What is thermal transfer ribbon?
Thermal transfer ribbon is an essential component of thermal transfer printing. The film consists of a polyester film (short: PET), which is coated on both sides with different material:
On one side there is wax, resin, as well as a layer of paint. The other is silicone to protect the print head of the thermal transfer printer.
Function and application
In thermal transfer printing, the respective
thermal transfer ribbon
is heated selectively by individual heating elements in the print head. This ensures precise transfer from the ink layer of the carbon ribbon to the medium to be printed.
The modern technology is suitable for a wide range of applications: examples include the marking of packaging labels or technical marking in commercial applications. Whenever variable, product-specific information needs to be reliably applied during labeling, the process offers a qualitative solution. Find out here about the right thermal transfer ribbon for label printers.
Advantages and disadvantages of thermal transfer ribbon
If ribbons are not of sufficient quality, problems such as faulty printing or damaged printheads will result. Even their elimination results in additional expense - and consequently in profit losses. Reputable products, on the other hand, ensure reliable printing processes of high durability. The carbon ribbon in question, a thin strip of plastic film, is coated with both paint and a binder of invariant formulation. Diagraph's thermal transfer ribbons thus guarantee customers a high-quality print result of lasting quality.
Diagraph's thermal transfer ribbon for printers has numerous
advantages
features. The benefits are in the area of quality, costs, efficiency and the necessary personnel expenditure:
With regard to the
disadvantages
of the products, however, it should be noted that usually only one-color printing is possible. As a result, grayscales can only be displayed in halftone. It is not uncommon for the sensitive issue of data protection to play a role in the use of thermal transfer ribbon. In safety-critical applications, it is essential to make the information still recognizable on the ribbon used illegible. Under no circumstances may commercially or security-significant print data still be identifiable. Unlike an ink system, this means that after printing, materials are produced that have to be disposed of and rendered unrecognizable.
Distinction between thermal transfer printing and direct thermal printing
It is important to differentiate the thermal transfer printing process from direct thermal printing: In the second-mentioned technique, printing is performed exclusively directly on thermally sensitive special paper. Thermal transfer ribbon is not necessary here.
However, printing is only possible on thermo-sensitive paper. This has a significantly shorter service life. As a result, this technique is used primarily for mail items such as letters and newspapers. Other applications include parking tickets, cash register receipts and admission tickets. The advantages of low-cost printing, high process speed and simple operation are offset by the disadvantage of the short service life of the special paper, which is not particularly UV-resistant.
| Verfahren | Thermotransferdruck | Thermodirektdruck |
|---|---|---|
| Kosten | günstig | günstig |
| Bedienung | einfach | einfach |
| Material | Papier, Pappe, Kunststoffe | thermo-sensitives Papier |
| Haltbarkeit des Drucks | mittel- und langfristig | eher kurzfristig |
Foil color
In addition to the black printing thermal transfer ribbon, thermal transfer ribbons are alternatively available in other colors. The coating of the ribbon determines the always monochrome output. Whether thermal transfer ribbon black or thermal transfer ribbon gold, Diagraph's high-quality offering meets the needs of the market. It offers each customer a custom-fit solution for their commercial needs.
Areas of application of thermal transfer printing
The products are suitable for a wide range of applications, depending on the type of film selected - for example, as a textile thermal transfer film.
The following materials can be permanently provided with information by means of thermal transfer printing:
Due to the described properties, accurate and inexpensive thermal transfer by means of foil is used in industries such as food, healthcare, pharmaceuticals or retail.
Frequently asked questions about thermal transfer ribbons
Do you have further questions? Here you can find more details.
Temperature-sensitive transfer ribbons are required for thermal transfer printing. The method of operation is based on an efficient principle: during printing, the film is passed between the print head and the print medium, where it is selectively controlled by means of heat.
Depending on its size and resolution, the respective printhead has numerous separately controllable heating elements. If such an element is specifically heated, the ink layer on the thermal transfer ribbon melts. Heat energy is used to precisely transfer the color of the film to the respective medium.
With regard to the variants, thermal transfer ribbons made of wax or resin are to be distinguished. Thermal transfer ribbons for printers, which consist of a mixture of the two materials (wax-resin), are also well established.
It is possible to use polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC or pressure sensitive paper as label materials. The choice of material depends on the required properties.
The particular application and industry determine which is the right film product for the chosen medium. Please read the respective product information before purchasing the thermal transfer ribbon.
There you will find information about the best possible matching of thermal transfer ribbon, substrate and printer settings. It should always be noted that the transfer of information by means of thermal transfer ribbon is only possible in black or in a single color. Multicolor printing thus requires other solutions.
Technical data
| Folientyp | 200 | 202 | 405 | 408 | 409 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eigenschaften | |||||
| Energiebedarf | niedrig | niedrig | mittel | hoch | mittel |
| Abriebfestigkeit | niedrig | niedrig | niedrig | hoch | mittel |
| Kratzbeständigkeit | niedrig | niedrig | niedrig | hoch | mittel |
| Hitzebeständigkeit | niedrig | niedrig | mittel | hoch | mittel |
| Druckgeschwindigkeit | mittel | hoch | hoch | niedrig | mittel |
| Chemische Widerstandsfähigkeit | niedrig | niedrig | niedrig | mittel | niedrig |
| Geeignet für | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Polyethylene | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Polypropylen | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| PVC | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Paper beschichtet | ja | ja | ja | nein | ja |
| Papier unbeschichtet | ja | ja | ja | nein | ja |
| Pappe | ja | ja | ja | nein | ja |
| Übliche Branchen | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versandlogistik | ja | nein | ja | nein | ja |
| Gesundheitswesen | ja | ja | nein | ja | nein |
| Pharmazeutik | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Einzelhandel | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Verpackungsfolien | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Kontakt mit Lebensmitteln | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Technische Daten | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antistatisch | ja | ja | ja | ja | ja |
| Beschichtungsposition | Innen/Außen | Innen/Außen | Innen/Außen | Innen/Außen | Innen/Außen |
| Beschichtungsmaterial | Wachs/Harz | Wachs/Harz | Wachs/Harz | Harz | Wachs/Harz |
| Farben | schwarz | schwarz, weiß | schwarz, rot, grün, blau, weiß, orange, braun, lila, gelb | schwarz, rot, grün, blau, weiß | schwarz |
Your thermal transfer ribbon is not included? We will be happy to help you find the right film!
Please contact us at 0931 250760 or via our contact form.
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