Flat-Head Printers vs. Near-Edge Printers

When it comes to our daily production tasks, thermal transfer printing is a handy tool, allowing us to whip up high-quality graphics, text, and barcodes in no time. These trusty machines tackle tasks like printing barcodes, serial numbers, and expiration dates for shipping, tracking, and identification purposes without breaking a sweat. In this piece, we’ll delve into two distinct printer technologies used in thermal transfer printing: Flat-Head printing versus Near-Edge printing, and their applications in the thermal transfer printing realm.

What are the thermal printheads?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of Flat-Head printing versus Near-Edge printing, let’s get a handle on how thermal transfer printing works, starting with the thermal printhead.

So, what exactly is a thermal printhead, you ask?

A thermal printhead is a precision component that makes use of a thermal transfer ribbon to slap ink onto thermal labels or substrates. By sending electrical signals to specific areas, it generates heat, effectively imprinting the desired images.

How does thermal transfer printing work?

The key player in thermal transfer printing is the thermal transfer ribbon. As this ribbon glides through the heated thermal printhead, the ink on it melts and gets transferred onto the underlying thermal labels or substrates, crafting the desired image or text.

Flat-head printing and Near-Edge printing are two different beasts in the thermal transfer printing game, each offering users unique printing methods.

In simpler terms, the main distinction between these two technologies lies in how the thermal printhead interacts with the thermal transfer ribbon and the thermal labels or substrates. Now, let’s zoom in on the disparities between Flat-Head printing and Near-Edge printing.

Flat-Head Printing

Flathead technology paved the way for printing barcodes and variable information on labels or substrates. Born in 1965 by Texas Instruments, the printhead lies flat and horizontal, with heating elements mainly situated in the middle of the printing section. This means that the ink ribbon, along with the labels, makes contact for a short distance (3-5mm) before hitting the print position. The ink beneath the heating element is then transferred onto the labels. The ink ribbon consumption matches that of the labels. The maximum print speed for a flathead printer is 300mm per second.

In Flat-Head printing, the thermal printhead lies horizontally, flat on top of the thermal transfer ribbon and the substrate, with the heating elements positioned in the center. As the thermal transfer ribbon passes through the heated thermal printhead, the ink on it melts and transfers onto the thermal labels. Subsequently, the thermal transfer ribbon and thermal labels move together for a short distance, allowing the ink time to cool and solidify. With Flat-Head printing, there’s prolonged contact between the thermal labels and the thermal transfer ribbon with the thermal printhead.

Flat-head printing is a go-to choice in thermal transfer printing technology and, thus more prevalent in the market. It shines in desktop thermal transfer printers and industrial thermal transfer printers.

Prominent brands rocking Flat-Head printing include:

• Zebra
• SATO
• Honeywell / Intermec
• DATAMAX
• TSC

Flat-head printing supports slower print speeds, typically ranging from 2 to 10 inches per second (IPS). While it demands less maintenance compared to Near-Edge printing, users should still ensure regular maintenance of the thermal printhead to prolong the print quality and the thermal printhead’s lifespan. We’ll dig into this further shortly.

Near-Edge Printing

Near-edge printing comes in two flavors: the corner edge printhead and the true edge printhead. Both operate similarly.

The corner edge printhead works at a 45-degree angle, with the heating element placed at the edge of the printhead. The ink ribbon has minimal contact (0.1-0.3mm) with the labels, requiring swift ink transfer.

The true edge printhead also operates at a 90-degree angle, with the heating element placed at the edge of the printhead. Similar to the corner edge printhead, the ink ribbon has minimal contact (0.1-0.3mm) with the labels, necessitating rapid ink transfer.

The major perk of near-edge printheads is the efficient use of ink ribbon only where printing occurs on the labels, resulting in substantial ribbon savings. Near-edge printers also boast a maximum print speed of 600mm per second and can print on a wider variety of materials. However, near-edge printheads generally come with higher costs compared to conventional flathead printheads.

While Near-Edge printers are less common and slightly pricier than Flat-Head printers, Near-Edge printing remains a mature thermal transfer printing method.

For this type of printer, the thermal printhead is angled at 45 degrees, hence Near-Edge printers are often referred to as “suspended printers” or “near-edge printers” in the printing industry.

When the thermal transfer ribbon passes beneath the heated thermal printhead, the thermal labels or substrates briefly come into contact with the thermal transfer ribbon, immediately transferring the ink onto the label substrate. As a result, the distance between the position where the image is printed and where the ribbon separates is shorter compared to flathead printing. This angle also allows the thermal printhead to cool instantly between prints, preventing prolonged temperature elevation and reducing wear on the thermal printhead.

Near-edge printing requires specific types of thermal transfer ribbons for printing. The preferred types for Near-Edge printers are wax resin ribbon and resin ribbon, which must include a release layer for the ink to quickly separate from the thermal transfer ribbon and transfer onto the substrate. Additionally, this edge-pressure printing can print color ribbons other than black, such as white, red, and green.

Prominent brands rocking Near-Edge printing include:

• Toshiba-Tec
• Bell-Mark
• Avery
• Videojet
• Marken

Advantages of Near-Edge printing

While Near-Edge printers may not be as prevalent in actual production as Flat-Head printers, using edge-pressure printing offers several advantages not found in flathead printing, making it highly advantageous in certain industries and product printing productions.

Faster Speed

Primarily used to achieve fast printing while maintaining high print quality. Printers equipped with Near-Edge printheads operate at more than double the speed of other printers, typically between 25-40 inches per second (IPS). This significantly enhances productivity.

Variety of Substrate Materials

Near-edge printheads can print on a variety of substrate materials. Due to the “floating” thermal printhead in Near-Edge printing, no necessary adjustments for media thickness are required, automatically calibrating to the substrate being printed on. This substantially reduces setup time and achieves faster, more efficient production.

Minimalism

The goal of Near-Edge printing is to eliminate waste by using fewer consumables on the maximum number of products. It’s a more efficient way of printing materials that may not withstand label applications or require placing very small fonts directly on the product. Due to the inclined thermal printhead and instant ink transfer, the ribbon stops near the edge when printing is unnecessary, ultimately saving ribbon usage.

Applications of Flat-Head and Near-Edge Printing

They are understanding how Flat-Head and Near-Edge printing work also entails grasping their applications. Each technology’s mechanism provides different advantages and disadvantages for applications.

Applications of Flat-Head printing

Most thermal transfer printing methods utilize flathead printheads since it’s the most common printing form. These include printing on paper and non-paper substrates requiring high print clarity and resolution.

Applications of Near-Edge Printing

Near-edge printing can be found on fast-moving consumer goods, including items used for expiry applications in the food and beverage industry packaging. Flexible materials such as plastics and fabrics can also be printed using Near-Edge printing.

Understanding these distinctions in printing technologies aids in selecting the appropriate method for various printing applications, ensuring optimal efficiency and quality in production processes.