Zebra ZQ511/ZQ521 Mobile Printers

Zebra ZQ500 Series

ZQ511 and ZQ521 Mobile Printers

Exceptional durability and reliable mobile printing for demanding environments

Zebra's premium ZQ511 and ZQ521 mobile printers provide rugged, on-demand printing for receipts, labels, linerless media and UHF RFID tags. Designed for demanding indoor and outdoor work, the ZQ500 Series combines military-grade durability, flexible connectivity, high-capacity battery options and straightforward operation in a compact mobile platform.

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Product Overview

The ZQ511 supports printing up to 2.83 inches wide, while the ZQ521 supports printing up to 4.09 inches wide. Both printers use direct thermal technology and are available in standard, RFID and selected linerless configurations.

203 dpiPrint resolution

Up to 5 ipsPrint speed with Draft Mode

IP54Standard ingress protection

3250 mAhStandard PowerPrecision+ battery

Receipt, label, tag, RFID and linerless options
MIL-STD 810G certified for drop and shock
Multiple 6.6 ft. / 2 m drops to concrete
1,300 tumbles from 3.3 ft. / 1 m
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and USB
Android, Apple iOS and Windows connectivity
CPCL, ZPL and ZBI 2.x support
Two-year printer warranty

ZQ511 and ZQ521 Model Comparison

Specification	ZQ511	ZQ521
Maximum Print Width	2.83 in. / 72 mm	4.09 in. / 104 mm
Resolution	203 dpi / 8 dots per mm	203 dpi / 8 dots per mm
Maximum Print Speed	Up to 5 in. / 127 mm per second	Up to 5 in. / 127 mm per second
Dimensions	5.9 in. L × 4.7 in. W × 2.4 in. H 150 × 120 × 62 mm	6.2 in. L × 6.1 in. W × 2.6 in. H 158 × 155 × 67 mm
Weight, Standard Battery	1.39 lb / 0.63 kg	1.73 lb / 0.79 kg
Weight, Extended Battery	1.62 lb / 0.72 kg	1.96 lb / 0.89 kg
Media Width	1.38 in. / 35 mm to 3.15 in. / 80 mm +1 mm	2.0 in. / 50.8 mm to 4.45 in. / 113 mm +1 mm
Maximum Media Roll	2.0 in. / 51 mm	2.24 in. / 57 mm
RFID Model	ZQ511R	ZQ521R

Ruggedness and Durability

Drop and Shock

MIL-STD 810G certified and designed for multiple drops from 6.6 ft. / 2 m onto concrete.

Tumble Tested

Tested under IEC68-2-32 for 1,300 free falls from 3.3 ft. / 1 m.

Ingress Protection

IP54 standard without a protective case.

Optional Exoskeleton

Raises drop specification to 10 ft. / 3 m, seals ports and increases protection to IP65.

Over-Moulding

Protective over-moulding helps increase service life.

Cold Temperature Compensation

Balances print speed for improved lower-temperature performance.

Standard Features

Printing and Media Handling

Direct thermal printing of barcodes, text and graphics
Vertical and horizontal printing
Operation in any orientation
Centre-loaded adjustable media support
Clamshell media loading
Label odometer
Fixed-centre black mark and gap sensors
Dual-sided tear bar on applicable models

User Interface

Easy-to-read LCD with large icons
Battery and wireless indicators
Large controls for gloved operation
Sleep mode with wake on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or touch
Real-time clock on WLAN configurations
NFC Zebra Print Touch
QR links to web-based help

Management and Integration

Link-OS
XML
PPME
Mirror
SNMP
WebServer
AirWatch
SOTI Connect
Wavelink Avalanche
NTP through Wi-Fi

Power and Performance

3250 mAh PowerPrecision+ battery
Power Smart Print Technology
Automatic sleep and print-job wake
Optional 6500 mAh battery
Draft Mode for text-only printing
Temperature compensation

Note: The dual-sided tear bar is unavailable on linerless SKUs. RFID models require black mark RFID media and do not support gap sensing.

