Top 3: Thermal Ribbon Selection Tips

When you are looking to source thermal transfer ribbons you will be faced with a huge array of alternatives. The good news is that if you follow a few basic rules it will really simplify your search and save you time and money.

Thermal Ribbon Selection Tips

Here’s 3 great ways to save when you are sourcing thermal transfer ribbons.

  • Avoid wastage by making sure your ribbon is closely matched to the width of the message or image you plan to print. You should normally only need 3 to 5 millimetres extra ribbon width beyond the width of your print. Buying a 55mm wide ribbon to print 30mm of Best Before date is expensive overkill.
  • Stick to stock ribbons where you can. It is a good idea to talk to your ribbon vendor about what ribbons they might have off the shelf. Buying a ribbon in a custom width, colour or length can be costly and will probably increase your minimum order. Stock ribbons will almost always have shorter lead times and black ribbons are, by far, the most commonly used and readily available.
  • Boost productivity by selecting the longest ribbon your printer will allow. Longer ribbons mean less frequent ribbon changes and lower delivery costs per metre of ribbon used. That leaves your team more time for getting on with production.

Stick to this straightforward approach and you’ll avoid most of the pitfalls of purchasing thermal transfer ribbons. And, of course, choosing Uptime Technologies as your partner means you will be guided through the selection process.

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For more information on Uptime Technologies range of thermal transfer ribbons click here

Will you really save?

Cheap ribbons can kill your uptime

Your choice of thermal transfer ribbon can have major implications for both your customers and operations team in terms of legislative compliance, print quality and equipment reliability. A poor choice risks unreadable codes/print, frequent line stoppages and expensive repair bills so correctly matching a ribbon to your needs is imperative.

In simple terms, a thermal transfer ribbon consists of a plastic backing material coated on one side with ink. In reality, there can be several layers added to this simple configuration to enhance the performance of the ribbon.  Most in-line thermal transfer applications utilise either Wax/Resin or Resin only coatings to deliver the desired print quality and printer performance.

Wax/Resin ribbons incorporate a blend of wax and resin in the ink coating that allows a good blend of print speed, scratch resistance and quality. These ribbons are generally well suited to a wide variety of applications and have the widest variety of colours to choose from.

Pure Resin ribbons offer even better scratch and smudge resistance as well as higher temperature resistance and print quality but this improved performance comes at the cost of lower speed operation and higher roll price.

Whether you need wax/resin or resin, choosing a quality ribbon that includes a suitable backcoat layer is essential because it is the backcoat layer that provides the majority of protection for your printer’s printhead. Problems such as high printhead wear due to lack of lubrication or printhead failure due to static discharge are common when cheap, poorly manufactured ribbon is used.

At Uptime technologies, all our ribbons are produced by globally recognised manufacturers who employ the latest technologies to ensure you achieve excellent results at the optimum total cost of ownership.

For more information on our range of thermal transfer ribbons click here