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thermal transfer ribbons& thermal transfer labels
Understanding Thermal Transfer Ribbons
Thermal transfer printer alongside different thermal transfer ribbon choices
If you're planning to print labels with a thermal transfer printer, you're going to need thermal transfer ribbons in addition to thermal transfer labels. Here's everything you need to know about selecting the right thermal transfer ribbon for your printer and project.
Ribbon Type / Wind Direction
Wind directions of CSO vs CSI thermal transfer ribbons
You may notice when shopping for printer ribbons that there are two categories: coated side out (CSO) and coated side in (CSI). This refers to where the ink coating is placed on the ribbons. It affects how they're wound and fed through the printer – most printers can only take one style or the other.
Coated Side Out (CSO) Ribbons
Coated side out ribbons are printing ribbons that have the ink coating facing outside. Zebra® thermal transfer printers typically use this type of ribbon. You'll notice that the ink is on the outside of the ribbon roll and that it unrolls from the bottom before making contact with the print-head and label.
To correctly insert this ribbon type into your printer, unroll it from the bottom and feed it underneath.
Shop CSO Ribbons
Coated Side In (CSI) Ribbons
Coated side in ribbons are printing ribbons that have the ink facing inside. Datamax® and Sato® thermal transfer printers most commonly use CSI ribbons. You'll notice that the ink is on the inside of the ribbon roll and that it unrolls from the top before making contact with the print-head and label.
To correctly insert this ribbon type into your printer, unroll it from the top and feed it over.
Shop CSI Ribbons
You can also determine your ribbon type/wind direction using the tape test: Stick a piece of tape to the outside of your ribbon roll. After a few seconds, peel the tape off. If ink sticks to the tape, you were using a CSO ribbon. If no ink sticks to the tape, you were using a CSI ribbon.
Ribbon Size
There are a couple of criteria to consider when selecting a thermal transfer ribbon size. They are:
Label width
Pick the ribbon width closest to that of your most commonly used label. For example, if you're printing a 2.5 inch wide label, you should purchase a 3.27 inch ribbon as opposed to a 4.33 inch one. Any unused ink on the thermal transfer ribbon will go to waste otherwise. You should also be conscious to buy a width that fits in your printer.
Ribbon length
Typically, ribbons with a shorter length are intended for desktop thermal transfer printers while the longer lengths are intended for industrial ones. Our ribbons range from 243 feet to 1,476 feet.
Core size
Smaller printers don't have as much space to accommodate larger ribbon cores. While a 1 inch core is standard, smaller printers use a 0.5 inch core.
Is your label size the best fit for your project? Our selection of thermal transfer roll labels includes more than 75 unique label sizes for both 1 inch and 3 inch core sizes.
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thermal transfer ribbons& thermal transfer labels
thermal transfer ribbons& thermal transfer labels
thermal transfer ribbons& thermal transfer labels
thermal transfer ribbons& thermal transfer labels
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