Northern Label Systems, specialists in supplying high quality labels describe the variations amongst Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Labels.
Thermal Transfer printing takes advantage of an ink ribbon to transfer the printed graphic from the heated printhead of the label printer on to the surface area of your label though Direct Thermal printing transfers the impression specifically onto a heat sensitive material.
You will find pros and cons to each methods. Direct Thermal label printing does not need a label printer that employs an ink ribbon, as a result making it a less expensive label printer. Nevertheless, the labels are generally a little costlier. This stated there is no ink ribbon Price tag, so the actual printed label Price is remarkably similar. Direct Thermal label printing also involves the label printer’s printhead to get in direct contact with the label itself. If you are printing superior volumes of labels you'll discover which the printhead wears out more quickly than a single utilized for Thermal Transfer label printing. This could be A serious thing to consider if printing in volume as printhead life will be reduced by concerning 24% and 51%. The price of a printhead may differ but will likely be all-around forty% – fifty% of the price of a small desktop label printer and 16% – 26% the expense of a mid-variety or industrial high-quality label printer.
The printed label may even be different with regard to top quality. Direct Thermal label printing is usually only useful for labels that could have a short shelf life which include transport labels, packaging labels and finest before dates. It is because the heat resistant labels applied frequently fade in daylight over several weeks or months depending upon the level of UV light. Even if the labels are in an indoor Place of work surroundings the label will commonly start to fade right after 12-14 months.
Direct Thermal Labels by using a ‘Topcoat’ can be obtained to make sure much more resistance to UV mild, even though This implies an increase in label price. Most Direct Thermal labels would be the uncoated sort and are used for short-term labelling methods.
Thermal Transfer label printing takes advantage of a similar means of printing one example is heated aspects heating up and cooling down very quickly on a thermal printhead. However, with thermal transfer label printing an ink ribbon is utilized to transfer the printed impression onto regular paper labels or artificial labels. The end result is actually a printed label that will not fade in daylight and can typically be readable for many years. Because an ink ribbon is made use of this functions like a ‘buffer’ in between the printhead and also the label alone resulting in elevated printhead life. Thermal Transfer label printing can be used to print paper as well as artificial sort labels such as polypropylene, polyethylene, vinyl and polyester in both matt and gloss.
The get more info shortcomings of Thermal Transfer label printing is that the label printer required is a little more expensive. Having said that, Thermal Transfer label printers may be used to print Direct Thermal labels too simply by removing the ink ribbon. Just remember however, because you may well use an ink ribbon to print There is certainly yet one more point to operate out of!
Northern Label Systems was Launched in 2003 by Simon Brown who commenced Operating during the label market in 1988 when he was a industry support engineer for Toshiba which associated the on-web-site fix of label printers from the south east of England. He then went on to manage the label printer restore facility at Toshiba in Preston in 1992 and immediately after a few many years there worked in various positions as label printer set up engineer then sales account manager for a global label programs company. As Managing Director of Northern Label Systems Ltd Simon uses his many years of expertise while in the label marketplace to make sure that only the very best excellent products are sold.
Northern Label Systems continues to be constructed on a popularity for supplying premium quality labels at the absolute best rates. They provide label printers by Zebra Technologies, Citizen and Toshiba TEC, as well as self-adhesive labels available in a wide variety of dimensions, colors and adhesive sorts to match all label machines and applications, rendering it easy to print your very own labels!
Their merchandise can generate Address, Iron-On Nametags and Add-ons which consist of Dispensers, Unwinders and Rewinders. These useful applications are built to make label processing far more effective.