Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer | Benefits and Drawbacks of Thermal Printers

Thermal printers are devices that use heat to print. They’re typically used in retail stores, restaurants, and bars, where receipts must be printed quickly and easily.

Thermal printing is the most common type of printing in industrial applications.

It uses a special paper containing heat-sensitive dyes that change color when heated to about 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

The printer heats this paper and prints onto it using an inkjet or laser print head.

Let us discuss the advantages and disadvantages of thermal printers | Benefits and Drawbacks of Thermal Printers with their types, uses, and examples.

What is a Thermal Printer?

Thermal printers are considered to be a type of Non-Impact Printer.

Thermal printers are printers that use a special ink that becomes visible when heat is applied.

The heat comes from a print head which the paper passes under, and the ink on the paper turns white as it cools down again.

A thermal printer applies heat to specific areas on the surface of the paper where ink particles are embedded.

This causes them to bubble up and become visible through their reflection - this process is known as "thermal printing".
What is Thermal Printers
What are Thermal Printers

A thermal printer is a printing device that uses heat to transfer ink onto paper or plastic.

The process works by heating the print head, then transferring the ink onto your document.

Because the ink stays on the surface of your material and doesn’t soak in, it’s easy to remove when you’re done with it.

This makes it popular among businesses that need to print out things like receipts from cash registers or invoices from customer orders.

They can tear off their copy when they’re done with it rather than cleaning off all traces of ink manually.

They use heat to transfer images onto the paper or plastic surface, which means no ink, is required.

Thermal printing is faster than other printers— up to 180 characters per second! 

This makes it great for printing receipts from customers who have paid by card or cash.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer | Pros & Cons of Thermal Printer in Tabular Form

#Thermal Printer AdvantagesThermal Printer Disadvantages
1They are inexpensive. This is the main advantage of thermal printers.They are difficult to repair.
2They are compact in shape and size.As they are small in size, therefore, can be easily misplaced.
3They are noiseless printers.They have limitations. They cannot print color outputs.
4They are efficient and durable.Their outputs could be of higher quality.
5They are fast printers.The printouts are low in quality, so the outputs are usually distorted.
6They are long-lasting printers as limited moving parts are used while manufacturing.The papers used in thermal printers are expensive.
7Due to its compact size, therefore, can be used as a mobile device.Due to high temperatures, print heads are usually damaged easily.
8They are user-friendly printers and can be easily used and utilized.They are not common printers.
9They are speedy printers.The continuous printout cannot be obtained like dot matrix printers.
10It’s a reliable technology that works well in harsh conditions such as extreme heat or cold weather.The main disadvantage of thermal printers is that they cannot print on glossy paper because it requires heat from the printing head, which will damage any surface where it touches (such as plastic).
11They are portable.Thermal printers are much more complex in design than standard inkjet models and therefore require some knowledge about how they work before using them properly.
12They are environmentally friendly.The primary disadvantage of a thermal printer is that it cannot print on labels or CDs.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer

Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer With Image

Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer
Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Printer

5 Characteristics of Thermal Printers

  1. Thermal printers are compact in shape and size.
  2. They can be connected via Bluetooth.
  3. They are inexpensive compared to other printers.
  4. They use batteries for power.
  5. They do not use cartridges and toners for printing.

Different Types of Thermal Printers

  1. Barcode Applications
  2. Patient Identification
  3. Receipt Printing.
  4. Ticket Printing.
Types of Thermal Printers
Types of Thermal Printers

7 Uses of Thermal Printers

  1. Small Shops.
  2. Shopping Malls.
  3. Departmental Stores.
  4. Buses.
  5. Restaurants.
  6. Medical Stores.
  7. ATMs.
Uses of Thermal Printers
Uses of Thermal Printers
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Different Printers With Their Uses in Tabular Form

Sr.NoPrinter NameUses
#1Laser Laser printers are used in printing stationery, brochures, labels, leaflets
#2Dot-Matrix The dot matrix printers are capable of printing multiple sheets at once. They are used in the billing section of offices and businesses.
#3Thermal PrintersThey are used in railways reservations, restaurants, ATMs, credit card swipes, malls, etc.
#4Photo PrintersPhoto Printers are used for printing photos and images in high quality and are used by professionals.
#5Inkjet PrintersInkjet printers are used to produce printouts on a variety of objects such as Envelop, T-shirts, visiting cards, invitation cards, etc.
Different Printers

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] on Thermal Printer Pros and Cons

What is a Thermal Printer Used for?

They are used in printing receipts and shipping labels.

Does the Thermal Printer Need a refill?

No, they do not use cartridges and ribbons.

Can Thermal Printer Print on Normal Paper?

They work only with thermal printers.

How long do Thermal Prints last?

They have considerably low life.

Is Thermal Printing Cheaper?

Yes

Two Types of Thermal Printers?

Thermal transfer and Direct thermal

Can Thermal Printer Print Color?

No, The Thermal Printer Prints black Color Prints.

Can Thermal Printer Print on Normal Paper?

No, Thermal Printers Works Only on Thermal Papers.

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