Thermal printers facilitate fast, cost-effective printing of labels, receipts, and barcodes in a fixed location or on the move. Unlike inkjet or dot-matrix printers, thermal printers use heated printheads to generate images. The images created by this process are of high print quality and can withstand greater abuse. In this article, we’ll take you through how thermal printers work and the key features to look for in order to find the right model for your business.
What is a Thermal Printer?
A thermal printer is a printer that uses a heated thermal print head pressed against the media to produce black text or images. Depending on the type of thermal printer, the heated printhead can activate especially chemically treated paper (called thermal paper), or it can transfer solid ink from the ribbon and bond it to the media. They are commonly used to produce labels, receipts, barcodes, ID cards, and many more applications in numerous industries.
Heat-based technology is also a good option if you’re looking for:
- Media flexibility
- Low maintenance, durable printer
- Application flexibility
Alternative technologies such as impact printers are more likely to break through in dynamic and industrial environments. They often lack print quality, produce clear, consistently scannable barcodes, and are not optimized for sticky label media.
Thermal Printer Pros and Cons
Trying to decide if a thermal printer is worth your while compared to other types of printers? Evaluate the pros and cons of these thermal printers.
Pros
Here are some advantages of thermal printers:
Thermal printers do not rely on ink to print, so they cost less.
No need to replace the ribbon, ink cartridges, or other supplies to ensure continued use. Media alone is the only power required to keep the printer running.
These small printers are portable and easy to use on the go.
The lightweight design makes them easy to carry around. Use them in offices or warehouses, at trade shows, and at presentations.
Thermal printers deliver high-quality results at high print speeds.
Expected smudge-free results tend to be highly readable and durable, and require a print time of a few milliseconds.
Cons
Here are a few things you should know about the negatives of thermal printers:
Thermally printed labels may fade over time.
Direct sunlight and high temperatures can speed up the process, and even box labels stored in warehouses can fade over time. The thermal paper must be stored at room temperature to remain durable.
Thermally printed labels may turn completely black when exposed to high temperatures.
This could result in the loss of important data or records if the information is not saved elsewhere. It is best to keep labels at room temperature without exposing them to any heat, moisture, or sunlight.
Direct thermal printing uses only one color at a time.
Black printing tends to be the most common, while other colors such as red may also be available when purchasing alternative labels or paper. Thermal transfer printers allow for more colors and different print media.
Thermal printers cost more than regular inkjet printers.
The average price of a thermal printer is around $300-400, but industrial thermal printers can run into the thousands. Additionally, their specialized parts are expensive to replace, and the printheads can be damaged by overheating.
Thermal printers have few moving parts.
Because thermal printers have fewer moving parts, there are fewer things to break and are easier to maintain. Thermal printer printheads last about 10 years on average.
How Does a Thermal Printer Work?
To understand how thermal printers work, you first need to understand two types of thermal printing methods: thermal transfer and direct thermal printing.
Direct Thermal Printing
Direct thermal printing does not involve ribbon, ink, or toner. Instead, the printhead applies pressure and heat directly to the surface of the thermal paper. Thermal paper reacts to the heat from the print head, turning black when heated, producing images or text.
Compared to other types of printers, direct thermal printers are less expensive to maintain because no ink or toner is required. One downside, though, as mentioned above, is that your prints may fade over time because the thermal paper is especially sensitive to heat and light. You may notice old receipts fade over time due to being printed on thermal paper. Also, with this thermal printer, only one color can be printed at a time because the printing material itself determines the color.
Thermal Transfer Printing
Instead of printing directly onto the surface of the print material as in direct thermal printing, the print head of a thermal transfer printer presses a wax-coated ink ribbon (or ribbon) onto the surface of the print material. The wax is melted, exposing the ink, which is transferred to the printed material and dried there.
The main advantages of this type of thermal printer over direct thermal printers are that the print is less likely to fade over time and you can print multiple colors at once (assuming your printer has multiple ribbons). That said, long-term maintenance costs can be higher with the introduction of ribbons that need to be replaced. With more moving parts, these printers can be more prone to operational issues, although they are still reliable and durable.
What are Thermal Printers Used For?
Thermal printers have a variety of uses in various applications in different industries:
- Transportation and Logistics
- Cross Docking and Inventory
- Pick and Pack
- Shipping and Receiving
- Inventory management
- Proof of delivery
- Rental car return
- Manufacturing
- Work in process
- Compliance Label
- Parts management
- Equipment maintenance
- Traceability
- Quality assurance
- Health care
- Positive patient identification
- Laboratory/Pharmacy Management
- Asset Management
- Accurate sample labeling
Conclusion
Thermal printers are a great choice if you are looking for a good, sustainable solution for printing signs, shipping labels, barcodes, or receipts. Inkjet printers, while capable of producing photorealistic prints, have many limitations in portability and consumer cost that make them not ideal for these applications. While you may pay more upfront, you’ll end up saving on consumables costs and the thermal printer’s overall durability.
