The two possible thermal printer methods are the thermal transfer method and the direct method. In the process, both methods need a thermal printed, which distributes the heat on the paper that is being printed. The direct thermal technology doesn’t need a heated ribbon to create qualitative images, like the thermal transfer does. It simply projects the selected images on the prepared surface. However, the durability of the print is not that long lasting, due to this more shallow way of printing the images.

It is considered that the direct thermaland thermal transfer methods are the best ways to print bar codes. The reason for this belief is that the two methods offer more accurate and high-quality pictures, the main features that are essential for bar codes printing. The thermal printers are equipped with special capabilities to accurately print the exact bar widths that have been programmed. The both methods can print one- and two-dimensional symbologies of bar codes, or other prints that require the identical speeds and resolutions.

The direct thermal printing method requires heat-sensitive and special chemically prepared surfaces, that get blacker when they undergo the thermal printing. The advantage for direct thermal printers is that they don’t require a heated ribbon, ink, or toner, and are faster than the thermal transfer printers. Thus, they are easier to work with, and require no extra costs for maintenance or acquisition. Their price is comparably lower than that of inkjets, lasers, thermal transfer printers, or impacts. This is why the direct printing method is used by many mobile printers. They also have a more simple design, and are easier to handle.

If you were to choose between a thermal transfer printer and a direct thermal printer, the later can be considered less reliable, because the printed images would fade over time.

There are many label types that can be printed with the thermal printing technology, such as shipping labels, receipts, compliance labels, pick tickets, coupons, event tickets, name tags, citations and parking tickets, visitor passes, or others.

The thermal transfer printers are useful to print more categories of labels than a direct printer can normally print, using the paper, polyester and polypropylene surfaces. The products printed by thermal transfer printing are more durable than those printed by direct printers. It can print resistant wristbands, certification labels, asset tags, common labels, tickets and tags. There must be chosen the proper material for the matching ribbon in order to make sure that the created labels are resistant in time.

This matching is vital for establishing the durability of the printed labels, as well as for enriching these labels with resistance at high temperatures or damaging environmental factors, such as ultraviolet exposure, chemicals, and more. The usual thermal printing processes include the circuit board tracking, product identification, sample and file tracking, inventory identification, asset tagging, certification labels (UL/ CSA), laboratory specimens, outdoor applications and cold storage or freezers.

These specifications are meant to help you decide what type of printer you need. The differences between the direct thermal printer and the thermal transfer printer will show you how to make your choice.