Direct thermal label eliminates the need for ribbons and other consumables. The surface is coated with thermal material, and the heated printhead directly contacts the thermal paper, causing a chemical reaction in the coating to form the desired text or pattern.
Direct thermal label has many advantages, direct thermal label only requires thermal material, do not need to regularly replace the ink or ribbon, low maintenance and use of low-cost, and thermal printing out of the image is relatively clear can be used to print bar codes or two-dimensional code. In addition, direct thermal printers can complete a large number of prints in a short period of time, the most suitable for the need to quickly print a large number of labels of the scene.
Direct thermal printing also has some shortcomings, direct thermal printing on the storage conditions are relatively high, in the high temperature or direct light environment on the label content will quickly fade, resulting in blurred information or even disappear. Direct thermal printing service life is relatively short, the preservation time is usually in a few months to a year or so, not suitable for long-term preservation of information. Direct thermal label printing resolution is generally in the range of 203dpi - 300dpi can not color printing can only print out black or dark content, and the printing process of the label paper and the print head of the continuous direct contact, will greatly shorten the service life of the print head.
Direct thermal labels because of its fast printing speed, easy to use but shorter life, resistance performance is poor, etc., commonly used in the label demand, efficiency requirements, such as the printing of temporary labels of the industry
Transportation labels: used to print waybills, parcel labels and cargo tracking code, etc., to achieve rapid transmission of logistics information and tracking
Food labels: used to print production date and shelf life directly on the packaging of food.
Name labels: used for name labels for meetings or other events
Retail scenarios: for printing price labels, barcodes and QR codes in retail stores, cafes, supermarkets, etc.
Thermal transfer printing requires the use of a ribbon in addition to label paper. By heating the ribbon, the ink is transferred to the label material, resulting in clear, long-lasting text and graphics.
Thermal transfer labels can be printed in color by using different color ribbons, and the printing resolution can reach 300dpi - 600dpi, which can print out clearer text and patterns. Not only that thermal transfer labels can also be printed on paper products, textiles and other media, very versatile, waterproof, oil and high temperature characteristics. In addition to transfer labels with heat, ultraviolet, chemical corrosion resistance, in the normal storage conditions, thermal transfer can be saved for a longer period of time.
However, thermal transfer printing also has some disadvantages, thermal transfer printing method requires simultaneous consumption of label paper and ribbon, so the cost of printing is relatively high, at the same time in the printing process needs to be transferred to the ribbon and ink transfer, the printing speed of the direct thermal surface printing will be a little slower.
In addition to the need for regular maintenance and maintenance of the print head, ribbon drive mechanism and other components, maintenance costs are also relatively high!
Thermal transfer labels can be printed on a variety of materials such as paper, synthetic materials, polyester, PVC, etc., and they have high durability and stability, which can be used in industries that require long-term preservation of labeling information.
Medical experiments: Thermal transfer labels can withstand the ultra-low temperature environment and autoclave environment in laboratories, and are commonly used for lab sample labeling, etc.
Outdoor or high-temperature environments: Thermal transfer labels will not fade or become blurred when exposed to UV light or heat, making them ideal for outdoor use.
Manufacturing: Used to print product labels, serial numbers, production dates, etc. to ensure product traceability and quality management
Jewelry Retail: Thermal transfers will not fade under direct light and are commonly used for displaying jewelry labels
Now that you know the difference between these 2 types of labels, both types of thermally printed labels work well under certain conditions. If your company needs to print a large number of labels with a short usage process, then you can choose direct thermal labels. If you need to print labels in complex media and may be left outside for long periods of time in harsh environments such as outdoors, then you can choose thermal transfer labels.
Suzhou Xiandai Paper Production Co., Ltd. specializes in the production of all kinds of thermal paper, thermal label paper, if you have questions about label printing, you can always consult us, we will be happy to answer your questions.
Moderpaper is a manufacturer for thermal paper and thermal label from china,You can contact us 24/7
