What's the benefits of using thermal transfer label?

Thermal transfer label or printing is a high advanced technology that overcomes many of the deficiencies of analog printing solutions like hot stamp/hot foil and roller coders.

I would like to illustrate on certain packaging mechanisms for which thermal transfer overprinting is ideally used for

a) Vertical Form, fill and seal machines used to package

As far as the food processing industry is concerned, packaging in attractive cartons and boxes becomes the need of the hour. More so, the digital form of printing and labeling is a must, as the captions and one liner are going to attract more and more consumers towards buying the products. These include packaging of

· Potato chips

· Nuts and grains

· Candy gems

· Jelly bars, etc.

If you had noticed something, a lot of vacuum or empty air needs to be created and then the contents are poured into packets. A lot of consumers have a wrong perception that creating air or vacuum space is just to capitalize on filling lesser quantity in packets or to increase weight. This is however simply not true. The vacuum or the empty air is created and the packages are air sealed, for the simple reason harmful outside dust or contaminated air not enter the packages. And the crispiness portion of the ingredient is not lost. You have to comply with three things

1) Look into packaging

2) Digitally print information.

3) Printed info should not get erased away before it reaches end consumer. The printing details include ingredients used for manufacturing the product which needs a mention, date of packaging, date of expiry, location where the company manufactures the product, bar code number and lot of intricate details.

Thus you need a sophisticated, and a high end printing solution to combat the issue.

Barcoding is the main use of thermal digital printing proforma.

b) Flow-wrappers for packaging contents include

(i) Bakery products- bread, biscuits and cookies

(ii) Confectionery

c) Thermoform and tray sealing machines used to package

· Cheese

· Processed meats

d) Pouch filling machinery used to package

· Coffee sachets

· Drinks and

· Soups

For barcoding or printing information in a wide gamut of food intensive industries, thermal transfer overprinting has taken precedence over analog printing.

How is thermal transfer label or overprinting done?

Thermal transfer Overprinting is a printing process wherein a thin bar code is applied to the film (just like the film roll for printing eye capturing photographs or pictures printed on fine quality laser print carbon sheets). The film is flexible to capture details. The technology uses labels as well and the printing takes place by using a thermal print head and a thermal ribbon.

This is how the end solution looks like

TTO offers you the following advantages over conventional styles of printing and packaging. These are

a) Low cost printing of intensive information

b) Economical solution for your industry

c) Offers you a thorough flexibility in production including stationery (intermittent) and moving (continuous) form of printing.

Intermittent printing

Intermittent printing is used wherein the packaging device operates on a stop/start mode. Using signals from the packaging machine, the real time printing information is prepared, the printhead drops and moves across the printing surface. Once the printing gets over, the film is released and the printer returns to its start position.

Continuous printing

Here, the packaging material is printed while the film is moving. After you press the signal from the packaging machine, i.e. the eye mark, the print head is pressed against the platen roller. This starts the process and once done, the printer start head returns to the normal position.

You must now have a brief idea on benefits of using thermal transfer label and how the process is more efficient over other forms of printing.