What is a thermal label printer?
- 28 Jan, 2022
Choosing the right printer for a specific application is not easy. Along with the development of technology, the applications of printers are increasing and hence, they are used for more advanced activities. A good example is a thermal printer, which will be perfect for a store or a production hall.
What is a thermal printer and why is it worth choosing to run your business?
What is thermal printing?
Few people know that a thermal printer does not use toner, ink or color ribbons as it is in other solutions - laser, inkjet or dot matrix printers. In thermal printers, the printing looks a bit different - a special thermal head heats up after applying energy to it, burning points on the thermal paper. In this way, a printout is usually made in black.
A printer like that is much cheaper to use because it does not require ink or toner replacement, only a special thermal paper. It consists of a base paper,
a thermo-sensitive emulsion and a protective layer. Black print will be created after exceeding the temperature limit generated by the thermal head. It is worth paying attention to the thickness of the paper as the durability of the images printed on it may vary. All these properties should be taken into account to ensure that the prints do not fade and remain legible for the required time.
The simplest example of thermal printouts that we deal with on a daily basis are receipts or tickets from a parking meter.
Why not thermal labels?
We all know what happens to the receipts or tickets from the parking meter, after prolonged exposure to sunlight, the text fades or disappears completely.
To remedy this, it is enough to use thermal labels, they are made of a raw material with a much higher grammage. They are characterized by much greater resistance to UV radiation, in contrast to receipt paper. The text will fade and the paper will turn yellow, it will look unsightly but still legible.
Thermal labels are used in catering companies because long-term storage in a refrigerator will not affect the quality and legibility of the print.