Thermal Printers

• Thermal printers use heat transfer to create text and graphics on the paper. Thermal printers are used in point-of-sale and retail environments as well as for some types of portable printing.
• A thermal transfer printer is a non-impact printer that uses heat to register an impression on paper.

                                                   

There are 2 distinct kinds of thermal printers:

• Thermal transfer printers use wax or resin-based ribbons
• whereas direct thermal printers use heat-sensitized paper

Thermal transfer- In this mechanism, heat is applied to transfer the heat to the label from the ribbon for a permanent printing output. There are some thermal transfer printers that have the ability to do direct thermal printing.

 The life of a label can be improved y using a PVC vinyl as can be seen in industrial safety labels and pipe markers that exist in the market today.

   

Direct thermal (top) and thermal transfer (bottom) printing technologies.

• Direct Thermal- This particular printer uses a paper that is sensitive to heat such as a thermal fax paper. You will find that direct thermal labels tend to fade within a period of 6 to 12 months if it is exposed to chemical vapors or under direct sunlight. 
• Thus, these labels are usually used for short duration applications, for instance in shipping labels. A ribbon is not required in case of direct thermal printing.