BIXOLON XD3-40t — 4-inch thermal transfer desktop label printer, undefined dpi
Thermal Transferundefined dpiUp to 127 mm/sUSB, serial & Ethernet
The BIXOLON XD3-40t is a 4-inch desktop label printer that prints by thermal transfer (with direct thermal mode) at undefined dpi and up to 127 mm/s (5 ips), made for shipping and courier labels, warehouse and stock labels, and retail product or shelf labels.
It connects over USB 2.0, RS-232 serial, Ethernet 10/100. Its BPL-Z and BPL-E emulations accept ZPL II and EPL label formats, so most labels created for Zebra printers print without rework. It is a compact, single-user or workgroup printer for counters, packing benches, back offices and small warehouses rather than a 24/7 industrial line printer.
In practice it sits between a PC or POS terminal and a roll of labels: you design labels in label software such as BarTender, or print them straight from your ERP, WMS, e-shop back office or courier portal. Label size, gap and darkness are set once in the driver or by a quick media calibration, and after that every print lands in the same place on the label.
Before you order: Thermal transfer printing needs a ribbon (wax, wax/resin or resin) at least as wide as your label, on a 25.4 mm (1") or 12.7 mm (½") core. Ribbon and labels are consumables and are ordered separately. Without a ribbon it can still print on direct thermal labels.
What's in the Box
- XD3-40t label printer
- External power supply unit and power cable
- USB cable
- No labels or ribbon — media is ordered separately
What It Means in Practice
- Labels from 15–118 mm wide on rolls up to 127 mm outside diameter — standard 100 × 150 mm (4 × 6 in) shipping labels fit.
- At up to 127 mm/s (5 ips) a 150 mm long label prints in roughly 1.2 seconds, so batches of a few hundred labels are a matter of minutes.
- On the network (Ethernet) several PCs can print to it, so one printer can serve a packing bench or an office.
- With a ribbon, prints resist heat, rubbing and light far better than direct thermal — suitable for asset tags, outdoor parcels and long-term stock labels.
What Will Not Work
- Media wider than 118 mm or rolls larger than 127 mm outside diameter.
- Ribbons with the wrong core size (it takes 25.4 mm (1") or 12.7 mm (½") cores) or longer than 300 m.
- Colour printing, photos or ordinary A4 office printing — it prints one colour (black) on label media.
Key Features
ZPL II and EPL emulation
BPL-Z and BPL-E let existing Zebra-format labels and label software such as BarTender or BIXOLON Label Artist-II print without rework; SLCS is the native BIXOLON language.
Easy media loading
Clamshell design with an adjustable paper guide; takes gap, black-mark, notched, continuous and fan-fold media from 15 to 118 mm wide on rolls up to 127 mm.
300 m ribbon capacity
Accepts ribbons up to 300 m on 1-inch or ½-inch cores, so both common ribbon formats fit and ribbon changes are infrequent.
Toolless maintenance
The print head and platen roller can be cleaned and replaced without tools, which keeps downtime short when a head eventually wears out.
Technical Specifications
| Identification |
| Part Number |
XD3-40TEK/BEG |
| EAN / GTIN |
8809521198003 |
| Brand |
BIXOLON |
| Model |
XD3-40t |
| Printing |
| Print method |
Thermal transfer / direct thermal |
| Resolution |
undefined dpi (12 dots/mm) |
| Max print speed |
127 mm/s (5 ips) |
| Max print width |
104 mm |
| Max print length |
1000 mm |
| Media |
| Media width |
15–118 mm |
| Max roll outer diameter |
127 mm |
| Core inner diameter |
25.4–38.1 mm |
| Media types |
Gap, black mark, notch, continuous, fan-fold |
| Ribbon |
Wax, wax/resin, resin · 33–110 mm wide · up to 300 m · 25.4 or 12.7 mm core |
| Sensors |
Transmissive (fixed), reflective (adjustable), ribbon end, head open |
| Connectivity |
| Interfaces |
USB 2.0, RS-232 serial, Ethernet 10/100 |
| Command languages |
SLCS, BPL-Z (ZPL II), BPL-E (EPL) |
| Memory |
64 MB SDRAM, 128 MB flash |
| Physical |
| Dimensions |
210 × 284 × 186 mm (W × D × H) |
| Weight |
2.6 kg |
| Operating temperature |
5–40 °C |
| Power |
External adapter, 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz (ENERGY STAR) |
| Colour |
Black |
| Warranty |
| Warranty |
1-Year Warranty (Singular) |
| Manufacturer Term |
2-year standard BIXOLON warranty (EU) — claims handled through Singular |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it print labels designed for a Zebra printer?
In most cases yes: select BPL-Z (ZPL II) or BPL-E (EPL) emulation and send the same label format. Formats that rely on Zebra-specific features should be tested first — send us a sample file and we will check it.
Which ribbon should I order?
Match the ribbon width to the label (33–110 mm). Wax suits paper labels, wax/resin coated paper, resin synthetic labels. It must fit a 1-inch or ½-inch core and be no longer than 300 m.
Is there a cutter or peeler?
A peeler and an external paper supply are listed as options for the XD3-40 series; BIXOLON does not list a cutter for this series, so labels are torn off against the tear bar.
Can I print courier labels from the carrier website?
Yes. Courier and marketplace portals offer labels as PDF, which prints through the Windows driver once the label size is set. ZPL or EPL files can also be sent to the printer directly, which is faster and keeps barcodes razor-sharp.
Singular Expert Insight · Buyer's Guide
The XD3-40tEK is the network version of BIXOLON's entry thermal transfer printer: ribbon-based prints for labels that must last, with Ethernet and serial for shared or legacy setups. For a wired network connection, use a patch cable from our
network cables range.
✓ Buy it if you need durable 4-inch labels (assets, outdoor parcels, stock) shared over the network.
✕ Skip it if you only print short-life courier labels from one PC — a direct thermal model avoids ribbon cost.
→ Also consider BIXOLON XD3-40tK (same printer, USB only) or XD3-40dEK (direct thermal, Ethernet).
Not sure it fits your setup? Send us the model of your rack, switch or device and we will check compatibility before you order.
