This FAQ demonstrates the pros and cons of the three principal methods of variable information printing.

Thermal Transfer | Direct Thermal | Laser Printing | faq index

The main areas under discussion are: print quality, durability, colour, material wastage & printing speed.

What is thermal transfer printing?
Thermal transfer printing is a high quality, durable method of in-house on-demand printing, using a combination of a thermal transfer printer, a top coated ribbon, a specially coated thermal transfer label material and label design and printing software.

What print quality will thermal transfer give me?
Provided that the correct ribbon and label material combination is used, thermal transfer printing is capable of producing exceptionally high quality, durable and consistently sharp images throughout the longest of printing runs. With extremely high resistance to abrasion and chemicals, thermal transfer is an ideal printing process for labels intended for use in harsh industrial environments. Thermal transfer printing is capable of producing top quality variable information i.e. crisp graphics, bar codes and alphanumeric text, on the same label if required.

As previously stated, it is important that the correct combination of thermal transfer printable topcoated label material and ribbon is used in order to obtain optimum print quality. A wide variety of wax, wax/resin and resin compound ribbons are available, which have been approved in conjunction with our thermal transfer materials to provide full comparability and, if required, to offer full UL/CSA approval.

Aside from the material and ribbon, quality is also determined by the thermal transfer printer printhead resolution. This can vary from 200 dots per inch to 600 dots per inch, depending on the model of printer.

What materials are suitable for use on thermal transfer printers?
Almost all commonly used printing materials are available in a specially topcoated thermal transfer printable form. Materials include paper, polyester, vinyl, polypropylene and specially constructed high temperature resistant polymer films such as Kapton and Worldmark's proprietary Syntem material. The material construction chosen will depend on your application, the environment in which the label will be used, the temperatures to which the label will be exposed and the end use.

How durable are the printed labels and the equipment?
The durability of the labels is based on the combination of ribbon and thermal transfer material and the label topcoat. With more than 300 UL/CSA approved products, Worldmark's range of thermal transfer printable labels offer resistance to scratching, oil, most commonly used cleaning chemicals, high temperatures and humidity. Our range of thermal transfer printers are life tested using over five million linear inches of labels (equivalent to eighty one miles), during which there is no indication of deterioration in print quality. The printers are housed in rugged steel casing in order to withstand the harshest of industrial environments.

What applications is thermal transfer printing suited to?
Thermal transfer printing has an extensive number of applications including parts/component identification, production control, distribution, shipping, warehousing, tracking and tracing, stock control, warehousing and pricing.

Can thermal transfer printers produce multiple colour labels?
Yes, thermal transfer colour printers are available. In order to print in color the label must pass through four separate colour ribbons, which increases both the cost and the length of time required to print in colour. For most applications in the computer and electronics sector e.g. product and packaging, a one-colour ribbon usually suffices.

Do all ribbons used in thermal transfer printing have the same level of durability?
No. Certain coloured ribbons are more durable e.g. black is the most durable, whereas other colours can be limited due to fading of lighter pigments when exposed to UV rays.

Is there any material wastage?
Very little. It is possible for thermal transfer printers to print a batch of one, or they can be set to run with large quantities. With Bar-One software, the labels can be previewed prior to printing, and test print facilities are available.

What capacity of work can thermal transfer printers handle?
Thermal transfer printing is very flexible and can cope with quantities varying from small batch printing to continuous duty 24 hour a day printing.

What is the printing speed of a thermal transfer printer?
There are a variety of thermal transfer printers available which are capable of printing at speeds varying between 2 inches per second (50 mm per second) up to 12 inches per second (305 mm per second) depending on the printer.