When compared to standard inkjet or laser printers, thermal printers are in a league of their own. Between the advent of laser printers and inkjet printers, these models first appeared in the 1970s. Heat printing is exactly what it sounds like: instead of using ink cartridges, the printer uses heat to transfer an image to paper. The printing method is also unique compared to standard printers. Fax machines, label printers, ultrasound equipment, and bar code scanners all use this method.
In general, thermal printers have four parts. The platen is the surface that contacts the paper, and the thermal head is the part that generates heat. They also feature a spring that applies pressure to the thermal head, causing it to make contact with the thermo-sensitive paper. The mechanism is managed and controlled via controller boards. More modern thermal printer models make use of ribbon printer cartridges in place of traditional ink cartridges.
Thermal paper, or heat-sensitive paper, is necessary for use in older thermal printers. Put this into the machine (between the thermal head and the platen). When turned on, an electrical current is sent to the printer, which heats up the printer in a predetermined pattern. When the paper is pushed against the platen of a thermal printer, the platen's heat activates the paper's heat-sensitive layer, resulting in the appearance of a patterned color (often black).
Nowadays, you can find thermal printers that use a newer printing method. Ribbon cartridges are used in recent generations (instead of printer ink cartridges). The ribbon cartridges' ink could be wax, resin, or a hybrid of the two. The paper is imprinted with text or images when the ink melts under the influence of heat. Colored graphics in CMY or CMYK can also be printed using these inks.
There is a wide variety of applications for thermal printers. Since most of these printers simply require heat-sensitive paper to print on, they can sometimes be even more cost-effective than printers that use printer ink cartridges. Ribbon cartridges, which are utilized in newer printers, are also less expensive than standard ink cartridges. They are commonplace in devices including fax machines, ultrasound machines, and voucher printers.
While they may be cheaper than alternatives, their printouts tend to fade over time. For this reason, you should consider scanning or copying any vital receipts or documents printed utilizing. These printers also produce lower-quality prints compared to inkjet and laser models. Their print quality is not yet on pace with that of inkjet or laser printers, but they are useful enough for most commercial and business purposes.
Article sourced from: Printercentral.co.uk