need to embed printing directly into their own machines rather than use a standalone printer.

What makes them panel printers

A panel printer is built to be mounted into a cut-out in the front of a machine or control panel, so the printer becomes part of the equipment rather than a separate peripheral. Martel describes its panel printers as:

  • Durable thermal printers
  • Manufactured entirely in the UK
  • Suited for integration into industrial, OEM equipment
  • Available as 2 inch, 3 inch and 4 inch variants
  • Offered with a wide range of panel widths, panel depths and connections

The range of panel dimensions and connections matters because a panel printer has to fit an existing enclosure and interface with the host system. If you are designing or modifying equipment, those variables are usually the first constraints you check.

Who they are for

The clearest fit is an organisation that builds or supplies equipment and wants printing as an integrated function. Based on the site, that includes:

  • OEMs and equipment manufacturers integrating a printer into their own product
  • Industrial equipment builders where the printer sits inside a control panel or machine housing
  • Teams needing customised data output, since Martel states its in-house engineers, designers and software developers can build customised solutions for electronic and printed data outputs tailored to OEM products

If you only need a standalone receipt, ticket or label printer on a desk or counter, a panel printer is probably the wrong form factor. Martel's portable and handheld range is the more natural starting point for mobile or free-standing use, including receipt printers, Bluetooth thermal printers, ticket printers, label printers and wireless handheld printers.

How to judge whether it fits your equipment

Work through these in order, because each one can rule the option in or out:

  1. Panel space — confirm you have a cut-out that matches an available panel width and depth. Martel lists multiple panel widths and depths across the 2, 3 and 4 inch variants.
  2. Print width — decide whether your output needs 2, 3 or 4 inch printing, then check the matching variant.
  3. Connection — identify what your host system provides and match it against the available connection options.
  4. Data source — if your data output is non-standard, the customised electronic and printed data output service is the relevant path rather than an off-the-shelf unit.
  5. Consumables — check that the media you need is available. Martel's consumables range covers thermographic paper rolls and label rolls in various sizes, described as always in stock and available on a quick order.

Where to go next

The panel printer page is the entry point for specifications and variants, and the contact route is direct if your requirement is custom: Martel Instruments, Stanelaw Way, Tanfield Lea Industrial Estate South, Durham, DH9 9XG, +44 (0)1207 290266, [email protected]. For a customised build, expect to discuss your enclosure dimensions, connection type and data output with their engineers, designers and software developers.