Industrial Thermal Transfer Ribbon Concept
A thermal transfer printer prints on a substrate (such as paper or some other material) by melting a coating of ribbon so that it stays glued to the material. The Thermal ribbons are mainly —
- WAX
- WAX/RESIN
- RESIN
These ribbons are almost always black and these are the basic needs of printing—either on paper, on mid-range synthetics or on glossy, hard films (such as polyester). Due to the wide array of label and tag materials, the extensive number of printers being used, and the endless types of applications to which labels are subjected, ribbon manufacturers have developed a broad selection of ink formulas within each category. Since the bond created between a well-matched ribbon and its label partner can be far superior to other ink technologies, you get the best print durability. You can often avoid the need for a protective film laminate, which is an additional cost consideration. We offer ribbon/label combinations which are tested and demonstrated to work well together.
WAX RIBBONS: are for printing onto paper labels (either matte or semi-gloss). Here the labels can survive un-smudged for many years. However, the labels should be kept dry, must not be abraded or subjected to chemicals/oil—all of which would melt the wax image.
WAX / RESIN RIBBONS: produce a finer image on very smooth paper or coated paper labels (either semi-gloss or high-gloss). The printed image is much more durable than wax, yet can still only stand incidental contact with water or moisture.
RESIN RIBBONS: are formulated to print onto plastic labels—such as polypropylene, vinyl and polyester. The ink is intended to marginally dissolve into the plastic surface of the label. The strong adhesion of the ink to the surface of the label renders the printing extremely durable. Plastic labels with resin printing will survive outside in full sunlight, can withstand immersion in water, are highly scratch-resistant and may be resistant to chemicals and oils (depending on the formula). At the point when you need to meet the difficulty of a requesting application, for example, synthetic safe ID or high-temperature PCB fastening— then a super-durable resin ribbon will be the clear choice.
