To say the least, the world of radio frequency identification (RFID) is in a state of flux.

Class 0 and 1 standards are in place but everyone's waiting for Gen 2 standards. Then there's the matter of determining how to print and apply only good RFID labels, weeding out the bad ones as efficiently as possible before they get into the supply chain.

To those points, Printronix (www.printronix.com) has introduced several new label printers.

The SL5000e MP is a multi-protocol thermal transfer printer that encodes Class 0, 0+ and 1 labels. According to Brad Jarvis, director, product marketing, the printer offers "the most flexibility and a solid migration path to future standards." It is expected to support Gen 2 through either a firmware upgrade or module upgrade kit. In addition, the printer runs labels in a range of sizes from 4 × 2 to 4 × 8 inches.

A related model, the SL5000e C1, is optimized for Class 1 tags in a comparable range of sizes. However, Jarvis says this model is "unlikely to support Gen 2."

Billed as the first of its kind, the SLPA7000e "all-in-one system meets companies' RFID compliance encoding as well as in-line encode and apply production requirements," says Jarvis. It supports Class 0, 0+ and 1 labels in a range of sizes from 4 × 2 to 4 × 8 inches.

This model automatically prints and applies 20 – 40 labels a minute. A built-in bad tag management system automatically validates each tag and eliminates the bad ones by never applying them to the case. Up to 30% of today's tags are unusable. The printer/applicator was co-developed with Fox IV ( www.foxiv.com).