Northern Label Systems, professionals in supplying high quality labels clarify the differences among Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Labels.
Thermal Transfer printing employs an ink ribbon to transfer the printed picture through the heated printhead on the label printer onto the surface of the label while Direct Thermal printing transfers the graphic instantly on to a heat sensitive product.
There are actually advantages and disadvantages to both solutions. Direct Thermal label printing won't require a label printer that takes advantage of an ink ribbon, for that reason rendering it a less expensive label printer. On the other hand, the labels are frequently a little bit dearer. This claimed there is not any ink ribbon Price tag, so the particular printed label Expense is remarkably comparable. Direct Thermal label printing also requires the label printer’s printhead being in direct contact with the label itself. If you are printing higher volumes of labels you will find that the printhead wears out more quickly than one particular used for Thermal Transfer label printing. This should be A serious thought if printing in volume as printhead life will probably be decreased by between 24% and 51%. The cost of a printhead varies but is normally around 40% – fifty% of the cost of a little desktop label printer and sixteen% – 26% the cost of a mid-array or industrial top quality label printer.
The printed label will likely be diverse in terms of good quality. Direct Thermal label printing is usually only utilized for labels that should have a short shelf life including delivery labels, packaging labels and best ahead of dates. It's because the warmth resistant labels made use of usually fade in daylight in excess of a handful of weeks or months dependant upon the volume of UV light. Even if the labels are in an indoor Business office natural environment the label will generally start to fade following 12-14 months.
Direct Thermal Labels having a ‘Topcoat’ can be found to make certain far more resistance to UV gentle, while What this means is a rise in label selling price. Most Direct Thermal labels are definitely the uncoated type and are useful for short-term labelling alternatives.
Thermal Transfer label printing works by using the exact same means of printing by way of example heated things 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 standard paper labels or artificial labels. The end result is actually a printed label that will not fade in daylight and can usually be readable for quite some time. Mainly because an ink ribbon is applied this functions as being a ‘buffer’ between the printhead plus the label by itself bringing about greater printhead life. Thermal Transfer label printing can be utilized to print paper as well as artificial kind labels together with polypropylene, polyethylene, vinyl and polyester in both equally matt and gloss.
The down sides of Thermal Transfer label printing would be that the label printer necessary is slightly costlier. Nevertheless, Thermal Transfer label printers may be used to print Direct Thermal labels as well by just getting rid of the ink ribbon. Just try to remember even though, as you might use an ink ribbon to print You can find yet another matter to run from!
Northern Label Systems was Established in 2003 by Simon Brown who began Performing in the label sector in 1988 when he was a industry support engineer for Toshiba which included the on-web page fix of label printers from the south east of England. He then went on to deal with the label printer restore facility at Toshiba in Preston in 1992 and soon after a few years there worked in numerous positions as label printer installation engineer then profits account supervisor here for a global label techniques company. As Managing Director of Northern Label Systems Ltd Simon works by using his a few years of experience within the label market making sure that only the best high-quality products are sold.
Northern Label Systems continues to be developed on the popularity for supplying premium quality labels at the best possible costs. They source label printers by Zebra Systems, Citizen and Toshiba TEC, together with self-adhesive labels readily available in numerous types of measurements, colours and adhesive kinds to suit all label machines and purposes, rendering it effortless to print your own personal labels!
Their goods can produce Address, Iron-On Nametags and Accessories which include Dispensers, Unwinders and Rewinders. These practical instruments are intended to make label processing a lot more efficient.