Moving Beyond Black

Thermal transfer's sharp, crisp output has made it the on-demand printing method of choice for newer bar codes that can be read from a distance, and improved compliance labeling, states René Gallet, thermal products manager at Printronix, Irvine, CA.

A similar following in higher-end package printing remains to be seen. Thermal transfer speeds of six to eight inches per minute remain a disadvantage with larger prime label runs, notes Anne Myers, product/market manager at IIMAK, Amherst, NY. Myers says studies show thermal transfer to be cost-effective for runs of 10,000 prime labels or less, in which the biggest bottom-line benefits arise from eliminating traditional press set-up time.