Direct Thermal Or Thermal Transfer Printing?

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When purchasing a Thermal Label Printer, the first, and most crucial decision to make, is whether to invest in a Direct Thermal or a Thermal Transfer Printer. Your preferred method of printing will be dependent on the requirements of the labels themselves. Factors such as label lifespan, material used, the application of labels and the label environment, all affect which option is the best for your business solution.

There are two thermal printing methods: direct thermal and thermal transfer. Each method uses a thermal printhead that applies heat to the surface being marked.

Direct Thermal Printing

Direct thermal printing passes heat sensitive media through the printer against a thermal print head. This causes it to react to the heat and blacken, creating the image. Direct Thermal printing does not require any ink, toner, or ribbons, vastly reducing the costs of printing. The simple designs and limited maintenance required make direct thermal printers extremely easy to use.

The lifespan of direct thermal labels varies depending on the conditions they are kept in. Generally, a direct thermal label will last 6-9 months, but this can be extended by storing it indoors within cool environments. Alternatively, harsher environments will reduce this time period. Due to the heat sensitivity, any encounter with heat will cause the paper to turn black making direct thermal only workable in cooler environments.

The biggest advantages with direct thermal printing come from the costs. With no ink or ribbons required to print, only direct thermal labels are needed to get started. This ease of setup makes direct thermal printing perfect for large amounts of labels for short term usage.

With no ribbons to change there is also very limited printer downtime in comparison to thermal transfer printing, which requires ink ribbons to be replaced when they run out.

Main Benefits Of Direct Thermal Printers Include:

• Direct thermal printing produces sharp print quality with excellent scannability
• Ideal for applications requiring only a short shelf life — meaning the label image does not need to last very long. Shipping labels and receipts are ideal applications, for instance, while product labels are not
• Direct thermal printers are simple to use as there is no ink, toner or ribbon to monitor or replenish
• Low maintenance costs
• Direct thermal printers are more durable in comparison to dot matrix or laser printers, enabling you with a reliable operation within industrial applications

Our Best Selling Direct Thermal Printers Include

Zebra ZD420 Direct Thermal Printer 4.09 in./104mm (203dpi) or 4.27 in./108mm (300dpi) print width 203dpi or 300dpi print resolution Prices start from £233.40 Buy online now.	Zebra ZT220 Direct Thermal Printer Durable high-impact polymer case for long-lasting use 300m ribbon capacity Simple single-use three-button user interface Buy online now.

Click here to view our whole range of direct thermal label printers.

Thermal Transfer Printing

In thermal transfer printing the printhead heats an ink ribbon, melting the ink on to the label material passing through the printer. This technique offers significantly improved print quality in comparison to direct thermal printing, as well as being much longer lasting. Improved durability on thermal transfer labels also offers a huge benefit, with certain materials resisting more extreme weather conditions and chemicals. The printhead will generally have a longer lifespan due to not coming into direct contact with the label material, as happens with direct thermal printing.

Printer configuration is also something to consider, with thermal transfer printing offering greater challenges in this regard. The extra hardware to incorporate the ribbon makes these printers slightly more expensive than simpler direct thermal versions. With more parts to accommodate the ribbons, thermal transfer printers experience more downtime from wear and breaks in this additional hardware. On top of this, it takes several minutes to change the ribbon over, causing more disruption in printing schedules. To reduce this as an issue, certain models of printer can use larger ribbons of up to 600m in length, meaning fewer ribbon changes and in turn less printer downtime.

Main Benefits Of Thermal Transfer Printers Include:

• Thermal transfer printers deliver crisp, high-definition text, graphic and barcode print quality
• Thermal transfer enables batch or single label printing
• Long-term maintenance costs are low compared to dot matrix, ink jet and laser printing
• Thermal transfer printers can print on a nearly unlimited variety of media stock

Zebra ZD420 Thermal Transfer Printer Quick cartridge replacement and monitoring 4.09” (104 mm) print width Up to 6 inches per second print speed (depending on options chosen) Buy online now.	Zebra ZT420 Industrial Thermal Transfer Printer Options for 203dpi and 300dpi resolutions RFID mode available for delivering greater tracking abilities Six-inch print width for wider format labels Buy online now.

Click here to view our whole range of thermal transfer printers.

Direct Thermal & Thermal Transfer Comparison Chart

To enquire about direct thermal or thermal transfer printing, please contact us today.