How Is The Speed Of A Thermal Printer Measured
The printing speed is obtained by calculating the number of millimeters of black text that the device can print per second. You have to keep in mind that these machines specialize in tickets and receipts, so they do not print a large number of characters, but do their job at a very high speed. The unit of measure is, therefore, the millimeters per second .
Thermal Printers: Everything You Need To Know
Thermal ticket printers are state-of-the-art devices that are quite different from other so-called impact printers . On the contrary, thermal printers use the heat on a paper that chemically reacts to be able to transmit the printing.
Fénix Imvico is a Company specialized in manufacturing and distribution of printing mechanisms and thermal printers, so we will talk about everything you need to know about these necessary elements in so many applications.
In our Organization we design and manufacture thermal printers that are distinguished by being reliable and precise. Our goal is to provide the best service in each of the possible applications of our customers, so we always have in mind to offer an optimal quality in each of our manufacturing.
In particular, in our printers we look for three features:
- To have the least maintenance, so that the equipment can carry out their functions free of incidents and reducing maintenance personnel tasks.
- To be accurate in the printing and that they can be adapted to any type of support and assembly.
- And, above all, to be reliable and offer a high-quality, simple and clean printing.
Thermal printers are used in so many different places that require fast and effective printing of tickets or receipts: parking meters, parking systems, unattended terminals, information kiosks, electronic weighing scales, POS terminals, ATM machines, industrial machinery and a long etcetera.
What Is The Difference Between Thermal Printers And Laser Printers
When choosing a printer for shipping labels, its important to look at the two main technological approaches: thermal and laser printing. While upfront costs are often similar, typically thermal printers are a better long-term deal.
There are quite a few differences between these two popular types of printers. Lets start with the way they operate:
- Thermal printers are simplethey use special thermal paper that changes color when heat is applied. As its fed through the printer, a thermal print head heats the paper precisely to create the desired letters, numbers, barcodes and other images as desired.
- Laser printers are a bit more complex, but are more familiar, as many general-use home and office desktop printers use this technology. They use static electricity to charge the printer drum, then pass a laser over the drum to remove the charge from the portion that will be printed. Then toner is applied to the drum and sticks only where the laser passed over, and the drum is rolled over paper that is charged with static electricity so that the toner transfers onto the paper. Finally, the paper/toner combo is heated in a fuser to melt the toner onto the paper permanently.
When youre , simpler is usually better, so thermal printers are likely best for most needs, though both methods can be used successfully.
Also Check: How To Scan From A Canon Printer
What Printer Features Matter Most
Determine which features and benefits you cannot live without and go from there. Do you need speed the most? Are you printing so much that you’ll need a higher printer duty cycle? Are you more concerned about quality of barcodes and labels for easy scanning? Do you want a wireless model and need reliable Wi-Fi connectivity? Will you be running any special software that requires memory card capacity? Not all printers are built the same, but you’re bound to find a model that’s superior in the area you need it for the most.
Dymo Labelwriter 450 Turbo Label Printer Best Cheap Label Printer
This label printer is an excellent choice for small businesses for whom every dollar counts. The printer is inexpensive, small, and quite the little dynamo when it comes to printing labels. It can print up to 71 labels per minute if the labels are small and average about 51 labels per minute.
Labels
The DYMO LabelWriter 450 can label in 18 different shapes and sizes, depending on the template you select. Most of the labels capable of making are quite small, with 2-1/4 inches being their maximum allowable width. This is sufficient for most postage and shipping labels, though, and since this is a direct thermal printer, those are the kind of labels that it is best suited to making anyway.
direct thermal printerimpressively high resolutionIt requires no ink, toner, or ribbon to operate
Connection
The only major downside to the DYMO LabelWriter 450 is that it does not feature WIFi connectivity, so you will have to connect it to your Windows or Mac computer with a USB cable.
Verdict
If you need a cheap, effective, and easy-to-use printer to create small shipping labels and barcodes, this is a great choice, and we recommend it. It isnt suitable for large jobs, though.
- Prints only small 2-1/4-inch wide labels
- A direct thermal printer, so labels can face with time
- No WiFi connectivity must connect with a USB cable
Also Check: How To Put Hp Printer Online
Zebra Gk420d Label Printer Powerful Label Printer
The Zebra GK420d is a powerful printer that features USB, Ethernet, and WiFi connectivity. It can print about 127 millimeters, or 5 inches, of label per second and does so at a resolution of 203 DPI, which is sufficient for all shipping labels and barcodes. The resolution quality is not absolutely top-notch, but its more than enough for most purposes.
Its fast and energy-efficient, making it ideal for shipping warehouses, retail stores, and other places requiring large quantities of receipts or shipping labels. It can print labels up to 4.09 inches wide. The only significant downside is that this printer is substantially more expensive than the ones we have considered here.