Printer Specifications

Printing Method	Direct thermal
Operating System	Link-OS
Resolution	203 dpi / 8 dots per mm
Maximum Print Speed	Up to 5 in. / 127 mm per second with Draft Mode
Maximum Print Width	ZQ511: 2.83 in. / 72 mm ZQ521: 4.09 in. / 104 mm
Maximum Print Length	39 in.
Memory	256 MB RAM, 512 MB Flash standard; 8 MB RAM and 64 MB Flash user available
Media Sensors	Fixed-centre black mark and gap sensing; RFID models do not support gap sensing
Programming Languages	CPCL, ZPL and ZBI 2.x

RFID and Linerless Options

ZQ511R

RFID-enabled ZQ511 for compatible UHF RFID labels and tags.

ZQ521R

RFID-enabled ZQ521 for compatible UHF RFID labels and tags.

Linerless Printing

Selected configurations support Zebra ZeroLiner media with the required silicone platen roller.

RFID requirement: ZQ511R and ZQ521R require black mark RFID media and do not support gap sensing.

Power and Battery

Standard Battery	3250 mAh nominal, removable, rechargeable PowerPrecision+ lithium-ion
Extended Battery	Optional 6500 mAh PowerPrecision+ lithium-ion
Power Management	Power Smart Print Technology
Sleep Mode	Wake on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or touch
Charging Temperature	32°F to 104°F / 0°C to 40°C
Cradle Temperature	32°F to 122°F / 0°C to 50°C

Media Specifications

Specification	ZQ511	ZQ521
Media Width	1.38 in. / 35 mm to 3.15 in. / 80 mm +1 mm	2.0 in. / 50.8 mm to 4.45 in. / 113 mm +1 mm
Maximum Roll Size	2.0 in. / 51 mm	2.24 in. / 57 mm
Maximum Label Thickness	0.0063 in. / 0.1600 mm
Maximum Tag/Receipt Thickness	0.0055 in. / 0.1397 mm
Minimum Thickness	0.0023 in. / 0.05842 mm; linerless SKU 0.0021 in. / 0.05334 mm	0.0023 in. / 0.05842 mm
Media Types	Receipt, gap label, black mark label, tag, linerless and RFID, depending on configuration

Connectivity and Security

Wi-Fi

ZebraNet 802.11ac
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
802.11d, 802.11i and 802.11r
PMK caching, OKC and EAP Fast Session Resumption

Bluetooth and USB

Bluetooth 4.1 Classic and BLE
Bluetooth security modes 1-4
Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad certified
USB 2.0 full-speed On-The-Go, 12 Mbps
Micro-AB connector
NFC Print Touch

Wireless Security

WPA and WPA2 with AES
802.1x with WEP, WPA or WPA2
EAP-FAST, EAP-TTLS, EAP-TLS, PEAP and LEAP
FIPS support available as an OS download

Dual-Radio Operation

Simultaneous Bluetooth and 802.11ac operation
Secondary Bluetooth channel for management

Supported Barcode Symbologies

CPCL Linear

Code 39, Code 93, UCC/EAN-128, Code 128, Codabar/NW-7, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8 and EAN-13 with applicable add-ons.

CPCL 2D

PDF417, MicroPDF417, MaxiCode, QR Code, GS1 DataBar/RSS, Aztec, MSI/Plessey, FIM Postnet, Data Matrix and TLC39.

ZPL Linear

Code 11, Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, ISBT-128, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8, EAN-13, Planet Code, Plessey, POSTNET, Standard/Industrial/Interleaved 2 of 5, LOGMARS, MSI, Codabar and GS1 DataBar/RSS.

ZPL 2D

PDF417, MicroPDF-417, Code 49, TLC39, MaxiCode, Codablock, Data Matrix, QR Code and Aztec.

