How Are Thermal Transfer Ribbons Used?
Labelling stock used to involve a hand-held price labelling gun, a book to keep track of the stock and a self-adhesive hand-written label on the shelf letting people know what they were buying. Some smaller, local shops still rely on this tried-and-tested method. However, retail and industrial outlets need to capitalise on the latest technology by doing their labelling using thermal transfer ribbons.
Replacing handwritten and adhesive printed labels, Teraoka offers retailers and wholesalers the Honeywell PC-43 label printer designed for light-duty labelling tasks.
The Technical Side of Thermal Transfer Ribbons
Where once we relied on a computer to design and print out labels, technology has gifted us with specific desktop printers installed with thermal transfer ribbons to print out information, pricing and ingredient labels and barcodes of varying shapes and sizes.
A thermal transfer ribbon is a roll of clear plastic film coated on one side with ink. Depending on the printing requirements, the coating can be formulated using wax or resin. Wax or resin ensures the longevity of the print on the label. The coated side of thermal transfer ribbons is pressed against the label and through a series of heated dots, the printed image transfers off the coated side onto the label.
Advantages of Thermal Labels
Thermal labels are sturdier than their ink counterparts and can stand up to a barrage of environmental conditions. Where standard ink labels tend to smudge or fade, thermal labels won’t fade in sunlight or become distorted after contact with oils and exposure to extreme temperatures. Having faded labels when buying fresh produce and meat can be risky as you need to always be aware of the packed and sell-by dates.
Importance of Labelling Products
Without labels, consumers would have products that are well-packaged but unclear about the contents. Society has become more health conscious and with that, the need to know exactly how food items are being made and what ingredients are in them has become prominent. Having ingredient labels on food items allows consumers to make informed decisions about the products they are buying.
From Warehouse to End User, Barcodes Tell a Story
Barcoded labels might not make sense to the consumer but, to the retailer, it tells the story of the product. As a retailer or wholesaler, you need to know where the package is from, the specifications and the producer’s details. One scan of a barcode relays this information and traces it back to the start of its production right down to the ingredients used. Barcodes are a tracking system letting you know where your stock is and how much there is enabling you to better manage your inventory. Without the introduction of thermal transfer ribbons and the printers that work with them, we would be frantically phoning ports and trucking companies to find out where our goods are.
At Teraoka, we are continually expanding our products, knowledge and services to assist clients with the successful implementation of store automation systems. With over 30 years’ experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on supplying the correct product for each customer’s weighing and labelling requirements. Feel free to visit our website and see what products we can offer you to streamline your business.