lämpötulostimet

Lämpötulostimet, also known as thermal printers, are a type of printer that produces an image by heating a special thermal paper as it passes over a thermal print head. This process transfers ink from a ribbon or directly onto the paper, creating a printed image. There are two main types of thermal printers: direct thermal printers and thermal transfer printers.

Direct thermal printers use a heat-sensitive paper that turns black when exposed to heat. The print head, composed of tiny heating elements, selectively heats areas of the paper, forming the desired text and images. These printers are often used for receipts, shipping labels, and tickets because they are compact, quiet, and do not require ink cartridges or toner. However, the print produced by direct thermal printers can fade over time, especially when exposed to heat or sunlight, and the paper is more expensive than plain paper.

Thermal transfer printers, on the other hand, use a heated ribbon to produce a more durable image. The ribbon, typically made of wax or resin, is placed between the print head and the paper. When heated, the print head melts the ink from the ribbon onto the paper. This method results in prints that are more resistant to fading and smudging, making them suitable for applications like product labeling, asset tracking, and identification cards. Thermal transfer printers require ribbons and are generally more complex and expensive than direct thermal printers.