What is the Advantage and Disadvantage of heat transfer label technology inc

Brady Thermal printers—also known as direct thermal printers or thermal label printers—were first invented in the mid-1960s by Nobel Prize-winning electrical engineer Jack Kilby. Kilby, who worked for Texas Instruments, Inc. at the time, and his colleagues aimed to develop a digital printing system that could quickly produce text and images at a low cost. In 1965, Kilby and two other engineers submitted their patent for the first thermal printer. 

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More than 60 years later, thermal printers still generally operate in the same way that Kilby’s initial model did. Instead of using liquid ink or toner to mark materials, thermal printers selectively apply heat to pieces of thermochronic paper. The heat instantly blackens select parts of the paper, leaving behind the desired code, text, or image. 

Thermal printers complete this process with the aid of three internal elements:

1. The platen,

    

   which is a rubber roller that feeds the thermochronic paper through the machine
2. The thermal head,

    

   which applies heat to the thermochronic paper to create the desired marking
3. The spring,

    

   which applies even pressure between the thermal head and thermochronic paper to keep markings clean and legible

With these components, thermal printers can rapidly produce product labels and receipts, and as a result, are highly beneficial to retail shops and shipping companies. However, they are not perfect for every application. 

Here, we break down the most prominent thermal printer advantages and disadvantages to help you decide if this printing technology is right for your industrial requirements.

The Top Thermal Printer Advantages

In terms of build, Brady thermal printers are typically very compact. Consider the receipt printers that you see at the grocery store or gas station, for example; these thermal printer models generally weigh only a few pounds and can be easily transported when necessary. Even industrial thermal printers are much smaller than other printing technologies.

Along with their compact size, thermal printers are easy to use and maintain, as they are built with few moving parts that rarely break. Economical in price, thermochronic paper changes can be completed in a matter of seconds during operation. 

In terms of print results, thermal printers excel at creating easy-to-read paper slips and labels at high speeds. Retailers, for example, prize thermal printers for their ability to print point of sale receipts and price tags with speed and consistency. A meat processing plant, as another example, uses thermal printers to apply labels when the space or application does not allow for a print and apply labeler.

Other industries that benefit from thermal printing’s speed and consistency include:

• General manufacturing,

   

  where thermal printers are used to create product labels.
• Healthcare,

   

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  where thermal printers are used to create lab/pharmacy test results, patient wristbands, and general labels.
• Logistics and shipping,

   

  where thermal printers are used to create shipping/receiving labels, inventory lists, packing slips, and return labels.

General Thermal Printer Disadvantages

While thermal printers have many advantages, one of their major disadvantages is their restricted functionality. Although thermal printers excel at creating labels, receipts, and notices, they can only be used with thermochronic paper, while technologies like thermal inkjet printers and continuous inkjet printers can directly mark a wide range of materials. Further, thermal printers are unable to print with multiple colors.

Many manufacturers who do use thermal printers still prefer to label by hand instead of using print and apply technology. Thermal transfer overprinters are not used in junction with automation—it is more of a manual process. 

In addition, the codes produced by thermal printers are simply not designed with longevity in mind.

While codes made with thermal transfer overprinters can last for years, thermally printed markings are highly susceptible to damage from:

• Light exposure.
• High heat.
• Excessive physical contact.
• Chemical exposure.
• Aging.

Finally, thermal printers have high consumable costs compared to other marking technologies. Thermochronic paper is not a low-cost substrate, and it also tends to expose thermal printheads to significant friction, which can lead to higher maintenance costs as well.

A Quick Comparison Table of Thermal Printer Advantages and Disadvantages

If you’re looking for a way to quickly create product labels, receipts, medical readouts, and vouchers, the thermal printer is a great choice to meet your needs. Thanks to their fast printing speeds, machine-scannable contrast levels, and simple internal construction, thermal printers are highly effective and easy to use. However, they do have some significant drawbacks.

Due to their restricted substrate compatibility, thermal printers are essentially relegated to label and receipt printing. The markings made by thermal printers are also not built to last, as they are highly susceptible to damage from light and physical touch. Moreover, thermochronic paper is expensive and exposes the print head to significant friction. This equals high consumable costs and frequent print head maintenance for the user. 

For a more comprehensive look at thermal printer advantages and disadvantages, see our table below:

Thermal Printer Advantages Thermal Printer Disadvantages - Compact build - Only compatible with thermochronic paper - Intuitive usage - Limited applications - Fast printing speeds - Restricted color options - Consistent code results - Codes are not designed to last long-term - Few moving parts - High consumable costs

The direct thermal printing method utilizes heat-sensitive and chemically treated media that will blacken when it passes under the printer’s thermal print head. The thermal process usually occurs on the paper substrate itself (a specially coated paper). As mentioned, the print head will generate enough heat to trigger a chemical reaction with the top layer of the paper and burn the transmitted image onto the paper. Direct thermal printers have no ribbon, toner or ink, and their simple designs make them even more easy to use. At Cut Sheet Labels, we are able to manufacture your custom labels using the direct thermal printing method. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using this type of printing, and see whether it suits your preferences.

Pros of Direct Thermal Printing

If you are new to the direct thermal printing method, you will be glad to know that they have a wide range of advantages. Let’s take a look at some of them:

• First and foremost, direct thermal labels are much more environmentally friendly. As the printers do not use a ribbon, it reduces the amount of non-recyclable waste and by-products.
• As they have a lower shipping weight, your carbon footprint will be greatly reduced.
• Without the need of a ribbon, a lot of time will also be saved especially when you are reloading your printer. In fact, you will save many hours of labor time that involves adjusting printer settings as well as periodically reload it.
• When you opt for thermal labels, you will never have to worry about the ribbons wrinkling when printing, using and even ordering the incorrect ribbon and label sizes. As direct thermal printers forgo the traditional use of ribbons, they can be more compact and that needs less physical inventory is needed to store it.

Cons of Direct Thermal Printing

The pros of direct thermal printing certainly outweigh its cons. But still, it will be useful to know more about them to prolong the lifespan of your thermal labels:

• Depending on the complexity of your label design, the speed of the thermal printer may be reduced. However, that is necessary to ensure your prints turn out great and crisp.
• Thermal labels are unable to withstand long exposure to direct sunlight or extreme heat. If you tried leaving a gas station receipt on your dashboard, you will notice that it fades from the exposure. The same will happen to your labels too as those receipts utilize similar direct thermal printing technologies.
• Thermal labels can also start to fade after a prolonged period of time, even if it is not exposed to sunlight. Hence, using them to label boxes that will be stored in your inventory for years isn’t a good idea.
• Depending on the changes in the market environment, labels that have undergone the direct thermal printing method may cost slightly more than their thermal transferred counterparts.

If you would like to order thermal labels, consider getting them from Cut Sheet Labels. Here, we have a well-stocked line of thermal labels that come at the lowest possible prices!

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