Wednesday, January 9, 2019

By Rebecca Cooper


Printers can be classified based on several criteria. In one classification, there are impact and non-impact printers. Thermal transfer printers are classified under non-impact printers because instead of using impact, they use heat to register impressions on paper. The printing is done on special papers referred to as thermal transfer ribbons. These ribbons are made of resin-based inks or wax. Here are facts regarding Thermal Transfer Ribbon.

The header of the printer is made using resistive heating pins. One print-head has several pins that serve the function of printing. Melting occurs on the resin or wax due to the heating when there is contact between the pins and the paper. This melting is what causes the image that becomes visible eventually to form.

A microprocessor controls the heating of the pins. The images produced differ based on the pins that are heated. There is usually a wide space on the print-head so that it can cover the entire medium on which printing needs to be done. The popularity of these printers is in printing a variety of products like labels, name tags and bar codes. There are two classifications of these printers, which are thermal wax transfer and direct thermal printers.

The working mechanism of direct thermal printers involves burning of dots through the paper. This is done as the print-head moves over the paper. These printers are however incapable of printing on thermal transfer vinyl since they are not meant to do so. This technology was used in fax machines of the earliest era.

Thermal wax transfer printers are designed in that they contain ribbons. They print by applying heat onto the ribbon first. The ribbon usually contains wax-based ink and when heated, the ink melts. The ink on the ribbon is then transferred onto the paper on which printing needs to be done. The ink then cools and forms permanent impressions. The quality of the print usually depends on the quality of the printer and the ribbon it contains.

There are three major groups of thermal transfer vinyl. These three ribbon types include the full wax, full resin and wax-resin ribbons. The full wax ribbons normally have a wax-based ink coating. Therefore, a low temperature is needed for melting. Because they are the most easily found ribbons, they are the cheapest to purchase. The images produced on these materials are usually not very durable.

As suggested by the name, wax-resin ribbons are a hybrid of full wax and full resin ribbons. The melting temperature of these ribbons is higher than that of full wax resins. They are ideal for weatherproofing applications. Because of the material they are made from, the image printed on them is usually more durable and can withstand occasional heavy handling.

Pure resin is used to make full resin ribbons which makes them to melt at a very high temperature. When melted, the resin dissolves into the material which they are printed on. This allows very durable images to be formed. In comparison with the other two kinds, these ribbons are more costly.




About the Author:



0 commentaires:

Post a Comment