Printheads

Printheads
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Understanding Thermal Printheads in Thermal Printers

What is a thermal printhead?

The thermal printhead is an essential part of any thermal printer, whether it uses direct thermal or thermal transfer technology. It is located under the cover of the printer and its task is to apply heat to the material in the areas to be marked. Thermal printheads are one of the elements considered as "consumables" as they wear out with use and lose their properties and need to be replaced.

Types of Thermal Printheads

In general, each printer model has its own head and the heads are not compatible between printers, even if they are from the same manufacturer. However, sometimes manufacturers launch very similar models in which their heads are compatible.

How the Thermal Head Works

The thermal head applies heat to the surface of the media, leaving it marked with the desired information. In direct thermal printers, the printhead applies heat to the pre-treated paper and reacts to the heat by changing colour where it is applied. On the other hand, in thermal transfer printers, the printhead applies heat to the ribbon and the ribbon is printed on the paper that passes underneath, which can be seen as a typewriter in which the ink ribbon is impacted by the ink and printed on the paper.

Wear and Replacement

Thermal printheads are subject to wear and tear when a printhead is in poor condition and prints are incomplete or show poor contrast. When this happens it is necessary to replace the printhead. To avoid unwanted downtime, it is advisable to have a supplier who is quick to order or to have spare units in stock beforehand.

Cleaning of Thermal Heads

Another problem that can occur with the use of thermal heads is the accumulation of residues and dirt that affect the print by generating spots or lines. In this case, it is not necessary to replace the entire head, but it is necessary to clean it. To clean the printheads, there are specific products such as cleaning sticks or cleaning pencils.

How Long Does a Printhead Last?

The life of the printhead is directly related to the capacity of the printer. In general, printheads are designed to be able to guarantee the printing of a number of labels or tickets. While large warehouse printers have printheads capable of printing hundreds of thousands of labels, small desktop printers have printheads that guarantee the printing of fewer units.

Can't Find What You Are Looking For?

Logiscenter is a reference partner of the main thermal printhead manufacturers. This close relationship with the manufacturers allows us to offer the best conditions in terms of prices, stock, delivery, and technical service.

Do you have any technical questions or need support? Contact our technical service.

Ask our experts, we will advise you on the best option for your needs.

If this is not the type of consumable you are looking for, you may be interested in checking the other consumables we have, such as ribbons, labels, RFID tags and labels, or PVC cards.