In thermal transfer printing, the printer, ribbon and label must work together as a printing team. The technology is simple. It works by the printer basically “melting” ink from the thermal transfer ribbon onto the label. Thermal transfer printing is reliable and low maintenance, and can be applied in a wide range of on-demand printing applications.
Thermal ribbons are available with the ink on the inside or outside of the roll. Inside wind direction ink is referred to as CARBON SIDE IN (CSI) while outside wind direction ink is referred to as CARBON SIDE OUT (CSO). While most thermal printers can only use one or the other type, some printers can use either CSI or CSO. For those printers, we recommend CSO ribbons. ZEBRA printers use CSO. DATAMAX and SATO printers use CSI ribbons. If you are not sure what type of ribbon your printer requires, CALL US TODAY.
In order to achieve clean, crisp images on thermal transfer labels, the label and ribbon must be correctly matched. We sell over a dozen different formulas of thermal transfer ribbon. Not all ribbons will print on all types of labels. Additionally, the printer model itself can factor into the ribbon recommendation.
Generally, wax or wax / resin blended ribbons are recommended for paper labels. Wax / resin blend or pure resin ribbons are recommended for synthetic label material. If you would like help determining the best type of ribbon, our research department can help match your specific label material with the best ribbon. Otherwise, we are happy to send free samples of different ribbons to you for testing in your facility.
Contact us today to discuss your labeling requirements. The following link describes common thermal printing problems and how they can be corrected.
RVB Systems Group provides thermal ribbons from ARMOR-IIMAK, the world’s largest manufacturer of thermal transfer ribbon. These are the only printer ribbons to feature Clean Start®, the patented printhead cleaner built in the ribbon.
Clean Start® Ribbons Save You Time and Money
It’s true. CleanStart® is an exclusive printhead cleaner that is built right into your thermal transfer ribbon and is available at no extra cost. Exclusive to ARMOR-IIMAK, Clean Start® is an innovative printhead cleaner that’s built right into the beginning of the ribbon. Simply pull Clean Start® through the locked printhead at the start of a new ribbon. Doing so removes debris before it builds up on the printhead, assuring printed images, text, and barcodes are crisp and clear. All it takes is just 6 seconds and you’ll be on your way to longer printhead life, more readable scans and peak image quality. What does this mean to you? ARMOR-IIMAK thermal transfer ribbons with CleanStart® create BIG savings for your bottom line.
RVB Systems Group is a systems integration company specializing in barcode systems, data collection systems, and RFID. We provide turn-key inventory management solutions including barcode labeling and scanning, RFID systems, barcode scanners, thermal barcode printers, barcode software, thermal labels, and thermal transfer ribbons.
