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Triton stock a range of Thermal Transfer Ribbons for all leading printing equipment (i.e. Thermal Label Printers, Thermal Transfer Over-printers, Foil Date Coders).
Thermal ribbons are a consumable used in thermal transfer printing. They consist of a thin film coated with ink. When exposed to heat from the printhead, the ink melts and transfers onto a print medium like paper or synthetic materials.
Thermal ribbons are known by different names, such as thermal transfer ribbons (TTR) or simply “ribbons.” They create durable and clear labels, barcodes, and other printed materials. Their high print quality, reliability, and efficiency make them a popular choice in the retail, shipping, logistics, and healthcare industries.
Thermal transfer ribbons are composed of five layers, each serving a specific purpose to ensure optimal printing performance. Here are the five layers typically found in thermal ribbons.
Thermal transfer ribbons come in three primary types.
Wax ribbons are the most widely used type in thermal transfer printing. These ribbons contain 100% wax-based ink, which melts at relatively low temperatures, typically between 30 to 50°C.
These ribbons offer good print quality and are ideal for paper-based labels and semi-gloss print media. However, compared to other ribbon types, wax ribbon prints are more susceptible to smudging and scratching.
Wax ribbons are best suited for shorter-term, general labelling tasks, such as shipping labels, return labels, retail labels, shelf and bin labels, and warehouse labels. They are cost-effective, with prices varying depending on the width and length of the roll
Resin ribbons offer the highest durability and print quality in thermal transfer printing. These ribbons are made entirely of resin-based ink. These ribbons require high temperatures, typically between 120 to 170°C, to melt and transfer onto the print medium.
These ribbons are best suited for printing on synthetic materials like polyester, polypropylene, and vinyl. They provide exceptional resistance to scratches, smudges, and environmental factors such as heat, water, chemicals, and abrasion.
Resin thermal transfer ribbon ribbons are ideal for applications that need long-lasting, high-quality barcodes and labels. They are commonly used in asset tracking, medical devices, manufacturing, and industrial labelling.
Although full resin ribbons are the most expensive ribbon type, their superior durability and resistance to damage justify their higher cost.
Wax-resin thermal ribbons, or hybrid ribbons, offer a middle ground between cost-effective wax ribbons and durable resin ribbons. These ribbons are a blend of wax and resin, with the proportion varying depending on the desired quality. They melt at moderate temperatures, typically between 70 to 120°C.
Wax-resin ribbons are ideal for various material types, such as uncoated paper, coated paper, glossy paper stock, and synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyester. Compared to wax ribbons, they provide better resistance to smudging, scratching, and environmental factors, resulting in high-quality, long-lasting prints.
These ribbons are particularly useful for applications requiring more durability than wax ribbons but not the extreme durability of resin ribbons. They are commonly used for barcode labels, international shipping labels, pharmaceutical and prescription labels, and inventory tracking labels.
While wax-resin ribbons are more expensive than wax ribbons, they are less expensive than resin ribbons.
In addition to the primary categories of wax, wax-resin, and resin ribbons, there are specialised subcategories designed to meet specific printing needs. These include near-edge ribbons, colour ribbons, and textile ribbons.
Near-edge ribbons are designed for near-edge thermal transfer printers. In these printers, the heating elements are positioned at the edge of the printhead, which is pressed against the ribbon at an angle.
These ribbons have a specialised release layer that allows the ink to transfer quickly from the ribbon to the substrate without needing to re-solidify. This formulation limits near-edge ribbons to wax/resin, resin black, and colour thermal transfer types.
The unique composition of near-edge ribbons ensures crisp, clean, and sharp prints on various substrates, even at faster printing speeds. They are commonly used in packaging applications to print details such as time, manufacturing date, expiration date, and lot number.
It is important to note that near-edge ribbons are compatible only with near-edge thermal printers.
Colour ribbons allow for printing in various colours, adding both visual appeal and functionality to printed materials. These ribbons come in options like red, blue, yellow, green, and pink, making them ideal for applications where colour coding or branding is essential.
Colour ribbons are mostly wax or wax-resin formulations. They are commonly used in retail for product labels, ticket events, inventory management for colour-coded tags, and the chemical industry for hazard labels.
