brothersdopa.blogg.se - Heat transfer printing process

Heat transfer printing process how to#
Heat transfer printing process professional#

Go for thermal transfer printing if you need durable and high-resolution images, especially for traceability applications and labels that need to withstand abrasion, chemicals and exposure to light and heat. Product and packaging labels, GHS labels, asset tags

Enables batch or single label printing with virtually no waste.

Can print on heat-sensitive paper/labels.

Lower cost for thermal transfer labels (additional ribbon required).

Ribbon and media substrate must be compatible to avoid problems.

Can print on great variety of media stock.

Simple to operate, because no ribbon must be monitored or replenished.

Regular parts cleaning recommended (see our thermal printer maintenance tips ).

More downtime due to ribbon changes and adjustments.

Ribbon acts as buffer between print head and label material ribbon back-coatings reduce static and frictionĭirect contact with abrasive labels (and possible dust and debris) promotes wear-out and increased replacement costs Let’s compare each method’s performance in different categories:Įxtremely sensitive to heat, light and other environmental conditions (label will darken when overexposed to such) The same goes for text and graphics, of course. We would also like to add that you can print both linear and two-dimensional barcodes such as data matrix codes or QR codes with either thermal printing method.

Heat transfer printing process how to#

For more information on this topic, check out our 6 tips for better barcode quality and our quick guide on how to check barcodes without a scanner. Thermal label printers in general are great to produce barcode labels, because they create high-quality images with excellent edge definition, which is required for barcode scanners to capture data successfully. Schematic of direct thermal printing method Thermal transfer printing and direct thermal printing for label printing – A comparison A chemical reaction causes the label to change color from white to black. In direct thermal printing, the heating elements of the print head apply punctual heat directly to the passing label, which has a heat-sensitive coating. Schematic of thermal transfer printing method How does a direct thermal label printer work? The ribbon and label stock (material and adhesive) must be carefully matched to each other and to the specific application, in order to receive optimum quality and durability. The label absorbs the ink so that it becomes part of the media. In thermal transfer printing, the heating elements of the print head apply punctual heat to the passing ribbon, causing it to melt onto the label and form the print image. How does a thermal transfer printer work? Direct thermal printing, on the other hand, uses heat-sensitive labels which blacken where they are heated directly. The actual difference between the two methods is in the surface that is heated by the print head: Thermal transfer printing uses a wax- or resin-based ribbon that transfers ink onto the label when heated. The higher the number, the higher the print resolution and quality. Their printing resolution is determined by the size, number and arrangement of heating elements, specified in dots per inch (dpi). Therefore, the rather general term thermal printer may be used for direct thermal label printers as well as for thermal transfer printers. The print head consists of tiny heating elements (dots) that heat up in selected areas to produce the desired print image. Which method should you choose for your business application? Here’s everything you need to know for perfect label results! The difference between thermal transfer printing and direct thermal printingįirst, let’s talk about the similarities: Both label printing methods each require a thermal print head that applies heat to the surface being marked.

Heat transfer printing process professional#

Most professional and industrial label printers let you choose between two thermal printing methods for label printing: thermal transfer and direct thermal.