What is a Thermal Barcode Printer?

Imagine crisp, durable barcode labels that empower you with the ability of instant traceability and accurate information at your fingertips, all while elevating your brand. A super assistant to help you produce these barcodes is a thermal barcode printer. This article will guide you through the remarkable capabilities of these printers, explaining their printing types and how they can be the perfect fit for your business.

Two Types of Printing Principles

Thermal barcode printers utilize two main printing technologies: direct thermal and thermal transfer. Both methods use heat to produce text and images, but they differ in the way the text is transferred onto the label.

These two types of barcode printers are easy to distinguish. Just check whether they should use ribbons.

1. Direct Thermal Barcode Printers

Direct thermal barcode printers do not need ribbons or inks. They operate by applying heat directly to a thermally sensitive paper.

This method is renowned for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, However, the prints are susceptible to fading over time, especially when exposed to heat and light. Therefore, direct thermal barcode printers are best suited for temporary applications, such as printing shipping labels, address labels, and shelf labels.

2. Thermal Transfer Barcode Printers

On the other hand, thermal transfer barcode printers use a thermal ribbon that melts ink onto the label to create a durable print. They are compatible with a wide range of label materials, including paper, plastic, and film.

Thermal transfer printing is ideal for applications requiring long-lasting barcodes that can withstand extreme conditions, like industrial manufacturing settings, medical device tracking and asset tagging.

Advantages of Thermal Barcode Printers

Thermal barcode label printers offer many unique advantages,

1. Compact and space-saving design.

2. Fast printing speed.

3. High-resolution printing, including 203 dpi, 300 dpi and 600 dpi.

4. Easy maintenance.

5. Low cost.

6. A wide range of applications in different industries.

Compared to inkjet and laser printers, a significant benefit is on-demand printing.

Specifically, they do not require printing an entire sheet of labels at once. Instead, these barcode printers work with label rolls, allowing printing the exact number of labels you need, even if it’s just a single one, eliminating unnecessary waste.

This advantage allows small businesses to quickly and economically generate and update barcodes and labels as needed.

For industrial manufacturers, thermal barcode printers can be seamlessly integrated into production lines for high-speed, high-volume printing.

However, thermal barcode printers are primarily used for monochrome printing, producing black or white text and images. If you need to print delicate color product labels, you may need to use inkjet printers or laser printers.

Notably, some thermal transfer printers are capable of two-color printing, perfect for creating eye-catching warning labels.

What Can Thermal Barcode Printers Print?

Thermal barcode printers can print labels in a variety of sizes, from small 1/2-inch jewelry tags to 6-inch chemical drum labels.

They are able to print:

1. Texts: Product names, serial numbers, prices, batch codes, production and expiration dates, ingredients, nutritional information, warning and compliance information, and more.

2. Graphics: Logos, images, icons, and charts.

3. 1D and 2D Barcodes: Such as UPC codes, EAN codes, Code 128, and QR codes.

4. RFID Labels: Assist in advanced tracking and inventory management through radio-frequency identification.

In addition to printing the above content, barcode printers, particularly industrial barcode printers, can also perform variable data printing with the corresponding software. This is a common application scenario in mass production line printing.

Applications of Thermal Barcode Printers

Thermal barcode printers are used in a variety of applications, including:

1. Retail: Generating product labels, shelf labels, and price tags.

2. Shipping: Printing shipping labels, address labels, customs labels, and hazardous materials labels.

For more details, visit iDPRT blog article Best Shipping Label Printer for E-commerce Business.

3. Logistics: Batch printing shipping barcodes, rack labels, pallet barcode labels, packing slips, and warehouse labels.

4. Healthcare: Creating patient wristbands, medicine barcodes, and blood tube barcodes.

Click here for more information: Guide to Wristband Printers.

5. Manufacturing: Printing product labels, work-in-progress labels, asset labels, tracking barcodes.

6. Food: Custom printing food labels, ingredient labels, and allergen labels.

iDPRT is a powerful China barcode printer factory and supplier, and our products are sold to many countries overseas due to their high performance and cost-effectiveness.

We provide professional OEM/ODM and wholesale businesses to help users obtain professional product customization solutions. Welcome to contact us if you have any needs.