Introduction
Many industrial businesses still rely on legacy systems like the IBM AS/400 for mission-critical operations. These systems are robust—but when peripheral hardware like label printers reaches end-of-life, replacement becomes a serious challenge.
That was exactly the situation faced by one of our customers.
The Problem
Our customer was running:
- Datamax label printers (30+ years old)
- Connected to an IBM AS/400 system
- Using legacy print spool file outputs
The issues were mounting:
- ❌ Printers fully discontinued
- ❌ Spare parts no longer available
- ❌ Increasing downtime risk
- ❌ No direct modern replacement
Although Datamax had been acquired by Honeywell (via Intermec), the modern Honeywell devices:
- Offered Datamax emulation
- But did not work natively with AS/400 spool file outputs
- And manufacturer support could not resolve the compatibility issue
After 12 months of trying, the customer still had no working solution.
The Challenge
The key constraint:
👉 The IBM AS/400 system could not be changed
So the solution needed to:
- Work with existing print commands
- Require no system rewrite
- Be reliable and scalable
- Use modern, serviceable hardware
Our Approach
We took a different route.
Instead of forcing the system to adapt to the printer…
👉 We made the printer adapt to the system.
Working with:
- Our in-house technical specialists
- Our partners at Toshiba TEC
We developed a custom firmware-based solution.
The Solution
We deployed the Toshiba B-EX6T1 printer, combined with:
🔧 Custom Boot-Level Interpreter
A bespoke program was:
- Loaded directly into the printer’s memory
- Runs at boot level
- Intercepts incoming print data
⚙️ Real-Time Command Translation
The system:
- Receives IBM AS/400 spool file output
- Interprets legacy print commands
- Converts them on-the-fly into Toshiba Printer Language
- Prints seamlessly—no host changes required
Why This Worked
This approach avoided:
- ❌ Rewriting legacy systems
- ❌ Risky middleware layers
- ❌ Ongoing compatibility issues
Instead, it delivered:
- ✅ Full compatibility with existing infrastructure
- ✅ Modern, supportable printer fleet
- ✅ Long-term reliability
- ✅ Minimal disruption to operations
The Outcome
- ✔ Legacy Datamax printers successfully replaced
- ✔ Zero changes required to the AS/400 system
- ✔ Fully operational modern print environment
- ✔ Reduced risk of downtime
- ✔ Future-proofed hardware platform
What This Means for Your Business
If you're running:
- Legacy print environments
- AS/400 or similar systems
- Obsolete or unsupported printers
You are not stuck.
There are solutions—but they require:
- Deep technical understanding
- Creative problem solving
- The right hardware partnerships
Final Thought
This project had been unresolved for over a year.
It was solved not by replacing everything—but by understanding the problem properly and engineering the right bridge between old and new.
Call to Action
If you're facing a similar challenge:
👉 Get in touch with Lemon Labels on 01892 300 737
👉 We specialise in complex label printing environments and legacy system integration