Thermal Transfer Ribbon for Sato Printers

How Sato's industrial and desktop printers differ for ribbon

Sato printers do not share a single winding rule, so check the model before you reorder. The industrial CL4NX Plus and CL6NX Plus take ribbon wound either way with no setting change, and so do the original CL4NX and CL6NX. The WS4 desktop takes either winding on its supply side. The CT4-LX and CG4 desktops take outside wound ribbon only. The older CL408e, CL412e and M84Pro take inside wound ribbon only.

Cores and roll lengths split the same way. The CL4NX Plus and CL6NX Plus use a 1 inch core and rolls up to 600m, with a maximum roll diameter of 90mm. The WS4 takes two rolls: 300m on a 1 inch core or 100m on a ½ inch core. The CT4-LX and CG4 take 100m on a ½ inch core. The CL408e, CL412e and M84Pro take 450m on a 1 inch core.

Ribbon widths and lengths on the Sato CL4NX Plus and CL6NX Plus

The CL4NX Plus takes ribbon from 39.5mm to 128mm wide. The CL6NX Plus takes 59mm to 177mm, and we slit up to 160mm. The 600m roll is the maximum, not a fixed size: Sato's datasheet lowers it to 450m at the narrowest 39.5mm width, and to 300m in Micro Label Print Mode. If you print narrow labels on a CL4NX Plus, ask for a roll length that suits that width instead of assuming 600m.

Both printers accept ribbon wound inside or outside. Sato's datasheet puts it as face-in or face-out with no setting change required, and shows no optional part.

The original Sato CL4NX and CL6NX, and the S84-ex

The original CL4NX and CL6NX also take ribbon wound either way, in rolls up to 600m, or 450m at the CL4NX's narrowest width of 39.5mm. Sato's manual for them describes the take-up as coreless and does not state a core size for the supply roll, so check the core of the roll you have now. The Plus models are the ones documented with a 1 inch core. The S84-ex print engine, also discontinued, takes a 1 inch core, 600m rolls and either winding.

Inside wound only: the Sato CL408e, CL412e and M84Pro

These are the Sato models where an outside wound roll will not do. Sato's documents give the CL408e and CL412e as wound face-in, on a 1 inch core, in rolls of 450m, and the M84Pro the same way. The CL408e and CL412e are discontinued Sato models, but they still need ribbon. If you order by size alone you can receive the wrong winding. Say inside wound when you order, give the printer model, and keep the width at or below the 111mm Sato lists as the maximum.

Finding the right ribbon for your Sato model

Check the old roll first: width, length, core size and which side carries the ink. Then find your model in the table above. For the full picture, Sato's online manual has a Usable Ribbon page for the CL4NX Plus and CL6NX Plus with width, length and winding.

On the WS4 and CG4 desktops the last letters of the model name matter. TT means thermal transfer and takes ribbon. DT means direct thermal: the WS408DT, WS412DT, CG408DT and CG412DT print on heat-sensitive labels and take no ribbon, as do the FX3-LX and WS2. If you are not sure which version you own, tell us the full model name before you order.

One WS4 detail is worth knowing. Sato's manual says the supply side takes coated side in or out, but the take-up hub must be coated side out.

Which grade for pharma, food and cold-chain labels on a Sato

Pharma and food work on a Sato is mostly batch codes, expiry dates and date codes that must stay readable after handling. Start with the label: on coated paper, wax-resin is the usual step up from wax. CW-22 is listed for pharmaceutical batch labels on its product page, and CW-20 and CW-25 are also listed for coated paper. On polyester the wax-resin options are CW-20, CW-22, CW-25 and CW-30, and on polypropylene CW-22, CW-25 and CW-30.

If the label goes into a freezer, CW-30 works from -40°C to +80°C. Test the full cycle on your own labels: print, freeze, return to room temperature, scan. If the label is sterilised, CW-33 is the resin that withstands sterilisation. For polyester or polypropylene labels that must be chemical-free, CW-66 is our chemical-free resin, and it also suits cleanroom and food-contact labelling. For plain paper logistics labels, wax such as CW-11 is enough.

The ribbon is half of the pair. The label material and adhesive set the limit as well, so run a sample through your own test before ordering volume.

Ordering ribbon for a Sato printer

Send the full printer model (CL4NX Plus or CL4NX, WS408TT or WS408DT), the label width, the core size, inside or outside wound, the roll length and the number of rolls. Standard sizes have no minimum order, and we send a free sample so you can test on your own Sato. Widths run from 25mm to 160mm and lengths from 50m to 600m, on ½ inch or 1 inch cores, notched if needed. MSDS is available on request.