THERMAL-TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY COMES OF AGE.

Thermal-transfer printing can be described as a non-impact printing technology that uses thermal energy to transfer ink from an inked coated substrate to a receptor sheet. The ink transfer is caused not by the impact of the printing element to the ribbon, but by the heating up of elements on the print head to melt the ink on to the paper. Of the many different thermal-transfer printing devices that have been released or are under development, almost all require a unique ink formulation. Highly specialized ink making, coating, and slitting equipment is necessary to produce consistently high-quality monochrome and multicolored ribbons. Various considerations dictate the thickness of ribbon chosen for a particular application: (1) energy requirements to transfer the ink; (2) a preference for a particular length of ribbon; and (3) cost considerations.