iDPRT's Guide to Barcode Printer Technologies and Supplies

Barcode printing is everywhere, especially in retail, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. Besides choosing the right barcode printers, understanding their supplies and consumables is also important. This article aims to shed light on the barcode printer supplies, such as ribbons and media, and to explain their types and uses in ensuring optimal printer performance and output quality.

Common Technology of Barcode Printers

Barcode printers predominantly employ two printing technologies: direct thermal and thermal transfer printing.

1.Direct Thermal Printing Technology

Direct thermal printing technology utilizes heat to trigger a chemical reaction in the label material. Using this technology, barcode printers can achieve ultra-fast printing speeds and complete high-volume printing tasks efficiently.

Moreover, they only require thermal paper as a consumable, very economically. However, the durability and abrasion resistance of the printed labels are limited. So direct thermal printing is suited for printing disposable, short-term labels like shipping labels, address labels and logistic labels.

2.Thermal Transfer Printing Technology

Thermal transfer technology employs a ribbon to transfer text, characters and images onto various label materials, including paper,synthetics and PET.

The generated barcode and labels are long-lasting and clear, delivering excellent results. Moreover, this method achieves higher printing precision, capable of reaching up to 600dpi, and finds extensive applications across multiple fields.

Types of Barcode Printer Consumables

1.Ribbon Options

Thermal transfer barcode printers require specific types of ribbons to function effectively. Types of ribbon include wax, resin, and wax/resin blend, and the choice among them should be tailored to your thermal printing requirements.

2.Media Options

Media options are diverse and you can choose the right one according to your applications.

●Paper Labels: Designed to meet basic application needs, these labels don’t necessitate resistance to chemicals or abrasion. Thermal paper is a significant category within this group, shipping labels are the most common use for it. Coated paper, on the other hand, is a prevalent label material in thermal transfer printing. It’s ideal for printing FBA labels, product labels, and warehouse labels, offering versatility and high-quality print results.

●Synthetic Labels: These labels resemble paper but offer durability and a long-lasting print coating, making them suitable for applications like electronic marks, and cosmetics barcode labels.

●PET Labels: Known for their exceptional folding resistance and heat resistance, PET labels find extensive use in electronic protective films and marks.

●Fabric Tags: These clothing tags and care labels, are often sewn onto garments and clothing. They display essential information such as size, fabric composition and washing requirements.

●Wristbands: Typically made from materials like PVC or fiber paper. In hospitals, medical staff use the iDPRT iD2P 2-Inch Thermal Printer to print patient ID bands for patient identification. These labels often feature a QR code, which medical staff can quickly scan with a barcode scanner or PDA terminal to confirm patient identity efficiently.

●RFID Labels: Utilizing specialized RFID barcode printers, users can encode information and print labels containing barcodes. With RFID readers, these labels allow for broad-range, quick and multi-tag information reading, making them widely applicable in warehouse management, inventory tracking, and other logistical applications.

Matching the right ribbon and media is crucial for achieving high-quality printing results that meet your specific needs. Typically, wax paired with basic paper media yields satisfactory results, while resin and wax/resin blend pair well with upgraded media options like synthetics and PET.

Additionally, a wide range of media sizes is available to cater to diverse marketing demands. IDPRT barcode printers support multiple print widths, with industrial-grade printers capable of printing up to 6 inches wide. The printing resolution options of 203dpi, 300dpi, and 600dpi are flexibly available, catering to different quality requirements. Coupled with high-quality ribbon supplies, these printers produce labels of exceptional clarity and quality.

Currently, IDPRT has established collaborative relationships with numerous domestic clients in the courier, logistics, and warehousing industries. If you are considering a bulk purchase of barcode printers or are interested in OEM/ODM customization, we warmly invite you to contact us. Our team is dedicated to providing solutions that align perfectly with your business needs.