Fonts and Character Sets

Standard	25 bitmapped fonts and one smooth scalable CG Triumvirate Bold Condensed font
All Models	Scalable Swiss 721 supporting Latin, Cyrillic, Hebrew and Arabic
Group A	Traditional Chinese and Korean support for applicable regional part numbers
Group B	Traditional Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese support for applicable regional part numbers
Group C	Simplified Chinese support for applicable China part numbers
Group J	Japanese NotoMono and Square Gothic J MT support

Environmental Specifications and Approvals

Operating Temperature	-4°F to 131°F / -20°C to 55°C
Operating Humidity	10% to 90%, non-condensing
Storage Temperature	-22°F to 150°F / -30°C to 66°C
Storage Humidity	10% to 90%, non-condensing
Agency Approvals	FCC Part 15 Subpart B, EN55022 Class B, EN55024, ICES-003, EN55032 and EN301489
Energy Certification	ENERGY STAR certified

Zebra DNA for Printers

Setup and Integration

Applications and utilities support printer setup and integration.

Remote Management

Tools support remote management and maintenance of networked printers.

Security and Updates

Capabilities support vulnerability management, security and ongoing updates.

Printer Profile Manager Enterprise

Browser-based management for discovering Zebra DNA printers, creating and distributing configurations and scheduling updates.

Accessories and Charging Options

AC Adapter

Charges the installed battery while the printer remains operational.

Dual Charging Vehicle Adapter

Charges a printer and compatible TC70, TC72, TC75 or TC77 simultaneously.

Vehicle Cradle

Docks and charges one printer on a tabletop, vehicle or forklift. IP43 rated and compatible with standard or extended batteries and the exoskeleton.

4-Slot Power Station

Docks and charges up to four printers and supports extended batteries and exoskeleton-equipped printers.

12-24V DC Power Supply

Charges through compatible open-ended or vehicle lighter adapters.

6500 mAh Extended Battery

Provides twice the nominal capacity of the standard battery.

Battery Chargers

Available in one-slot and three-slot configurations.

Exoskeleton

Raises drop protection to 10 ft. / 3 m and increases ingress protection to IP65.

Markets and Applications

Transportation and Logistics

Field service
Cross-docking
Direct store delivery
Proof of pickup and delivery
Route accounting
Bag reconciliation
Post and parcel
Passenger ticketing

Manufacturing and Warehouse

Field service
Direct store delivery
Pallet labelling
Packing, staging and cross-docking labels

Government

Energy and utility meter reading
Parking violations
Electronic citations

Retail and Hospitality

Click-and-collect receipts and labels
Shelf-edge labels
Drive-through receipts
Venue and theme park receipts

Warranty, Service and Support

Printer Warranty

Two years from shipment against defects in workmanship and materials, subject to Zebra terms.

Battery Warranty

One year from shipment.

Printhead Warranty

Six months from shipment.

Zebra OneCare

Maintenance plans may include certified repairs, technical support, accidental-damage coverage and defined repair turnaround times. Availability varies by region.

Important Configuration Notes

Direct thermal printing only
RFID requires a separate RFID model
RFID models require black mark RFID media
RFID models do not support gap sensing
Linerless requires an appropriate configuration
Linerless requires a silicone platen roller
Dual-sided tear bar is unavailable on linerless SKUs
Wireless features depend on configuration
Real-time clock is on WLAN SKUs only
Accessories may be sold separately

Shop the Zebra ZQ500 Series

View available ZQ511 and ZQ521 configurations from Arrowhead.

View ZQ500 Series Products

Bluetooth 5.2 readiness supports Version 5.2 errata fixes only. Zebra recommends genuine Zebra supplies for optimum print quality and performance. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Zebra, Zebra DNA, ZebraNet, Link-OS, PowerPrecision+, Power Smart Print Technology, Print Touch, ZPL and ZBI are trademarks or registered trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corp. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.