How to buy a ribbon?

Overview

The ribbon is a very important material for printing. It is a polyester film coated with a wax-based, resin-based or mixed ink on one side, and a lubricant on the side without ink to prevent the wear of the print head. The ink is transferred to the label by the heat and pressure of the bar code printer printhead. The quality of the ribbon, in addition to affecting the life of the print head is also related to the effect of label printing. A good ribbon protects the print head, and the printed effect can be accurately attached to the label, which is not easy to spread and does not fall off easily.

When choosing a ribbon, ask yourself five questions:

1. What printer is used on?

In the thermal transfer printing mode, the ribbon and the label paper are consumed synchronously in the longitudinal direction. In the width direction, the width of the ribbon should be greater than or equal to the width of the label paper, which is smaller than the maximum printing width of the printer. Due to the physical size of each printer, the maximum roll length that can be loaded and the maximum width that can be printed are also different. In addition, the working temperature of the print head and the sensitivity characteristics of the ribbon will also have a great impact on the final printing effect.

2, on what surface

In general, the surface of the coated paper is relatively rough and should be used in combination with a wax-based or mixed-based carbon ribbon; while the surface of the PET paper is relatively smooth, it should be used in combination with a resin-based carbon ribbon.

3, the desired graphics durability

If you want the printed label content to have good durability, you should choose a resin-based ribbon.

4, affordable costs

In general, the cost of a wax-based ribbon is the lowest, the cost of a mixed-base ribbon is second, and the cost of a resin-based ribbon is the highest.

5, the scratch resistance of the label

Scratch resistance, smear resistance, corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, etc. If the label is scratched, smeared, corrosion resistant, and resistant to high temperatures, the label may need to have strong scratch resistance. Choose a resin ribbon or a hybrid ribbon.