Thermal Transfer Printer

The Difference Between Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Label Printing

DIRECT THERMAL AND THERMAL TRANSFER LABEL PRINTING

Label printers usually print labels such as barcodes by using either direct thermal or thermal transfer technology. The common feature about both this methods is that there is heat involved in the printing process. Thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to print on the material, while in direct thermal printing there is no ribbon involved and the printing is done directly onto the label material.

Label printers that use direct thermal printing involves low cost and easy maintenance, as it has no ink, toner and ribbon. Its application can be seen in tickets, shipping labels, receipts, wristband and so on. The minus point of this type of label printer is that it can only print on certain materials and the labels produced are not durable.

The lifespan of the labels can only stretch up to a maximum period of one year and if there is presence of humidity or exposure to sunlight the label will fade off even faster. This is not seen as a great disadvantage to label printers that use direct thermal printing because the labels that are printed by this type of printers are not intended for a lifetime identification or use. An obvious example of this would be receipts, as customers will usually throw the receipt away the moment they reach home.

As for label printers that use the thermal transfer printing approach the very fact that heated ribbon is used is to ensure the labels can endure for a longer period of time. This is vital as these label printers print labels such as barcodes, circuit board tracking, permanent identification, sample file tracking and asset tagging. This printer is high maintenance, as it requires consumable parts.

The choice is in the hands of the user to decide which type of printing method would suits his or her needs better as everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

About the Author

Cri Davies is marketing manager for Etiquette Labels - UK Independent Experts in Labels, Label Printing, and Label Printing Solutions. For more information visit the Etiquette Network

170Xi4 - label printer - B/W - thermal transfer $4389.99 Zebra 170Xi4 - Label printer - B/W - thermal transfer - Roll (7.1 in) - 300 dpi - Parallel Serial USB 10/100Base-TX

LabelMANAGER 260P - label printer - direct thermal / thermal transfer $56.99 DYMO LabelMANAGER 260P - Label printer - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (0.5 in)

Sato CT400 Thermal Transfer BarCode Printer 203dpi Parallel WCT400026 $780.79 Sato CT400 Thermal Transfer BarCode Printer 203dpi Parallel WCT400026

Sato CT400 Thermal Transfer Monochrome BarCode Printer 203dpi Ethernet WCT400025 $963.59 Sato CT400 Thermal Transfer Monochrome BarCode Printer 203dpi Ethernet WCT400025

PF8t - label printer - B/W - thermal transfer $412.99 Intermec PF8t - Label printer - B/W - thermal transfer - Roll (4.65 in) - 203 dpi - up to 240 inch/min - Parallel Serial USB

P4T - label printer - B/W - thermal transfer $1122.99 Zebra P4T - Label printer - B/W - thermal transfer - Roll A6 (4.13 in) - 203 dpi - up to 89.8 inch/min - Serial USB Bluetooth

S4M - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $1005.99 Zebra S4M - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.5 in) - 203 dpi - up to 359.1 inch/min - Serial 10/100Base-TX

110Xi4 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $2629.99 Zebra 110Xi4 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.5 in) - 203 dpi - Parallel Serial USB 10/100Base-TX

170Xi4 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $4709.99 Zebra 170Xi4 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (7.1 in) - 300 dpi - Parallel Serial USB 10/100Base-TX

CG208 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $383.99 SATO CG208 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (2.35 in) - 203 dpi - up to 236.2 inch/min - Serial USB

CG212 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $537.99 SATO CG212 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (2.35 in) - 305 dpi - up to 236.2 inch/min - Serial USB

CG408 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $554.99 SATO CG408 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.2 in) - 203 dpi - up to 236.2 inch/min - Parallel USB

CL-S621 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $444.99 Citizen CL-S621 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.65 in) - 203 dpi - up to 359.1 inch/min - Serial USB

Printronix T4M Thermal Label printer - Monochrome - Direct Thermal, Thermal Transfer - 203 dpi - USB, Serial, Parallel TT4M2010 $1336.59 Printronix T4M Thermal Label printer - Monochrome - Direct Thermal, Thermal Transfer - 203 dpi - USB, Serial, Parallel TT4M2010

Zebra TLP 2824 Plus Thermal Label Printer 36pin Centronics 282P-101210-000 Direct Thermal / Thermal Transfer Monochrome $230.51 Zebra TLP 2824 Plus Thermal Label Printer 36pin Centronics 282P-101210-000 Direct Thermal / Thermal Transfer Monochrome

WPL305 - label printer - B/W - thermal transfer $479.99 Wasp WPL305 - Label printer - B/W - thermal transfer - Roll (4.4 in) - 203 dpi - up to 300 inch/min - capacity: 1 rolls - Parallel Serial USB

Intermec EasyCoder PX4c Direct Thermal/Thermal Transfer Printer - Label Print $2491.99 16 MB 300 dpi 32 MB Direct Thermal/Thermal Transfer Printer EasyCoder EasyCoder PX4c Thermal Label Printer Intermec Intermec Technologies Corporation Label Print Label Taken Sensor Not Applicable PC PX4C010000005030 Self Strip www.intermec.com

TLP 3842 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $471.99 Zebra TLP 3842 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.25 in) - 300 dpi x 300 dpi - up to 120.5 inch/min - capacity: 1 rolls - Parallel Serial US

GL408e - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $1549.99 SATO GL408e - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (5 in) - 203 dpi - up to 600 inch/min - Parallel Serial USB 10/100Base-TX

EasyCoder PD41 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $1181.99 Intermec EasyCoder PD41 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.65 in) - 300 dpi - up to 354.3 inch/min - Parallel Serial USB 10/100Base-TX

WPL610 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $1209.99 Wasp WPL610 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.65 in) - 203 dpi - up to 718.1 inch/min - capacity: 1 rolls - Parallel Serial USB

CL-S700 - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $971.99 Citizen CL-S700 - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (4.65 in) - 203 dpi - up to 600 inch/min - Parallel Serial USB

CL 408e - label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer $1679.99 SATO CL 408e - Label printer - B/W - direct thermal / thermal transfer - Roll (5.16 in) - 203 dpi - up to 354.3 inch/min - capacity: 1 rolls - 802.11b

This entry was posted on Monday, January 29th, 2007 at 6:32 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.