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The Need for Speed: How IPS Affects Thermal Ribbon Choice
Time is money. In automated packaging lines, printers are running faster than ever—some hitting speeds of 12 to 14 IPS (Inches Per Second).
But as you dial up the speed, you might notice your print quality dropping. The black turns to gray. Parts of the barcode go missing.
This is usually a problem with Ribbon Sensitivity.
The Physics of Speed
Thermal transfer is a thermodynamic process. The printhead needs time to transfer heat through the ribbon carrier to melt the ink.
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Low Speed (4 IPS): The printhead has plenty of time to heat the ink. Even a “Low Sensitivity” ribbon works fine.
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High Speed (12+ IPS): The contact time is cut by 60%. If your ribbon requires high energy to melt, it won’t melt fast enough. The result is a faint, ghostly image.
The Solution: “High Sensitivity” Inks
For high-speed applications, you cannot simply “turn up the heat” (Darkness). Doing so at high speeds will burn out your printhead element due to thermal lag.
Instead, you need a ribbon formulated with a Lower Melting Point.
Only Imaging manufactures specific High-Speed Wax/Resin formulations that:
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Melt Instantly: Requiring less energy from the printhead.
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Cool Instantly: Preventing “smearing” as the label flies out of the printer.
Troubleshooting High-Speed Issues
If you are ramping up production and facing issues, check these three things:
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Ghosting: If the image looks smeared, your ribbon isn’t cooling fast enough. Switch to a higher resin content or lower the speed.
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Faint Print: Your ribbon isn’t melting. Switch to Only Imaging High-Sensitivity Wax.
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Static: Speed generates friction. Ensure your ribbon has a conductive back-coating (Standard on all Only Imaging rolls).
Conclusion: Faster Production, Better Ribbons
Don’t let your consumable be the bottleneck of your production line.
If you are running faster than 10 IPS, you need a performance ribbon.
ONLY IMAGING is a leading supplier of labels, printing equipment and associate consumables, including TTR products in various widths and lengths. Please take the opportunity to learn more about our range of high-quality thermal transfer ribbons and explore our other products for any further questions you may have click Here.
