Average Lifespan of Thermal Transfer Ribbons

The Composition and Average Lifespan of Thermal Transfer Ribbons

Labels are an essential requirement for all retailers. They provide consumers with the necessary pricing and other relevant information to assist them with purchasing decisions. However, they must be easy for the customer to read to be effective. Furthermore, they must be able to stay that way for as long as the labelled items remain on a store’s shelves. Hand-written paper labels were the norm among small shopkeepers for generations. However, paper discolours and deteriorates when damp, and even machine printing often fades quickly. Today, thermal transfer ribbons (TTR) offer a busy supermarket owner a fast and efficient means to print high-definition, crystal-clear labels with a markedly extended lifespan. So, how do these differ from conventional printer ribbons?

While not everyone may be familiar with this type of printing, most people will have had some experience with heat-sensitive paper. In many cases, it was probably an unfavourable one. This technology avoids the use of ink. Instead, it works by heating the print head to form a pattern of letters and impressing it on the paper, which darkens in response to the applied heat. Unlike print produced by thermal transfer ribbons, the clarity obtained with this heat-sensitive medium is often short-lived. High ambient temperatures and bright light cause these labels to darken, making it increasingly difficult to discern their printed message.

From Paper to Ribbons: The Evolution of the Printer

Dot matrix printers were also once widely used for this purpose. They worked much like a typewriter, forming letters from tiny metal dots and impacting an ink-soaked ribbon to create an impression. However, these ribbons were prone to dry when not used. Also, because they took a while to dry, it was too easy for labels to become smeared and illegible. The only potential challenger for thermal transfer ribbon technology is the inkjet. Both are noteworthy for their clear print quality and overall reliability. However, they also have some significant differences, and these determine those applications for which each is best suited.

An inkjet ejects tiny dots of ink onto the print medium to form high-quality text or images. They use different inks and mix them to provide multicolour or monochrome prints as required. One of the greatest strengths of these devices is their ability to print on alternative substrates, including natural and synthetic fabrics. However, although thermal transfer ribbons can only produce monochrome prints, they outperform the inkjet regarding print quality.

Another benefit of Thermal Transfer Ribbons (TTR) printers is that they have fewer moving parts. Consequently, they tend to have a substantially longer service life while also running more silently. These devices are also significantly faster than an inkjet, making them ideal for the high-volume tasks typical of a busy supermarket, hypermarket or direct-to-public wholesaler. On the downside, while an exhausted ink cartridge is refillable, thermal transfer ribbons are disposable items. However, they can survive unopened for up to two years but must be used within a day or two once opened.

These inks used are of three types, based on their composition. They are either wax, resin or a hybrid of both. Wax is the cheapest but least durable option and best for printing retail, warehouse, shipping, shelf and bin labels on uncoated stock. The wax-resin mix is recommended for use on standard and weatherproof substrates. It is a good choice for barcodes and prescription labels. However, the first prize must go to pure resin-based ink. Although these thermal transfer ribbons are the most expensive, they are also the most durable and can be used on synthetic stocks. Where labelling with long-lasting resistance to chemicals, abrasion, and extreme temperatures is essential, a pure resin ribbon should always be your first choice.

Whichever type of ribbon you select, its fundamental structure and underlying technology will be the same. It will be composed of four layers, each with a specific role. Closest to the printhead is a smooth backing layer. Its purpose is to ensure smooth movement through the machine, prevent smear damage and protect the thermal transfer ribbon’s underlying layer of PET film. The latter acts as a conductor to expedite heat transfer from the printhead. Next, as its name implies, the third or so-called release layer facilitates the release of pigment from the fourth and final ink layer.