Comparison Between Thermal Transfer Ribbons And Direct Thermal Transfer

By Robert Cole


The main difference between the two is that thermal transfer ribbons as the name suggests use ribbons while direct thermal transfer does not use any conductor to transfer. The thermal transmission involves the current print head elements melting the back part of the ribbon and transferring the front side to the label material and thus creating a print image.

Current print head life and its cost. In direct current transmission as the name hints, the print material is to be in direct contact with the label material as it is pulled across the printing head. On the other hand, thermal transmissions are designed with a back-coating to reduce the friction. Less friction and static means less wear and tear.

Direct transfer risks a lot of damage. The debris and dust in the printer will be damaged with the constant pulling across the print head. The material may be burned, and you will end up with poor quality work or even incomplete work. If you are to use direct transmissions, you should know how to control it to avoid damage from the dust and other forms that can damage.

You need to know the features of both printers before you settle on one. There are printers made solely made for each method, and there are others which are a combination of them. They all vary in price. The combination is slightly more expensive than the current transmission one. The direct transmission is the most affordable as it does not have as many mechanics.

There are both coated and uncoated direct thermal printers. Many people assume that the coated ones are of the best quality and therefore consider only this factor when purchasing the machine. They forget that there are some inferior brands that also have coated printers. In the long-run, they end up spending a lot more on repairs than they would have on an original high-quality printer.

The different labels will have different specifications regarding speed and even the amount of heat used. Go for a printer that minimizes the heat but maximizes the speed. Sometimes the heat may be too much and end up causing damage. For example, producing bar codes that cannot be scanned. This will be a complete way of costly resources.

Before settling for one of the print methods, consider their life. This means the amount of time they are good for. You should be keen on the amount of time your product is likely to last in the market. If it will be there for a while, you should consider the current transfer techniques. It can withstand even the harsh weather conditions. Therefore, there is no risk of the consumers being unable to read the contents.

There has been a lot of waste in the environment which has led to its depletion. As you settle for a method, make sure you have considered the environment. The thermal ribbon uses chemical bases which may cause harm to the environment. The direct method, however, is safer because it does not use the ribbon.




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