Printers are what connects the virtual and offline world in terms of documentation. There are inkjet and laser printers and thermal printers according to the way of functioning. While inkjet and laser printers are basically the general tools for printing in the office and at home, the thermal printers are used for more professional purposes. The businesses rely on the thermal printers to print thermal labels of various kinds, price tags, card tags, etc. and, without a question, they are a crucial part of using all resources for managing a business and making sure all the aspects develop smoothly. Here is everything about the process of thermal printing and which printer solutions are most popular for getting the paper office stationery a professional look.
Defining the Thermal Printer
Thermal Printers are machines that don’t spray liquid ink through a nozzle to create images. Instead, they use heating elements that activate and transfer pigments on the sheets of paper. Their most common use is for printing labels, safety signs, barcodes, address labels, etc. There are two types of thermal printers: direct thermal and thermal transfer.
- Direct thermal printers print by using chemically-treated paper that becomes darker when the thermal print head heats it. They don’t use ink, toner or ribbon supplies – all it takes for printing is the print head that applies heat.
- Thermal transfer printers use a ribbon to transfer solid ink onto the sheet or label solution and in this way, it creates a permanent print. The ribbons used for thermal transfer printing are made from wax, resin or wax-resin.
Why Thermal Printers are a great solution?
Because they are durable, versatile and require less maintenance. Let me explain these advantages with more details. Labels that are printed with the thermal printers last much longer than those printed by the other printing solutions. These printed labels can also withstand the elements and other extreme conditions. Secondly, they can print not only labels but also documents, flash labels and floor markings. Basically, thermal printers can print everything. Finally, they don’t require a lot of maintenance as they have fewer moving parts and last longer than other types of printers.
However, I must mention that they are probably the most expensive type of printers as you would need to pay extra money for ribbons. Moreover, the specialty materials that are used for printing are more expensive for thermal printers. Also, they have colour limits, which means that you won’t be able to print high-quality photos on thermal printers. Nevertheless, the thermal printers remain the type that produces the highest quality of prints that last long making them the ideal solution for printing in the business world; which is why smart investing in a quality thermal printer.
The most popular brands of thermal printers
Epson Thermal Printers
The Epson brand of printers is the ultimate solution for receipts. Overall, Epson is one of the biggest and most reputable producers of printers in the world and all of the products are with high quality, reliability and dependability.
The Epson thermal printers work excellently with the leading mobile operating systems including the Android, iOS ad Windows. You can connect it via USB and further facilitate the way of transmitting and printing the files you want to print. Also, some models of the Epson thermal printers have an above-average printing speed of 200mm/second. And most importantly, they significantly reduce paper usage by 30%.
Zebra Thermal Printers
If you are looking for the best desktop direct thermal printer, you probably will come across the Zebra Monochrome type of thermal printers. It has a unique list of features which makes it a bit more expensive than the rest of the thermal printers, but for the quality, it gives the user, the price is completely justified.
One of its best features is that it has a very high speed – about 130mm per second. So, if you have a huge label orienting workload, this printer is worth considering. Also, its printing quality is extraordinary – it prints with a resolution of 203 dots per inch. To be more explicitly clear, this means crystal-clear prints and high-quality graphics that will last longer than any other prints. It also has a USB port and you can connect it to a computer without a problem. In addition, you can load any media easily and fast.
What makes this type of printer one of a kind is its auto-detectable power adapter, automatic detection of installed media and a reflective sensor for ensuring accurate label printing. To sum up, get the Zebra thermal printer, the Monochromatic type if you are in need of printing labels, receipts, price tags and any other media up to 10.3 cm.
Brother Thermal Printers
Another popular brand of thermal label printers is Brother and its line of printers for labels. Probably the best barcode printer on the market, this printer gives the printed material a high-quality professional look while being priced within an affordable range.
Some of the best features include printing labels at a high speed of up to 69 labels per minute and it prints with an incredible resolution of 300 dots per inch for achieving perfect clarity. The printers have USB host and you can easily connect a scanner to it.
What is most interesting about these printers is that they have an option called “Plug & Label” which doesn’t require installing of any software for connecting it to an operational system. Because of this feature, printing basic labels is very easy and fast. Furthermore, it has an automatic cutter function that enables facilitated printing of any size sheet templates. It has 3 years of guarantee but it needs to be paired with other Brother products to provide optimum functionality.
The Bottom Line
Investing in a quality thermal printer as well as quality paper office stationery is crucial for establishing a strong professional image of your business. The printed material is your connection to the customers before buying the product and using it, so it is safe to say that first impressions are always important.
Anna is a writer that shares her thoughts on practical things for every day activities. She also writes inspirational stories and tackles everyday situations. Website: https://lgbusinesssystems.com.au/
