Two Types Of Label Printers - Direct Thermal Or Thermal Laser

A label printer is a computer printer that prints on self-adhesive label material or card-stock. Label printers with built-in keyboards and displays, for stand-alone use are often called label makers. Label printers are different from ordinary printers because they need to have special feed mechanisms to handle rolled stock, or tear sheet stock. Common connectivity for label printers include RS-232 serial, Universal Serial Bus (USB), parallel, Ethernet and various kinds of wireless.

Label printers have a wide variety of applications, including supply chain management, retail price marking, packaging labels, blood and laboratory specimen marking, and fixed assets management.
Label printers use a wide range of label materials, including paper and plastic materials. Several types of print mechanisms are also used, including laser and impact, but thermal printer mechanisms are probably the most common. Commercial label printers can typically hold a larger roll of stock (up to 8" wide) and are geared for medium-volume printing.

TYPES OF LABEL PRINTERS:
Two types of label printers are as follows:
Direct Thermal - Uses heat sensitive paper (similar to thermal fax paper). Direct thermal labels tend to fade over time (typically 6 to 12 months); if exposed to heat, direct sunlight or chemical vapors, the life is shortened. Therefore, direct thermal labels are primarily used for short duration applications, such as shipping labels.
Thermal Transfer - Uses heat to transfer ink from the ribbon on to the label for a permanent print. Some thermal transfer printers are also capable of direct thermal printing.

There are three grades of ribbon for use with a thermal transfer printers:
Wax is the most popular with some smudge resistance, and is suitable for matte and semi-gloss paper labels.
Wax / Resin is smudge resistant, suitable for semi-gloss paper and some synthetic labels.
Resin is scratch and chemical resistant, suitable for coated synthetic labels.
When printing on continuous label stock, there is a tendency for the print location to shift slightly from label to label. To ensure registration of the print area with the target media, many label printers use a sensor that detects a gap, notch, line or perforation between labels. This allows the printer to adjust the intake of label stock so that the print aligns correctly with the media.