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If you are going to use
direct thermal labels, it is
important to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of the
direct thermal printing
process. Whereas many printing methods are good for general purpose
labelling, the thermal process has some unique advantages and some important
limitations that tend to define its most effective role.
Direct thermal printing
produces thermal labels by
applying a superheated printhead to specially treated paper or
label stock. The paper reacts to the heat by blackening. This blackening
from the print head takes over the traditional role of ink in the labelling
process. The burning forms the label’s image.
There are two problems worth mentioning with respect to
direct thermal printing. First,
the labels themselves tend to have a short lifespan.
Thermal labels are susceptible
to sunlight and brightness. The chemicals that allowed the printhead to
create a burn will react with other heat sources, too, over-darkening the
thermal labels.
Additionally, the overall print quality of
direct thermal systems is
somewhat limited. Higher end systems may give you a greater level of
clarity, but the average direct
thermal printer will turn out
thermal labels that contain legible barcodes but that might struggle
with imagery that is more detailed.
To its advantage, the thermal system of printing does a fine job of
producing readable labels fast and inexpensively. Those two
traits have kept thermal labels
alive.
Additionally, it is possible to compensate for the short lifespan of
thermal labels by using them in
non-prolonged situations. Using a thermal system to produce shipping labels,
for instance, makes a great deal of sense.
Direct thermal printing and the
resultant thermal labels are a
good way of handling some tasks, as long as one is familiar with (and able
to work around) the method’s inherent limitations.
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