Tube Printer Buying Guide: TP vs CT vs MT01

Tube printers print identification onto tubes, sleeves and wire markers. Buyers usually choose between three groups in this catalogue: the TP series, the CT series, and the MT01 model. This guide compares them at the level the source material supports — model names and category positions — and does not build a specification comparison table, because only TP86A and TP200 carry a documented specification listing and the other models do not.

TP series

The TP series is the largest group in the tube printer category, with models listed from TP20 through TP86A, plus TP76i and its name ring printer variant. TP20 (2025 model) and TP20 are two separate listings, and TP76i Name Ring Printer is listed as a separate variant. TP86A and TP200 are the two TP models with published specifications, on their TP86A page and TP200 page. The other TP models are listed by model name on the tube printer category page.

CT series

The CT series — CT213, CT703 and CT803 — is listed in the same tube printer category, but the CT prefix is recorded separately from the TP prefix and the two are not merged into one series. No CT model carries a documented specification listing on this site, so no CT specification is stated or compared here. If you need a CT specification, ask for it in your inquiry and confirm it in writing before ordering.

MT01

MT01 is listed as an automatic sleeve printing system. It is a single model in the tube printer category, distinct from both the TP and CT series. Like the CT models, it is listed by model name only, with no specification stated on this site.

How to choose

Start from the work, not from a specification table: what tube or sleeve size do you print on, whether you need double-sided printing, and which consumables you already stock. Then shortlist by category position — TP models with published specifications where a documented figure matters to your decision, and model-name listings where you will confirm the specification with the supplier before ordering. In every case, confirm the model, the specifications, the consumable match, the MOQ, the lead time, and the price for each item before placing an order.