Archive for the ‘Thermal Labels’ Category
Thermal label printing technology involves both direct thermal label and thermal transfer label printing. Direct thermal label printing uses a heat-sensitive label material, which is specially treated. This label changes color when heat is added. These labels are easy to print and cost less than the thermal transfer labels. However, they are extremely sensitive to heat, intense light, extreme weather, and other environmental condition and tend to fade over time. Thermal transfer labels, alternatively, use a heated print head and a ribbon for printing. The heated pin-head melts the ribbon onto the label material, providing an unrivaled image quality. Thermal transfer labels are known for their durability and can be stored for years.
Thus, it is important for a customer to understand their printing requirements to make a proper purchase decision. This is not only applicable for thermal printers, but also for the thermal labels. There are various types of thermal labels and it is important to know about them to avoid errors while purchasing these labels.
Direct thermal labels: These labels are commonly used for direct thermal label printers and are ideal for printing temporarily marking products. They are ideally use for printing shipping labels, as these labels are required to remain readable only for a temporary period. As already mentioned, direct thermal labels are created by passing the label through heat. These labels are heat sensitive and specially treated. The image occurs on the label, as they react to heat. However, direct thermal labels are sensitive to sunlight and scratches.
Direct thermal coated labels: As the name suggests, these labels are coated and heat is required to create the image onto the label material. The printing procedure is similar to the one mentioned above. However, this coating helps the label from getting faded over time. They are more durable in nature than direct thermal labels, though the print will fade eventually. Thus, these labels are not recommended if you are looking for a more permanent solution.
Direct thermal uncoated labels: These uncoated thermal labels provide an i9nexpensive printing solution for business that requires temporary printing solution. However, these thermal uncoated labels are highly sensitive to heat and scratches. Thus, these labels are likely to fade if exposed to sunlight or other environmental condition. They are also likely to get marked up easily by scratching and bumping. They are generally used for non permanent label applications.
Thermal transfer labels: These labels are more permanent in nature and are ideal for labels that are require to remain readable for several months or even years. Thermal transfer labels are generally used for barcode labels, warehouse labels, product labels, asset labels, and location labels. The label materials are not sensitive to heat or other environmental conditions. The printer uses a print head that heats the wax of the ribbon and transfers the image onto the label. The image quality is more permanent in nature, thus thermal transfer labels do not fade over time.
Standard thermal transfer labels: These labels too receive that image from the wax or resin of the ribbon and use a heated pinhead to transfer the image directly on the label material. The process is similar to the thermal transfer labels and image quality too is permanent. However, these thermal labels use wax or resin or both to transfer the image on the label material.
Thus, knowing about various thermal labels is essential to avoid the ordering the wrong type of labels. This, in turn, will save both time and money of the customers and the retailers.