What exactly is a Thermal Transfer Ribbon ?
Thermal Transfer Ribbons are comprised of a polyester base film (PET) which is coated with a wax-base ink, a resin-base ink or a combination of wax and resin. The application and environmental conditions will ultimately determine what type of Thermal Transfer Ribbon is required. The non-ink side of the ribbon, called the backcoating is generally made of an antistatic compound that also serves as a lubricant. The back coating comes in direct contact with the Print Head and enhances the Thermal Transfer Printing process by preventing wear and tear to the Print Head.
Example of a ribbon assembly
Printhead ~ 300ºC
Melting ~ 190ºC
Antistatic Back Coat
PET Film 4.5µm
Release Layer
​
Ink Layer
​
Printed Substrate
How it works
Each printer uses a self-contained print head. As the ribbon passes between the printhead and the substrate, the wires are turned on and off to melt the wax, resin or wax/resin based ink off of the polyester coating to transfer the image onto the substrate.
A leader tape precedes the imaging components, while a trailer tape may or may not appear at the end of the roll. Requirements for this process are a Thermal Transfer Printer, Thermal Transfer Ribbons, Label material and software.
​
We advise to always conduct own tests to ensure the right ribbon choice for the proposed prints
Uses for Thermal Transfer Ribbons
include but are not limited to
Bar-Codes and Products Labelling
Automotive / Aircraft Parts
Shelf Edges / Pallets
Synthetic Care Labels
Agriculture / Horticulture
Chemical Containers
Healthcare Wristbands
I.D. Cards
Which Ribbon to choose?
The choice of the ribbon depends on the substrate to print onto. As a rule of thumb...
...the Wax TTR Ribbon
for all paper stock the first choice - popular and inexpensive with limited smudge resistance.
...the Wax-Resin TTR Ribbon
for glossy and semi-gloss substrates - universal, medium priced, durable and smudge resistant.
...the Resin TTR Ribbon
best for filmic substrates and special prints - most durable, scratch, heat and chemical resistant.
For further information and a full catalogue
of our products please vist the download page here
