AirTrack IP-2A Industrial Label Printer: Specs and Buying Guide

The AirTrack IP-2A industrial label printer is a 4 inch class thermal transfer workhorse, and in our listing it comes in six part numbers that differ by resolution, by whether an internal rewinder is fitted, and by condition. The model name is the same on every unit, so the suffix on the part number is what tells you whether you are buying a 203 dpi shipping label printer, a 300 dpi product label printer or a 600 dpi printer for very small codes.

This guide explains what each IP-2A configuration in our listing is suited to, what the rewinder versions add, how the printer fits into a ZPL or EPL environment, and what to check before you order one unit or a whole line. If you only need the numbers, go straight to the IP-2A specs table or the full range table.

Products in our listing

Four of the six IP-2A part numbers are shown below, and every IP-2A we list is in the full range table further down.

AirTrackIP-2A-0304B1959AirTrack IP-2A 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

AirTrackIP-2A-0304B1959-REWINDAirTrack IP-2A 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

AirTrackIP-2A-0304B1959-300DPIAirTrack IP-2A 4-Inch 300dpi Thermal Transfer Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

AirTrackIP-2A-0304B1959-600DPIAirTrack IP-2A 4-Inch 600dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

IP-2A-0304B1959 and IP-2A-0304B1959-REWIND are new, and the 300 dpi and 600 dpi models are refurbished. Every unit carries the 30-Day Tech Seller USA warranty. Browse the full AirTrack printer range.

AirTrack IP-2A specs in our listing

The table summarizes the IP-2A part numbers we list, using the data on each product page. Where a value differs between part numbers, the range is shown, and the full range table gives the value for each one.

What the AirTrack IP-2A industrial label printer is built for

The IP-2A is an industrial printer, which means a metal frame, a large media compartment and a printhead and drive built for long shifts rather than a few hundred labels a day. Every IP-2A in our listing weighs 34.6 lbs, which is a fair indication of the class: this is a printer for a warehouse, a production line or a shipping station, not a front counter. AirTrack describes the IP-2A as a heavy duty printer for warehouses and distribution centers with a die cast aluminum base.

The practical difference from a desktop printer shows up in two places. First, roll capacity: AirTrack's published IP-2A datasheet lists an 8 inch outside diameter media roll and a 600 meter ribbon on a 1 inch core, so a single roll and ribbon cover far more labels between changes. Second, sustained speed: the 203 dpi models are listed at up to 14 inches per second. If you are deciding between classes, our guide to industrial versus desktop label printers covers where the line falls, and duty cycle and print volume sizing helps you put a number on your daily output.

Who the IP-2A suits

The AirTrack IP-2A industrial label printer fits operations that print thousands of labels a day on 4 inch class media and want one printer to keep up without constant roll changes. Typical jobs include carrier and shipping labels at a pack station, pallet and case labels at the end of a line, product and compliance labels in manufacturing, and inventory and location labels in a distribution center.

It is more machine than a desk with occasional printing needs, where a compact desktop or light industrial printer is easier to place and service. It also suits buyers who are replacing an existing ZPL or EPL printer and want to keep their label formats, which is covered in the setup section below.

Multi unit buyers should also decide whether to standardize on one part number across every station, which keeps spares and ribbons simple, or to mix resolutions by job.

Choosing the resolution: 203, 300 or 600 dpi

Resolution is the number of printhead dots per inch, and it decides how small a character or barcode element can be before it breaks up. The IP-2A in our listing comes in all three common resolutions, and the trade-off is speed.

• 203 dpi (IP-2A-0304B1959 and IP-2A-0304B1959-REWIND): listed at up to 14 ips. This is the right choice for shipping labels, pallet labels and large linear barcodes, where elements are generous and throughput matters most.
• 300 dpi (IP-2A-0304B1959-300DPI and IP-2A-0304B1959-300REWIND): listed at up to 12 ips. This suits product labels, small text, ingredient and compliance panels, and compact 2D codes such as Data Matrix and QR.
• 600 dpi (IP-2A-0304B1959-600DPI and IP-2A-0304B1959-600REWIND): listed at 6 ips. The AirTrack IP-2A 600 dpi models are for very small labels where the content is dense, such as electronics component labels, small part marking labels and tiny 2D codes.

Choose the lowest resolution that prints your smallest element cleanly. A 600 dpi head prints a shipping label perfectly well, but at less than half the speed of the 203 dpi model, and a higher resolution head is a more expensive consumable when it eventually wears. Always test print your real label and scan it before committing a fleet. Our 203 vs 300 vs 600 dpi guide goes into the detail, and barcode verification explains why a scan is not the same as a quality grade.

