From its practical applications in shops to its increasing use in photography and DIY projects, we dive deeper into this innovative printing technology. Find out why more and more people are choosing this efficient, reliable and eco-friendly printing solution.
When is thermal printing the ideal choice?
What do you actually use thermal printers for? Thermal printers pop up everywhere these days. In all kinds of shops and catering establishments to print receipts, and as barcode and label printers in warehouses, logistics centres and healthcare.
Thermal printing is also super handy if you like order at home. For example, use a label printer for the spice jars in the kitchen or the multi folders in your office and create more order. Or quickly print the invoice of your online order and don't forget to print that concert ticket for tonight.
Moreover, thermal printing is also becoming increasingly popular for photography and DIY projects, such as scrapbooking or to clarify your study notes with an image. For these more graphic applications, you can easily use both the Mini thermal printer and the A4 Thermal printer.
When is it better to leave the thermal printer aside?
Do you want to print important documents such as contracts and certificates? Then thermal printing might not be the best solution. This is because the print is created by heat and another heat source could create that same colour reaction again. This is why a receipt that has been in the sun for too long sometimes comes out darker than it actually was. Because yes, oddly enough, even receipts do sunbathe!
Direct thermal printing prints are thus more susceptible to fading when exposed to heat, light or chemicals. With Thermal transfer printing, you have far less trouble with this, because thanks to the resin ribbons, the prints are colourfast, waterproof and scratchproof. Thus, the prints remain legible longer than with direct thermal printing.
But! Basically, if you don't leave the print in the sun or under a super hot light bulb, the prints will last at least 2-3 years.
5 Reasons to choose thermal printing
Printing without ink sounds fun and innovative, but what is the real benefit?
1. High print quality
Thermal printers are known for creating very sharp prints. As long as the material you print on is sufficiently smooth and flat, you will get razor-sharp, fast prints that are unbelievable. Hence, thermal printers can also print on other materials such as photo paper and vinyl.
The prints remain legible for at least 2-3 years. Moreover, the better the printing material, the longer the print will last.
2. Easy to maintain
Thanks to the simple printing technique, there are no moving parts in the printer. This avoids mechanical failures and a lot of frustration because things are much less likely to break down. It also means you don't have to regularly give the printer a major cleaning to fix the dried-out print head or clean ink-splattered insides.
3. Highly reliable and long lifespan
Because things are much less likely to break down, the printer will last longer. So you are guaranteed a printer that is reliable, even in the long run.
4. Environmentally friendly
Two words: Less waste! Whereas with traditional printers you have to change ink cartridges or toner cartridges regularly and thus produce waste, with thermal printers you don't have a problem with it. Simply replace the paper or resin ribbon when needed and you're done.
5. Sustainable choice
Add up the above points and you have a very sustainable choice on your hands with thermal printing. The simple printing technique involves little maintenance, increasing the printer's lifespan and reliability. Moreover, the print quality remains unaffected and, thanks to the minimal waste production, it's also environmentally friendly. What more could you ask for?
In short, thermal printing offers an efficient and reliable solution for various printing needs, whether you print receipts in a shop, create labels in a warehouse or print your own photos. What will you thermal print?
