Question Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12 in Product Lifecycle Management Q&A

Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:08:24 GMT

Hi there,

We have a requirement that when a button is pushed on the MII page, we automatically print label(s) to a Zebra printer without any further user interaction. I.E. The operator clicks to confirm completion of an operation, and a label prints out as part of the transaction. The transaction does not always communicate with the ERP system, so the labels must be automatically printed from MII.

Has anyone done this?

There are really two questions here.

1. How to print to a Zebra printer

2. How to have the MII transaction automatically print

Thanks,

--Amy Smith

--Haworth

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:24:51 GMT

Hi Amy,

yes, we have done such a job. We had the requirement to print automatically a protocol to a printer nearby the machine for the workers. The protocol had a table structure with dynamic colouring depending on the data. We solved this with a custom action in Java. The PDF is rendered with FOP and for printing we used the JDK capability.

Regards,

Matthias

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

jcgood25 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:47:52 GMT

Amy,

Ask your current integration partner, they used custom action blocks to interface with Zebra printers and auto-spooling for a customer in Chicago.

Regards,

Jeremy

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:40:28 GMT

Hey Jeremy,

It's my custom integrator that says they don't know how to do it. Sigh.

--Amy

--Haworth

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:53:09 GMT

Hi Amy,

sorry I did not mention that the printing was done to a laser printer. But I think a Labelprinter should also be possible as only the printing part must be adapted. What Zebra printer is it? What type of connection (serial port, parallel port, ethernet)?

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:57:26 GMT

This thread might help.

[/thread/216673 [original link is broken]|/thread/216673 [original link is broken]]

We have done printing from xMII to Zebra printers using similar methods wrapped in a custom action, as well as using our own device integration platform. The only issue with the above method is its ends up OS dependant, and requires the printers to be configured on the server.

I dont know the scope of your needs, but a product like bartender may be appropriate. It would allow you to print by just writing a data file to a directory.

There are ways to talk directly to Zebra printers, but would take some research & dev on your part.

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:31:05 GMT

Hey Matthias,

Our zebra 105 series printers are on the ethernet, HP boxes for interface.

The conclusion that I am drawing is there is nothing available with standard MII. Whatever I would do in any other J2EE app is what I would do for MII. We use Loftware for label printing from our existing custom MES/J2EE app, so we can use the same for MII.

Thanks and Shubh Diwali and Happy Halloween from Michigan,

--Amy Smith

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:23:13 GMT

Amy, you might look at the 3rd party app Loftware, We worked with them sending print tickets to Zebra printers from BLS, it also prints directly from the ERP. From the BLS side, we simply placed an XML document into their listener directory, the XML is very straight forward.

This system prints move tickets for a shop floor, has worked well in a moderate volume enviroment.

Re: Automatically printing labels from MII V12

Former Member — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:44:39 GMT

Thanks, We are already using Loftware for traveller label and transfer label printing. I am planning on trying that out with a custom action block.

--Amy