Citizen, Japan specializes in the manufacturing & designing of Direct thermal printers & Thermal Transfer Printers from entry to industrial level. Citizen offers a variety of thermal printers that support either direct thermal printing only or both thermal transfer or direct thermal printing capabilities.

In order To choose the correct printer for your application it is important to understand the difference between thermal transfer and direct thermal printing technology.

 CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING  TO HELP CHOOSE THE CORRECT    PRINT TECHNOLOGIES FOR YOUR PAPER LABEL APPLICATION:

 

• WILL YOUR PAPER LABELS HAVE A SHELF-LIFE OF OVER 1 YEAR?
• WILL THE PAPER LABELS BE SUBJECTED TO HEAT OR SUNLIGHT?

 

IF YOUR ANSWER IS "NO" TO ANY OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER USING A DIRECT THERMAL LABEL PRINTER RATHER THAN A THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTER.

 

Direct Thermal Printers;

Direct thermal printers require the use of heat activated labels and do not require a ribbon. While somewhat durable, direct thermal labels are prone to darkening over time due to age or exposure to extreme light or heat. Direct thermal printing is popular in applications such as mailing, small parcel delivery, retail and the food industries where most items are stored away from heat and sunlight, and the expected life of the label is less than 1 year. The primary benefit is an overall lower cost since ribbon is not required, and direct thermal printers are easier to operate.

 

Thermal Transfer Printers;

Thermal transfer printing requires a printer that works with a thermal transfer ribbon and media. Citizen manufactures both low cost thermal transfer “desktop” printers designed to print up to several thousand labels per day, and “industrial” thermal transfer printers capable of printing many thousands of labels per day. Thermal transfer printers are designed to print using either thermal transfer or direct thermal technology.

Thermal transfer printing requires the use of a carbon based ribbon which is chemically transferred onto a label’s substrate when heat is applied, hence the name "thermal transfer."

Thermal transfer ribbons can be of wax, wax resin or resin and colors, so the user is not limited to black print. The print quality is crisp and durable which makes thermal transfer printing an excellent choice for printing high density bar-codes and labels that require longevity. Another benefit is that thermal transfer printers can print on paper, film, and even foil substrates.

Please note that the proper selection and match of label stock and ribbon is critical to the overall quality and performance of the printed media.