How do thermal printers work?

Thermal printers differ from inkjet printers in that they use heat, rather than ink, to print onto paper. It works via a fixed thermal print head made up of tiny pins which heats up the thermal paper, causing pigments in the paper to chemically darken in response to the heat. As a result, you get smear-resistant prints which are produced quickly and highly accurately.

What is a thermal printer used for?

Thermal printers are used for producing labels, receipts, tickets, barcodes, name badges, wristbands and vouchers. They are used widely across a range of different industries, such as retail, logistics, medical facilities, transport, hospitality and much more. Thermal prints are used everywhere you look, in our homes, workplaces, leisure facilities, on public transport and at events; the possible uses for thermal printers are endless!

What are the benefits of thermal printers?

The quietness and speed of a thermal printer mechanism means they are ideal for many applications such as measuring and analysis instruments, data terminals, medical equipment as well as EPoS/MPos terminals.

For these reasons thermal printers are increasing in popularity. Accurately relaying information in the form of a printed label or ticket is important in so many industries. Take for example medical settings, where labels need to be printed for vital medicines, patient information and more.

Thermal printers are also extremely cost effective. This is because whilst thermal paper may be slightly more expensive than plain paper, there are no additional consumables required, such as ink cartridges or ribbons.

A further advantage of thermal printing is that the quality of printing remains consistent compared to ink-jet printers. You can achieve a similar quality of print without the extra costs of ink, and with a fast and reliable printing device.