PCL Compatibility
Historically, manufacturer’s proprietary language was required to communicate with thermal printers. Unlike other types of printers commonly used in the work place, thermal printers do not use a standard programming language for communications and control, similar to the laser printer adopted printing standard, Printer Control Language or PCL, which was developed by Hewlett-Packard. 

Many computer systems are able to communicate with a PCL printer, making it the ideal command language to be adopted into the thermal printing industry.  Not only does PCL offer a widely used standard, but it also offers an extension of commands for additional features that are not found in thermal printers. This opens the way for the thermal printing industry to develop new and exciting applications.

Cognitive’s C/Rx printer offer true PCL 5 printing. Our printers are not preprogrammed to accept specific label formats. Instead, Cognitive printers are ready to receive PCL commands, thus opening the door for development around an adopted printer language.