Ribbons

Wax Ribbons

A general purpose formulation which offers good printability and durability on a wide variety of substrates. It is recommended to use these ribbons for printing on coated papers and tags such as the stock Thermal Transfer labels. This is the most common type of thermal transfer ribbon.

Wax / Resin

Offers greater durability and smudge resistance than wax ribbons - for demanding applications. This formulation may be used on coated and gloss materials, as well as top coated and non-topcoated polypropylene, polyolefin, polystyrene, and other economy synthetics.

Resin

An extremely durable ribbon which has superior smudge and scratch resistance. Some products have UL and CSA approvals. These ribbon products may be used for long term and outdoor applications. It is recommended to use this ribbon for printing on high end synthetics such as polyesters.

How to calculate ribbon usage

When purchasing both labels and ribbons, simple calculations can save both money and time when printing labels. The length of a ribbon roll is generally proportional to the length of a label roll in minimizing the number of times in changing out a ribbon. This "length" ratio is typically 2:1, but is not necessary. The length of the ribbon roll is usually given, but the same is not always true regarding the length of the label roll. Generally, only the number of labels per roll is printed. The approximate length of the label roll however can be calculated using the height of the label (H), the number of labels/roll, and assuming that the space between the labels is approximately 0.125". The following calculation can be made:

LENGTH OF ROLL IN FEET = [ (H" + 0.125") x Labels / roll ] / 12

The result of the above calculation can be compared with the ribbon roll length, to obtain the usage of ribbon for each roll of labels.