Thermal transfer printing involves melting a coating from an ink ribbon onto a substrate using a heated printhead, allowing for durable printing of barcodes and labels. The main components of a thermal transfer printing system are the printer, ribbon, and substrate, with different ribbon types like wax, resin, and hybrid ribbons suitable for different materials. While providing durable printing, thermal transfer printing is limited to one color and requires close monitoring of ribbon condition.

1. THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTING:
AN OVERVIEW
By: Van Chiang

2. CONTENTS
o TT Printing – Advantages and Disadvantages
o Components of TT Printing System
-CPU, Printer, Ribbon and Substrate
o Printers – Famous Brand, Dpi, Thermal Head Type
o Ribbon – Resin, Hybrid & Wax
o Substrate – Thermal Transfer, Direct Thermal
oQ&A

3. TT PRINTING
o Invented by SATO around late 1940’s.
o Printing by melting a coating of ribbon.
oDirect Thermal Printing, no ribbon is used.

4. Advantages
Dot Matrix Technology
• • uses is readily accessible and inexpensive
Printer a hammer or pin to transfer pigment
• Print ona ribbon onto the substrate.
from virtually any form, check, or document and
can print on wide-web, multi-part (carbon) forms.
(refer figure 1)
• Using multi-pass ribbons which can result in reduced
overall cost for ribbons and label materials.
Disadvantages
• Only print low- to medium density barcode.
• Dot size limits the narrower element size. Not suitable
for graphics printing. One color printing.
• Close monitoring of ribbon condition needed.
• Durability of the printing is limited. Not water nor
chemical resistant

5. Advantages
Ink Jet Technology
• Spray ink onto label surface in either a
• continuouswith bettercovering entire print
Fast printing stream, color option (CYMK)
• width with one spray, or certain pretreated
Print on most paper and only one drop at a time.
polymer paper.
(Seeinstallation and maintenance.
• Easy
Figure 3)
Disadvantages
• Only print low- to medium density barcode.
• Dot size may spatter, depends on type of paper. Not
suitable for graphics with sharp printing.
• Close monitoring of ink level needed.
• Durability of the printing is limited. Not water nor
chemical resistant

6. Advantages
Laser Jet Technology
• • Printing by controlled streams of ionsto
Provide superb printing quality when compare onto
other methods.
the surface of a print drum, which in turn
• selectively higher resolution particles. The
Printing is at attracts toner without higher
percentage of dot gain.
particles will form the image on the paper
• Economical and no ink leakage problem.
substrate. (See Figure 4)
Disadvantages
• Cannot utilize small media.
• Not ideal to print on labels with adhesive, oozing and
curling occur.
• Limited shelf life. Ink flaking off.
• Durability of the printing is limited. Not water nor
chemical resistant

7. Advantages
Thermal Transfer Technology
• Custom made for printing barcode and serialized no.
• • Use a is at higher resolution without higher
Printing heated printhead to transfer ink
from ribbondot gain. label or create the
percentage of onto the
• image on the label. both chemical and physical
Durable and withstand (See Figure 5)
abrasion.
• Very economical as consumable is cheap when
compare to other printing.
Disadvantages
• Only one color printing.
• High wastage if incorrect ribbon size s used. Single
pass.
• Need to be technically sound to understand the
different combination of ribbon, media and printer
setting

8. CPU
• Short Form for Central
Processing Unit
• Required as the interface for
designing barcode with specific
programme (e.g.
BarTendertm, Labelmatrixtm)
• Important to choose the
correct software and CPU to
maximize printing effect.
• Handheld barcode printer
utilize a simpler CPU.

9. Flat Printhead
Near Edge Printhead
TT Printer
• the printhead is horizontal, and the
• heating element is inapproximately 45º and
The printhead is angled the center of the
printhead.elements are located near the edge
the heating
• • Ideal for printing barcode and
of the printhead.
The ribbon travel in the horizontal plane
• after printing, number a centimeter
serialized for about on labels.
The ribbon has limited contact with the substrate.
It only touches the substrate when it passes
• Printer can from the front of by
before emergingbeheating elements.the
under the printhead’s differentiate
• printer. Thisprinthead of the ink andfully
The transfer process must both adhere to or
of centimeter (flathead
typeto the printed surface and then
adhereat the same time. This requires a change
release
in near edge) and print resolution
release from formulation, particularly the
the ribbon’s the ribbon.
(up to 600dpi).
release layer, explaining the need for additional
• Printing speed up to about 12IPS.
ribbon
• • Famous brand include
Can work with most type of ribbon.
• Printing speed double flathead type, can print up
to Sato, Zebra, Intermec and TEC.
24IPS.
• Scanner can be differentiate by
1D and 2D scanner.

10. Ribbon (ii)
Ribbon
• TT Ribbon constructed of a of
Ribbon construction consist
a core, trailor
high-density tissue coated on
tape, substrate, leader tape
one side with ink.
• and non-ink tape.of the ribbon
The release side
• is coated with ais black, but
Common color lubricating
also available in prevent wear
agent that helps other colors.
• or damage in or face out.
Either face to the printer's
• printhead.
Famous brand include
• RibbonSony be classified into
Ricoh, can
three types; wax,Zebra, ITW, Av
Chemical, Brady, wax/resin
andand SATO.
ery resin. Different ribbon will
suits different media substrate.

11. Susbtrate Material
•Direct thermal paper is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions
such as heat and light. • Label stock material consist of
facestock, adhesive and liner.
•Direct thermal paper remains chemically active afterof paper
• Facestock can be printing.
based origin or polymer based
•Printing on direct thermal paper will fade off after a period of time,
origin.
the longest being slightly more than 6 direct thermal on the
• For months, depends
storage condition. printing, only use specially
chemical treated
material, known as Direct
Thermal paper.
• Adhesive can be of permanent

12. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Print Head Maintenance
Maintaining a barcode printer, cleaning it regularly and replacing parts as
when required is necessary to ensure high print quality and consistent print
performance. The print head is the most critical component of a barcode
printer and without proper cleaning and maintenance, it will produce less
than desirable print quality that can cause operational down time and
wastages as well. 90% of print quality problems result directly from improper
use or care of the print head.
Clean your print heads
Cleaning print heads at regular intervals can extend their life considerably. As
a general rule, print heads should be cleaned every time the ribbon is
replaced. Cleaning is fairly quick and easy with cleaning pens, swabs or cards
and is very inexpensive compared to constantly replacing print heads.

13. Q&A