One of the most important characteristics of high-quality braille is the height of each braille dot. Inconsistent or low-profile dots are difficult to read, while properly raised dots ensure a pleasurable reading experience. Dot height is so critical that many countries require a minimum of 0.46 mm for embossed braille on paper. For this reason, all Braillo braille printers consistently emboss dots a minimum 0.5 mm in height.

When producing braille documents for governments and clients worldwide, only Braillo ensures compliance with these standards. While other manufacturers may claim their machines can emboss 0.5 mm dots, in reality, their equipment lacks the capability—something clearly demonstrated in the images below.

Have you ever tried to read a printed document where the ink was running low, leaving parts of the text light and unreadable? This is very similar to what happens when consumer-grade, solenoid-based braille printers are pushed to production-level speeds and long duty cycles. These machines were designed for light-duty braille printing—ideal for home or small-scale use—but should never be confused with true production braille embossers like those offered by Braillo.

Consumer-grade braille printers are easy to identify: they resemble standard PC printers, are made of lightweight plastics, and have smaller printing components. Some manufacturers may even combine 2–4 of these machines into a larger enclosure and label it a “production embosser,” but this is not comparable to a Braillo production embosser. When pushed to high speeds or extended use, these printers quickly reach their limits. The resulting braille dots become inconsistent, dot heights vary, spacing and placement go awry, and the embossed text becomes extremely difficult to read.

Worse, many printers on the market intentionally create lower braille dot heights. While this may slightly increase embossing speed, it comes at the significant cost of readability. Misplaced or low-profile braille dots are analogous to trying to read faded or inconsistent text with your eyes—a frustrating and exhausting experience, as illustrated in the example below.

Braillo Braille is Perfectly Aligned

Braillo braille printers are built with precision-engineered, high-strength metal components and fixed embossing pins. This design virtually eliminates lateral movement during embossing, allowing for continuous, high-speed operation while maintaining superior braille alignment and consistent dot height.

You can see a comparison of the components that make up a Braillo production braille printer and those in other “production printers” by clicking here.

Using a Braillo to emboss braille ensures a rich, accurate reading experience for your customers while meeting the highest formatting standards required by governments worldwide.