Page 7 - Sicon Barcoding & Warehousing for Sage 200 Customer Guide

Printing Methods & Recommended EquipmentThere are two thermal printing methods that we would recommend when setting up your system, each technology can produce one and two dimensional barcode symbologies, graphics and text at the same print resolutions and speeds.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIRECT THERMAL AND THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTING?In the simplest terms, thermal transfer printing utilises a thermal ribbon and direct thermal printingdoes not.Each method uses a thermal printhead that applies heat to the surface being marked. Thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to produce durable, long-lasting images on a wide variety of materials. No ribbon is used in direct thermal printing, which creates the image directly on the printed material. Direct thermal media is more sensitive to light, heat and abrasion, which reduces the life of the printed material.WHY ARE DIRECT THERMAL AND THERMAL TRANSFER THE BEST TECHNOLOGIES FOR PRINTING BARCODES?Thermal label printers are ideal for barcode printing because they produce accurate, high-quality images with excellent edge defnition. Thermal printers are engineered to print within tight tolerances and to produce the exact bar widths that successful barcode printing and scanning require. Each technology can produce one and two dimensional barcode symbologies, graphics and text at the same print resolutions and speeds.Direct Thermal PrintingNB: this requires a Thermal Label• This method of printing requires a heat sensitive label material. The print head elements come into direct contact with the heat sensitive material where the heat from the elements causes a colour change in the material to create the printed image.• Direct thermal printing uses chemically treated, heat-sensitive media that blackens when it passes under the thermal printhead.• Direct thermal printers have no ink, toner, or ribbon.• Their simple design makes thermal printers durable and easy to use.• Because there is no ribbon, direct thermal printers cost less to operate than inkjet, laser, impact and thermal transfer printers. Most mobile printers use direct thermal technology.• Thermal media images may fade over time. If the label is overexposed to heat, light or other catalysts, the material will darken and make the text or barcode unreadable. For these reasons, direct thermal printing is not used for lifetime identifcation applications. The readability of direct thermal labels, wristbands and receipt papers varies greatly depending on the usage conditions. However, the technology provides ample lifespan for many common barcode printing applications including shipping labels, patient and visitor identifcation, receipts and ticket printing.• Direct thermal labels can easily remain scannable after spending six months in storage in a distribution centre.• Common thermal printing applications include: shipping labels, including compliance labels; receipts; pick tickets; coupons; event tickets; citations and parking tickets; name tags; visitor passes; …and more.