Rewinder or standard: what the REWIND part numbers add

Three part numbers in our listing carry a REWIND suffix: IP-2A-0304B1959-REWIND at 203 dpi, IP-2A-0304B1959-300REWIND at 300 dpi and IP-2A-0304B1959-600REWIND at 600 dpi. Their product data lists an internal rewinder (a full internal rewinder on the 300 dpi and 600 dpi versions), and AirTrack's own listing shows the AirTrack IP-2A rewinder as a printer option. The part numbers without the suffix do not list a rewinder.

An internal rewinder winds printed labels back onto a core inside the printer instead of feeding them out at the front. That suits labels printed in a batch and applied later, by hand or by an applicator. If labels are torn off and applied one at a time at the station, a standard model does the job and is simpler to load.

Check the core size before ordering. The 300 dpi and 600 dpi REWIND models list a 3 inch label core, which is the common industrial core size. If your applicator or downstream process needs a different core, confirm compatibility first. Our guide to printer media handling modes compares tear off, peel, cut and rewind setups.

Print method, media and ribbon

Every IP-2A in our listing is listed as a thermal transfer printer, and IP-2A-0304B1959-600DPI is listed as thermal transfer / direct thermal. AirTrack's datasheet lists both print methods for the IP-2A family. Thermal transfer uses a ribbon to bond ink onto the label, and the result survives heat, light, abrasion and years of storage when the ribbon matches the label stock. Direct thermal needs no ribbon but uses heat sensitive labels that fade, so it suits short life labels such as shipping labels that are read within days.

Ribbon choice follows the label material and how hard the label's life will be. The ribbon must also match the printer's ribbon core and winding direction. AirTrack lists a 600 meter ribbon on a 1 inch core for the IP-2A, so order ribbons made for that format, and check the datasheet or the printer itself for which ink side it takes. Our guides to direct thermal versus thermal transfer and label media and ribbon selection cover both decisions, and ribbon wrinkle diagnosis helps when the ribbon and media do not track well together.

Setup, command languages and connectivity

AirTrack's published IP-2A datasheet lists AirTrack Firmware compatible with EPL, ZPL, ZPL II and DPL. In practice that makes the IP-2A a ZPL compatible industrial label printer: label formats written for many existing Zebra and Datamax printers can often be sent to it without being rewritten. Emulation is not always identical to the original printer, so test your actual formats before you switch a whole site. Our guide to printer command languages explains how ZPL style formats work.

Windows label software drivers for the IP-2A are published separately for 203, 300 and 600 dpi, so pick the driver that matches the resolution of the unit you buy.

On connectivity, every IP-2A in our listing has USB, serial and Ethernet, and four list a USB Host port as well. IP-2A-0304B1959 and IP-2A-0304B1959-300DPI list Wi-Fi with an optional wireless card, which means the card is an add on and is not something to assume is fitted. For any printer on a shared network, give it a static address or a DHCP reservation so it keeps the same address after a power cut. Our guide to printer connectivity covers USB, Ethernet, serial and wireless in detail.

Buying a refurbished IP-2A: what to check

Four of the six IP-2A part numbers in our listing are refurbished: the two 300 dpi and the two 600 dpi models. Industrial thermal printers refurbish well because the frame and drive are built to last, and most wear sits in a small number of parts.

The printhead is the main consumable. A worn head prints a thin white line through every label, and cleaning will not fix burnt elements. See printhead failure diagnosis and replacement.

The platen roller drives the media. Flat spots and adhesive build up cause tracking drift and uneven print, and are often mistaken for a printhead fault. Our thermal printer maintenance guide covers routine cleaning.

Options and accessories should be confirmed. A REWIND model should have its rewinder, a unit expected to use Wi-Fi needs the wireless card, and every unit needs its power cord. Confirm the box contents before ordering, and our refurbished hardware grading guide explains what our condition descriptions mean.

How the IP-2A compares with other 4 inch industrial printers

The IP-2A sits in the same class as other 4 inch industrial thermal printers we cover, such as the Zebra ZT411 and the Honeywell PX940. The main reasons a buyer picks the IP-2A are the ZPL, EPL and DPL compatibility listed by AirTrack, which helps when a site runs formats written for more than one printer brand, and the choice of a factory rewinder configuration in a single part number.

The reasons to look at the alternatives are mainly about the existing fleet. If every other printer on site is a Zebra and your staff already know its menus, tools and spares, a ZT411 keeps the estate uniform. Compare the Zebra ZT411 guide and the Honeywell PX940 guide before deciding. AirTrack also makes the LP-1 light industrial printer and the DP-1 desktop printer, both in our AirTrack range, for lower volume stations.

Full AirTrack IP-2A range in our listing

Every IP-2A part number we currently list is below. Select a part number to open its product page.

Ordering

Send us the part number or the printer you are replacing, your label width and material, whether labels are torn off or rewound, and your daily volume, and we will confirm the right IP-2A configuration. For several stations, list the quantity of each part number. You can also browse the full printers range.

Common questions