If one were to hold a strip of used carbon ribbon up to the light, one would see an exact negative of the images that have been printed. It is termed a "one-trip" ribbon because once it has been rewound, the used roll is discarded and replaced with a new one. The used ribbon is rewound by a take-up spindle, forming a roll of "used" ribbon. As the substrate comes out of the printer, it is completely dry and can be used immediately.Ĭarbon ribbons are on rolls and are fitted onto a spindle or reel holder within the printer. When a dot "turns off", that element of the print head immediately cools down, and that part of the ribbon thereby stops melting/printing. The heated element immediately melts the wax- or resin-based ink on the side of the ribbon film facing the substrate, and this process, in combination with the constant pressure being applied by the print-head locking mechanism immediately transfers it onto the substrate. Each dot is addressed independently, and when a dot is electronically addressed, it immediately heats up to a pre-set (adjustable) temperature. Print heads are available in 203 dpi, 300 dpi and 600 dpi resolution options. A thermally compliant print head, in combination with the electrical properties of the ribbon and the correct rheological properties of the ribbon ink are all essential in producing a high-quality printed image. These three components effectively form a sandwich with the ribbon in the middle. The thermal-transfer print process utilises three main components: a non-movable print head, a carbon ribbon (the ink) and a substrate to be printed, which would typically be paper, synthetics, card or textile materials. Thermal-transfer printing is done by melting wax within the print heads of a specialized printer.
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