Thermal Printers

Thermal Printers

• Thermal printing is a digital printing process which produces a printed image by selectively heating coated thermochromic paper thermal paper.
• The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing an image.
• Two-colour direct thermal printers can print both black and an additional colour (often red) by applying heat at two different temperatures.

Working

A thermal printer comprises these key components:

• Thermal head: generates heat; prints on paper.
• Platen: a rubber roller that feeds paper.
• Spring: applies pressure to the thermal head, causing it to contact the thermosensitive paper.
• Controller boards: for controlling the mechanism.

• In order to print, thermo-sensitive paper is inserted between the thermal head and the platen.
• The printer sends an electric current to the heating elements of the thermal head, which generate heat.
• The heat activates the thermo-sensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive paper, which changes color where heated. Which is known as a thermal system or direct system.

Advantages and Applications

• Thermal printers print more quietly and usually faster than impact dot matrix printers.
• They are also smaller, lighter and consume less power, making them ideal for portable and retail applications.
• Its efficiency can be utilized in retail sectors. Roll-based printers can be rapidly refilled.
• Commercial applications of thermal printers include filling station pumps, information kiosks, point of sale systems, voucher printers in slot machines print on demand labels for shipping and products, and for recording live rhythm strips on hospital cardiac monitors.