CableOrganizer.com Reveals How to Make Labels That Won't Smear, Smudge or Fade


Thermal transfer technology creates labels that stand the tests of time, temperature and the elements.

Fort Lauderdale, FL, May X, 2011 - It's a labeling problem that's worse than being forced to decipher chicken scratch on masking tape, or simply being confronted with a row of anonymous components that lack identifying tags or stickers of any kind. You go to check a label on a cable, circuit breaker, or mailbox, only to find that the print is smeared or faded beyond recognition. If only someone had thought to use a thermal transfer label printer...

"A thermal transfer printer creates labels by melting wax or resin-based 'ink' onto paper, polymer tape, or materials like heat shrink tubing" explains Christina Hansen, a Product Specialist with CableOrganizer.com. "Thermal transfer printers have a strong reputation for smear-proof images and resistance to fading, so they're the perfect choice for creating long-lasting labels and barcodes."

CableOrganizer.com sheds light on how thermal transfer label makers (http://cableorganizer.com/label-printer/) work, why they're the top choice for label longevity, and how to choose the right features for your needs:

How do thermal transfer printers work?

The main functional component of a thermal transfer printer is its printhead, which is made up of tiny microprocessor-controlled heating pins, and spans the width of whatever tape or printing medium the printer is built to handle. The microprocessor determines which pixel pins need to be activated in order to form a specific image, and signals are sent to the selected pins, causing them to rapidly heat and cool against a wax or resin-based ink ribbon, melting and transferring ink off of its backing film and onto the blank label surface.

What's the difference between wax-based and resin-based thermal ink ribbons?

The final results might not differ much to the eye, but the truth is that thermal transfer inks are not created equal. Always be aware of the demands of your particular application before you choose between the 3 main types of thermal transfer ink ribbons (http://cableorganizer.com/dymo-replacement-labels/).

o Wax: Wax thermal transfer ribbons are most commonly used for printing onto paper labels. The images they produce can last for years, but not without protection: wax-printed labels need to stay dry, and are highly sensitive to abrasives, chemicals and oils, which can wear or melt wax inks away.

o Wax-Resin: Wax-resin compounds work well with smooth - as well as coated -paper labels. The wax-resin combination produces a more refined image, and while it still needs to be guarded against excessive moisture, it offers much more durability than plain wax.

o Pure Resin: The toughest of the three, resin-based thermal inks are engineered to fuse onto vinyl, polyester and polypropylene labels, and are incredibly durable. Made to weather the harshest environments, resin-printed labels won't fade in sunlight, can be immersed in water, and can even be resistant to oils and chemicals in marine, automotive, aircraft, industrial, and hazardous chemical applications.

Benefits of Thermal Transfer Label Printers

o Durable and Fade-Proof Labels: Compared to traditional ink-on-paper and direct thermal labels, thermal transfer labels can't be beat for durability and fade resistance. While regular ink bleeds easily, and direct thermal media can darken and become unreadable in the presence of sunlight and heat sources, thermal transfer images offer far greater stability in the face of destructive elements.

o Superior Barcodes: Because they're able to cleanly and precisely print exact bar widths, thermal transfer printers produce the most accurate and easily scannable barcodes.

o PC Compatibility: Many thermal transfer printers on the market are PC-compatible, allowing you to quickly import images and text from your computer to the label printer.

o Many Print Media Choices: With thermal transfer printers, your choice of print media isn't limited to paper. Manufacturers offer an impressive variety of materials to print on, ranging from reflective and tamper-resistant tapes (http://cableorganizer.com/brady/brady-handimark-tapes.htm) to self-laminating labels (http://cableorganizer.com/brady/brady-tls2200-labels.html) and heat shrink tubing.

CableOrganizer.com offers a wide variety of thermal transfer label makers, tapes and ribbon cartridges from DYMO®, Panduit®, Brady, Brother, K-Sun, and Thomas & Betts, all of which can be found at cableorganizer.com/label-printer/.

About CableOrganizer.com

Founded in February 2002 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, CableOrganizer.com is a premier cable and wire management-related product vendor. The company provides companies, organizations and individuals around the globe with 24/7/365 access to an extensive array of high-quality products and information resources through its convenient online storefront. In addition to CableOrganizer.com, the company also owns and operates CableOrganizer.fr, which is operated out of Rennes, France. CableOrganizer.com also publishes "On the Wire," a free monthly electronic newsletter with a considerable multi-national opt-in circulation base. Among other honors, CableOrganizer.com is continually named among Inc. Magazine's Inc. 500 and 5,000 and Internet Retailer magazine's "Top 500." CableOrganizer.com also ranked on DiversityBusiness.com's list of "Top 500 Women Owned Businesses in the U.S." and was named among the South Florida Business Journal's "Best Places to Work."

CableOrganizer is a trademark of CableOrganizer.com, Inc. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright 2011 CableOrganizer.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

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