The Zebra GK420d has a built-in diagnostic system that monitors the printheads temperature and prevents it from overheating, informing the technician if the temperature exceeds the allowable limits. The recommended label rate on the Zebra GK420d is up to 4,000 labels per day.
Verdict
You will have to shell out more cash for this printer than most of its kind, though it is very efficient. Only buy if you have the money to spend. Cheaper alternatives are available.
Do Thermal Printers Print In Color
Most thermal printers print only in black. However, Japanese electronics giant Brother manufactures some thermal printers that can print in red. Printing in different colors requires tinkering of both the printhead function and thermal paper composition. At the moment, Brother and other companies have multicolor thermal printers in the pipeline.
QL820NWB
You May Like: Can I Install Canon Printer Without Cd
What Is A Thermal Transfer Printer
Thermal transfer printing occurs by a process that uses heat in order to produce an imagine on paper, a label, or some other such material. The image is created by melting a coating so that it stays glued to the intended material. This technique provides high-quality image printing that can’t compare to other on-demand printing options.
Thermal transfer printing uses a ribbon to produce images onto desired materials. This method is ideal for environments that require printing a variety of things, since thermal printing can print effectively on a larger array of media than direct thermal models, including paper, polyester, and polypropylene materials. Thermal transfer printers are able to print pipe marking labels, wall signs, tickets, tagsjust about anything. However, when changing from one material to another, the targeted material and ribbon must be compatible. This will ensure perfect performance.
The accurate media-ribbon combination can enable users to create high-quality labels that withstand environmental extremes, sun damage, chemical and water exposure, etc.
Typical uses for thermal printers utilizing thermal transfer method include:
- Pipe marking
- Certification labels
Faqs About Thermal Printer Billing Software
- What is a thermal printer and what is a thermal printer billing software?
A thermal printer is a special kind of printer that is used by businesses, officers and shops to print invoices and bills for clients. Since these bills come in different sizes from the regular printing paper and have different needs, a special printer is required for such a purpose.
A thermal printer billing software is a software that is compatible with the thermal printer. While printing bills and invoices from software you want a software that can be easily integrated with the printer, make the changes necessary in the invoices and reduce the workload. A thermal printer billing software does exactly all the above points.
- Can a regular printer be used in a billing software?
Yes. The myBillBook billing software is made in such a way that whatever is the printer of your choice for your business is, you can use the software easily without any problem. Be it a regular printer or a thermal printer, you will be able to integrate the software into your business with no hassle.
- Does the myBillBook Billing Software also offer barcode options and features?
Yes. Many businesses now add barcodes to their bills and products to scan the products better and faster. myBillBook offers barcode scanning options too that can be integrated into the bills when they are being made.
- Is it possible to send the invoices via email or WhatsApp?
Also Check: How To Install Brother Wireless Printer
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Thermal Printers
Ever since their arrival on the market, thermal printers have revolutionized the printing industry when it comes to labels, bank receipts, barcodes, and other types of tickets. From supermarkets and banks to businesses and stores, the benefits these devices offer have made them incredibly popular.
Advantages
- They are affordable since they do not use ink. The only consumable you have to buy is paper. Also, the maintenance cost is virtually non-existent.
- They are quiet and accurate, as there is no percussion mechanism, and paper jams hardly occur.
- These devices are small and compact.
- They are reliable, simple, and clean.
Disadvantages
- You need to buy special paper.
- Thermal printing is often only black and white.
- The wear and tear of ticket printing, particularly in high-temperature environments, makes its durability relatively low. The waxy layer of the paper reacts with the temperature and causes the text to be erased over time.
Thermal Printers Use Heat Rather Than Ink To Produce Labels And Signage On Paper Tape Ribbon Or Other Materials There Are Two Types Of Thermal Printing Direct Thermal And Thermal Transfer
Thermal printing is a process which produces a printed image by selectively heating thermal paper when the paper passes the thermal print head. The heat-sensitive papers coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, thus producing the required image.
Thermal transfer printing, on the other hand, uses a heated ribbon to produce durable, long-lasting images. This process is known for creating highly durable and smear-resistant prints. As a result, thermal printers have become a popular choice for producing long-lasting labels and easily scannable barcodes, as well as till receipts, tickets, wristbands, vouchers, name badges, and much more.
Labels and signs are everywhere you look in our day-to-day and professional lives. From homes to offices, shops, warehouses, and other facilities, thermal labels are a must-have across a wide range of business sectors, including transport and logistics, retail, healthcare and food traceability. Whats more, with the coronavirus pandemic bringing a whole new set of challenges when it comes to the safe and effective running of the workplace, its never been more important to have quick access to labels that help keep everyone informed. If you need high-quality, cost-effective labels that are hard-wearing or ideal for applications with a short shelf life , then thermal printing is a great choice.