Textile ribbons are designed for printing on fabric materials, making them essential in the garment and textile industries. These ribbons are specifically formulated using resin to produce durable prints that withstand washing, ironing, and other rigorous conditions.
These ribbons are primarily used for printing care labels, brand tags, and product information on clothing and other fabric items. They offer high durability and print clarity, ensuring that labels remain legible and intact throughout the product’s lifecycle.
The table below highlights the differences between wax, wax-resin, and resin ribbons.
Feature | Wax Ribbons | Wax-Resin Ribbons | Resin Ribbons |
|---|---|---|---|
Composition | 100% wax-based ink | Blend of wax and resin-based ink | 100% resin-based ink |
Melting Temperature | 30 to 50°C | 70 to 120°C | 120 to 170°C |
Print Quality | Good | Better | Best |
Durability | Lower | Moderate | Highest |
Resistance | Susceptible to smudging and scratching | Better resistance to smudging and scratching | Highly resistant to smudging, scratching, heat, water, chemicals, and abrasion |
Ideal Substrates | Paper-based labels, semi-gloss print media | Coated paper, synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyester | Synthetic materials like polyester, polypropylene, vinyl |
Common Applications | Short-term labelling: shipping labels, retail labels, shelf and bin labels, warehouse labels | Medium-term labelling: barcode labels, international shipping labels, pharmaceutical and prescription labels, inventory tracking labels | Long-term labelling: asset tracking, medical devices, manufacturing, industrial labelling |
CSO (Coated Side Out) and CSI (Coated Side In) refer to the orientation of the ink coating on a thermal transfer ribbon. This orientation determines how the ribbon is wound and fed through the printer, affecting the printing process.
CSO Ribbons have an ink coating on the outside of the ribbon roll. The ribbon is wound out around the core, and when loaded, it unrolls from the bottom. The coated side faces outwards, towards the label stock or substrate being printed. CSO-oriented ribbons are the most common and are used by popular thermal printer brands such as Zebra, Honeywell, and TSC.
CSI Ribbons have an ink coating on the inside of the ribbon roll. The ribbon is wound in around the core, and when loaded, it unrolls from the top. The coated side faces inwards, towards the label or substrate. Although less common today, CSI ribbons are still used by certain printer models, including those from SATO, Datamax, and other older thermal printers.
How to Tell if the Thermal Ribbon is CSI or CSO? To determine if a thermal ribbon is CSI or CSO, you can perform a simple “tape test”:
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Thermal transfer ribbons offer several advantages, making them a preferred choice for various printing applications. Here are the key benefits:
Thermal ribbons are used in various applications that require durable and high-quality prints. Here are some common uses:
Choosing the right thermal ribbon ensures high-quality prints and optimal performance. Here are key factors to consider when selecting a thermal ribbon.
Store thermal ribbons in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and high humidity. Optimal storage conditions are temperatures between 5°C and 30°C and relative humidity less than 50%.
No, thermal ribbons cannot be reused. Once the ink has been transferred to the substrate, the ribbon is depleted and must be replaced.
Thermal ribbons typically have a shelf life of one to two years if stored under proper conditions. The lifespan of printed labels depends on the ribbon type and environmental factors.
Thermal ribbons are made of a polyester film coated with a layer of ink. The ink composition can be wax, wax-resin, or resin.
Near-edge ribbons are designed for near-edge printheads, which position the heating elements close to the printhead’s edge for high-speed printing.
Flat-head ribbons are used with flat-head printers, where the heating elements are set back from the edge, allowing for more contact time with the substrate.
Used thermal transfer ribbons should be discarded following local waste management guidelines for plastic and chemical materials.
Check with your local waste management services for specific disposal guidelines. Major brands also offer recycling programs or take-back schemes for used ribbons, which is an environmentally friendly option.
The micron number refers to the thickness of the base film of the ribbon. The base film is the layer that carries other layers of the ribbon, such as the ink and the back coating.
A 4.5 micron base layer is the standard for most thermal transfer ribbons and is generally used for flat-head ribbons. This thicker layer reduces the likelihood of ribbon breakage, which is particularly important when a lot of heat is needed for ink transfer.
In contrast, the 4.0 micron base film is used for near-edge and thermal transfer overprinter ribbons. The thinner base film is better suited for the higher speeds and specific requirements of these printing technologies.
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Phone 09 579 2057
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