What Is a Thermal Printer? And How Does It Work?

 

Thermal printers vary from traditional inkjet printers or even laser printers, which are also distinct. In the seventies, the time between the arrival of laser printers and inkjet printers, such printers were introduced. Thermal printers utilize heat to print on paper, as the name implies, rather than the normal printer ink cartridges that most types of printers use. It also has an interesting printing process that differs from regular printers. This process is used by machines such as faxes, label printers, ultrasound machines, and barcode machines.

Thermal printers contain four main components. The thermal head is the part that generates heat, while the rubber roller that feeds paper is called the platen. They also have a spring, which puts pressure on the thermal head, making contact with heat-sensitive (or thermo-sensitive) paper. They also have controller boards, which handles and controls the mechanism. Many models of Thermal printers use ribbon printer cartridges instead of standard ink cartridges to print.

Older thermal printers require heat-sensitive or thermal paper. This is inserted into the machine (between the thermal head and the platen). When activated, the printer sends an electrical current, which causes the printer to generate heat in a preset pattern. The heat of these thermal printers activates the paper's heat-sensitive layer when the platen pushes the paper, and a pattern of color (usually black) emerges in response.

There are newer thermal printers now that go through a different printing process. These newer models use ribbon cartridges (instead of printer ink cartridges). The ribbon cartridges contain ink made of wax or resin or even a combination of both materials; this type of ink melts when activated by heat to form the text or images on the paper.

Thermal printers are used for many different purposes and in many different ways. They are more economical than printers that use printer ink cartridges since most printers only need heat-sensitive paper to print. The ribbon cartridges used by the newer printers are also more affordable than regular ink cartridges. They are usually found in cash registers, voucher printers, fax machines, and even ultrasound machines.

Master Distributors, the market leader in POS solutions, offers an excellent range of Thermal Printer from the top most brands, such as~ Bixolon, TSP, Epson, Star, etc., at affordable prices. Our high-quality POS systems, Thermal Printers, Paper, Custom Labels, great prices on Hardware, and hassle-free experience makes us unique in the industry. Call us at 1~888~905~7008 to know more.