You May Like: Airprint Enabled Printer Epson
How Do Different Industries Use Thermal Printers
Thermal printers are common in many different industries. Here are some of the reasons your industry may be using thermal printers:
- Logistics and Transportation: shipping, receiving, inventory management, packing slips, return labels, etc.
- Manufacturing: labels for compliance, maintenance or parts management, quality assurance, progress tracking and more.
- Healthcare: patient identification wristbands, lab or pharmacy sample lables, asset management, and more.
- Retail and Hospitality: price tags, POS or mobile POS receipts, guest cards or passes, ID badges, inventory management and more.
- Government: supply chain labels, emergency management, ID badges, system administration and more.
Shop Thermal Printers
We hope this guide on how thermal printers work can help you to select the model that is best suited for your business needs. Take some time to research the features and browse through some thermal printer reviews as you choose a printer that will deliver convenience, speed and quality results.
Ready to find a thermal printer?
What Are Thermal Printers
It might be tempting to use a laser or ink-jet printer to produce labels when you first start to need them, but they are not always the best for printing runs of barcode labels. Thermal printers are still digital, but they are industrial machines, with fewer moving parts than other types of printer, and are highly reliable. The labels they produce are more waterproof, and have a longer shelf life than many others.
They have the advantage of not needing to be connected to a PC , and incorporate a high speed processor which means fast job processing and immediate label production.
A thermal printer uses a printhead that comprises 600 or more individually controlled elements side-by-side that heat up to transfer the ink from a heat-sensitive ribbon onto the label. These print head elements are usually 1/8 or 1/12 of a mm in width, so they can print the different widths of the bars of a barcode very quickly and accurately. They can also print text and images, if required, in the same colour, which for barcodes needs to be black. The ribbon is the same width as the printhead and moves at the same speed as the labels being printed, and is used only once.
Thermal printers come with a fixed printhead width of nominally 2, 4, 6 or 8 inches, so you need to choose the right size printer for your job. The 6 inch wide printheads are suitable for producing A5 sized logistics labels , while the 2 inch wide printers are fine for individual product barcode labels.
Read Also: How Do I Connect My Phone To My Printer
Best Thermal Label Printers Of 2021
Printing labels for your products is often necessary but can be a headache, especially when there are so many options to choose from. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge needed to make an informed choice on which printer will best meet your needs and keep you coming back again and again.
To find the perfect thermal label printer its important that those looking have enough information in order to avoid making a bad decision or wasting their time by going through too much of what they dont need. With this guide, well tell you about some things worth keeping in mind as well as help arm you with all of the knowledge required!
What Type Of Paper Is Used With A Thermal Printer
The paper used by thermal printers is coated with a waxy substance that reacts and usually turns black when heat is applied. This paper is generally purchased in large rolls, with a standard width of 40 mm. Rolls can also be round with measurements of 50 and 80 mm. These are used by the thermal printers in ATMs.
You May Like: How To Connect Canon Printer To Iphone
What Are The Uses Of A Thermal Printer
Thermal printing technology is used in various industries.
- In retail, thermal printers print your price tags, receipts, local and international product codes, tickets and coupons.
- In banking, queue numbers and ATM receipts usually depend on this technology.
- In healthcare, you see thermal labels on patient bracelets, specimen tubes, charts and medications.
- In the academe, library passes and book barcodes are now commonly printed on thermal labels.
- In warehousing, workers can store, organize and retrieve items easily using thermal SKU tags.
- In logistics, carriers prefer printing shipping labels, waybills and other tracking forms using thermal technology.
- When you travel, you see it used for issuing transportation tickets.
- For security, visitors passes and asset tags are commonly crafted from thermal labels.
There are many others. Even good old fax machines run on this technology.
What Is Laser Printer
A laser printer is a non-impact printer. It can generate high-quality images, graphics and texts. A laser printer is a high-speed printer with a speed of 15-62 pages per minute . Whereas coloured laser printers have a speed of 8-40 ppm. There are large, high-quality laser printers that can print 150 pages per minute.
A laser printer uses individual sheets at a time. These sheets of paper are placed in a removable tray. Whenever there is a command to print, the laser printer takes the paper from the tray and print the required image on paper. A laser printer can print high-resolution graphics very easily. The resolution can range from 1200 to 2400 dpi.
The laser printer can be more expensive than other printers. But there are some models that are available at affordable prices for home use. They can print the images and graphics faster than inkjet printers. The cost of the laser printer depends on the quality, speed and type. A laser printer for home use can cost several hundred dollars, but for business, it can cost several thousand dollars. A coloured laser printer can be more expensive than a black & white laser printer. The coloured laser printer works the same as the black & white laser printer. Both have the same mechanism, which operates a similar copy machine. This printer uses a laser beam along with powdered ink to create high-quality images. The powdered ink and laser beam is known as toner. When the toner runs, it is replaced with new toner.
Don’t Miss: How To Get An Hp Printer Online