Thermal Transfer Printers

A thermal transfer printer is generally the most efficient and long-lasting way to print labels. Here's how they work: instead of using impacts to transfer ink to a label (like an old-fashioned typewriter would), the thermal transfer printer heats up pins in its print-head in a sequence specified by the printer´s microprocessor, then presses those pins against a specially-coated ribbon. The coating on the ribbon melts, releasing ink onto the thermal transfer printer label and thus transferring a sharp one-color image to the feedstock. Because of the way that thermal transfer printers print their labels, they tend to be smaller and more efficient than impact printers. Thermal transfer printer ribbons can be coated either with wax or resin, or with a mixture of both. All three types of ribbons produce durable, clear images that are long-lasting and resistant to heat, chemicals, scratching, abrasion, and -- in some cases -- even long exposures to ultraviolet light. Wax ribbons, which comprise 80% of the thermal transfer ribbons sold, are quite versatile, capable of printing on a variety of paper and low-end synthetic label stocks. Wax/resin and full resin labels, however, should always use medium to high-end thermal transfer printer labels. Such thermal transfer printer labels usually consist of synthetic materials, including metallized types. Although thermal transfer printers may be used for just about any labeling need, the high quality and durability of their products makes them especially suited for asset tracking and inventory management, especially in rough environments subjected to temperature extremes (including the great outdoors). They´re ideal for such purposes as: Barcode labels Inventory tags Lumber tags and labels Automotive part labels Drum labels Shelf labels