Hot Stuff
Thermal printing technologies are working hard to hold on to established markets.
May 2007 By Tom Polischuk
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Something old, something new, something borrowed … When it comes to technology evolution, this old wedding custom has some meaning. Older technologies don’t just disappear as soon as something new shows up. Many times the old and the new coexist and complement each other for sometime. Even if and when the old guy gets put out to pasture, the new technology is usually better off because of something it “borrowed” from the wise old technology.
Well, thermal printing (including direct and thermal transfer) is one of those older technology arenas that is feeling the “heat” from the new kids on the block, like inkjet and digital printing, or even RFID, which, some say, could supplant thermal printing’s bread-and-butter—bar codes.
Despite this formidable competition, thermal printing is far from being put out to pasture. It is not only going strong in its traditional strongholds, but is taking advantage of new regulations and requirements to expand its place in on-demand, variable data printing.
Thermal transfer is currently used in the pharmaceutical industry for lot, date, and bar coding, says Rick Harris, product manager for FLEXcon. However, outside of pharmaceuticals, Rich Garber, business development manager at FLEXcon, says, “there are relatively few on-package applications using thermal printing, as inkjet is the predominate technology for date codes and lot codes.”
Secondary packaging is an area where thermal transfer printing has a strong presence. “Thermal transfer is utilized extensively at the carton and pallet level, as well as for warehouse, distribution, and some point-of-purchase applications,” notes Garber.
Keigo Hayakawa, president, DNP IMS America Corporation, concurs, and highlights other areas of expanding use. “The vast majority of thermal-transfer ribbon usage remains in secondary packaging, such as carton labeling… Also, one of the fastest growing market segments is flexible packaging marking, or commonly called thermal-transfer overprinting (TTO). Historically, the traditional method of marking has been the use of hot-stamp foil imprints in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Due to recent requirements for identifying lot traceability and quality assurance controls, thermal transfer printing is replacing the historic print method of hot stamping foil, taking advantage of printing variable information right on time. This replacement will continue, which will drive the growth of thermal transfer printing.”
Requirements to improve the accuracy and reliability of dispensing pharmaceuticals will help fuel opportunities for direct thermal printing, says Mike Cove, marketing manager, identification products, for Appleton. “In the healthcare industry, new applications are developing in which direct thermal provides the solution for mini bar codes on unit dose drugs to comply with FDA directives and to help automate the prescription filling in a hospital environment, or for prescription documents, eliminating errors due to doctors’ handwriting.”
Well, thermal printing (including direct and thermal transfer) is one of those older technology arenas that is feeling the “heat” from the new kids on the block, like inkjet and digital printing, or even RFID, which, some say, could supplant thermal printing’s bread-and-butter—bar codes.
Despite this formidable competition, thermal printing is far from being put out to pasture. It is not only going strong in its traditional strongholds, but is taking advantage of new regulations and requirements to expand its place in on-demand, variable data printing.
Thermal transfer is currently used in the pharmaceutical industry for lot, date, and bar coding, says Rick Harris, product manager for FLEXcon. However, outside of pharmaceuticals, Rich Garber, business development manager at FLEXcon, says, “there are relatively few on-package applications using thermal printing, as inkjet is the predominate technology for date codes and lot codes.”
Secondary packaging is an area where thermal transfer printing has a strong presence. “Thermal transfer is utilized extensively at the carton and pallet level, as well as for warehouse, distribution, and some point-of-purchase applications,” notes Garber.
Keigo Hayakawa, president, DNP IMS America Corporation, concurs, and highlights other areas of expanding use. “The vast majority of thermal-transfer ribbon usage remains in secondary packaging, such as carton labeling… Also, one of the fastest growing market segments is flexible packaging marking, or commonly called thermal-transfer overprinting (TTO). Historically, the traditional method of marking has been the use of hot-stamp foil imprints in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Due to recent requirements for identifying lot traceability and quality assurance controls, thermal transfer printing is replacing the historic print method of hot stamping foil, taking advantage of printing variable information right on time. This replacement will continue, which will drive the growth of thermal transfer printing.”
Requirements to improve the accuracy and reliability of dispensing pharmaceuticals will help fuel opportunities for direct thermal printing, says Mike Cove, marketing manager, identification products, for Appleton. “In the healthcare industry, new applications are developing in which direct thermal provides the solution for mini bar codes on unit dose drugs to comply with FDA directives and to help automate the prescription filling in a hospital environment, or for prescription documents, eliminating errors due to doctors’ handwriting.”
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