Whenever we make a purchase at a store or at a supermarket, more often than not, we see a little inkjet printer next to the cash register at the checkout counter. That little inkjet printer, called a thermal move printer, prints out invoices, and is a second detail in an intricate system called point-of-sale system or POS. Have you ever wondered how a thermal transfer printer works?
As its name implies, a thermal transfer printer is dependent on heat. This makes use of a special form of paper, called thermal paper, and a ribbon with solid “ink” or resin with a polyester film backing. When you open a energy transfer printer, you will see the rolled energy paper nestled within, just beneath the printer brain. Sandwiched between the thermal paper and the printing device head is the ribbon.
When the thermal exchange printer is used heat transfer printer, what happens is that the printer head generates warmth. Exactly what pixels or spots are heated on the printer head is determined by the characters that are being printed. The heat is then transmitted through the polyester-made backing of the ribbon, and it causes the resin or the “ink” on the ribbon to melt. When the “ink” touches, it comes into contact with the thermal papers to form the character types.
The ink on the ribbons used on thermal transfer printers are not really ink. It is often made of feel, a mixture of polish and resin, or pure resin. Ribbons made with pure wax will be the the very least durable of the three, and they are often used to print out barcodes and labels. Printouts made with pure wax ribbons are not expected to previous many years and must always be protected from moisture.
Ribbons made with combined wax and resins are far more durable than those made of pure wax. They are being used for printing better images on smoother papers, or on film-coated paper. Despite their increased durability, printouts made from thermal transfer printers using laces and ribbons with mixed wax and resin should still be protected from moisture and chemical exposure.
Ribbons made with pure resin are certainly not used for POS and checkout systems. They are for printing on materials. The printouts made from these ribbons are the most durable, and they require minimum protection from chemicals or the elements.
Heat transfer printers are simple machines that work using simple processes. And yet, they are a minute but definitely essential detail in an entire Pos software.
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