Running a business activity is not only associated with many opportunities, a sense of independence and the ability to influence important issues, but also with great responsibility. For a company to operate in accordance with the law, we must be sure that everything necessary is properly regulated. Only then will the activities we supervise be able to grow without any problems. What is particularly worth remembering?

Barcodes – advantages and benefits

Currently, entrepreneurs can use an increasing number of technologies that clearly improve their daily work and allow them to achieve better results and greater profits. Barcodes used in many industries and companies of all sizes are one such solution. Today, they are almost necessary in stores and warehouses. Their implementation can be both the company’s own management decision and the requirement imposed by companies with which business cooperation has been established.

What are the advantages of barcodes? They certainly allow for a specific and quick identification of products and gathering information about them. They can be placed on goods in two ways: printed directly on the packaging, or placed on a label attached to the goods. It is worth emphasizing that they can have different dimensions, so we can easily adapt them to a given product and packaging surface, even if they are non-standard.

Simple and effective operation

The essence of how barcodes work is extremely simple, but implementing them in an enterprise requires proper preparation. The first step is to apply to GS1 to apply for membership and to grant GS1 Company Prefixes. For entities registered in GS1 Poland, this is the GS1 590 prefix.

 An individual company number is also generated, which in combination with the prefix creates the whole in the form of the GS1 identification key. It is used to identify goods, their location, and logistics units. The next digits, from seven to twelve, are the correct number of the product, and the last digit is used to check the correctness of the number.

What exactly is GS1? It is an international organization with headquarters located in Brussels and Princeton. Its task is to manage the GS1 system on a global scale, verify the quality of bar codes and consultancy during the implementation of logistic labels. Poland became a member of the organization in 1990. GS1 standards are used to streamline transactions and facilitate coordination. They are based on global identification, information gathering and sharing, which is reflected in effective cooperation with business partners, and improvement of the efficiency of production processes within the company.

How to choose a bar code for the type of business?

It is very important to match the type of bar code to the nature of services rendered or products sold. It is worth following some basic criteria that will help to make the best decision. When applying for a product code that will be sold directly at the point of sale after scanning, it is worth starting by choosing the EAN/UPC symbol that will enable scanning around the world. If you want variables in the code in the form of expiry date, size or serial number, you will need to use the code with the GS1 2D, GS1 DataBar or GS1 – 128 symbol. It is also possible to include a URL in the bar code or to adapt it to the scanning option from an external packaging by a logistics company.

Although, the implementation of bar codes requires time and completing the necessary formalities, this project definitely pays off. It will be an investment in time saving, streamlining many processes, including logistics, and thus, it will allow achieving measurable benefits and profit. It will give the company a modern character and will further strengthen its professional reception among clients and contractors.

To make the right choice of a label printer, you should consider many parameters that will be crucial during the production process. Therefore, two types of label printers were created – thermal and thermal transfer printers. Therefore, it is worth knowing how each of them works, what are the differences, and which may turn out to be a more accurate choice. This will avoid unnecessary costs and the need to replace the printer with a more suitable one.

What is a thermal printer and how does it work?

A thermal printer is a type of printer that is proven and works with a special type of labels only. Their operation is mainly based on changing the color of the label due to the use of very high temperature during printing. The color change can be easily achieved by using a specially designed thermal head, which is composed of a needle matrix. In this case, label printing occurs by pressing the spring on the head. After the contact with the thermal paper, the head leaves blackened points, thanks to which a bar code and an inscription appear on the label.

The thermal printer is classified as a mosaic printer. However, it should be kept in mind that it can only be used for printing on thermal paper that is resistant to high temperatures and other types of labels cannot be used at the same time. Moreover, it should also be kept in mind that under the influence of solar radiation, i.e. factors such as sunlight or high temperature, the print on the label has a tendency to fade. Therefore, exposing the label from thermal printing to prolonged adverse weather conditions may lead to its permanent total or partial disappearance.

How does a thermal transfer printer work?

Another type of label printer is a thermal transfer printer. Its work consists in melting the ribbon on the label by means of high temperature. The dye that appears in the carbon transfer ribbon is placed on the printed label, thus the name “thermal transfer”. The main advantage of using a thermal transfer printer is the fact that you can use both paper and foil labels here. What is more, the print on this label does not show susceptibility to external factors such as sunlight, high temperature or UV radiation.

An additional factor that makes a thermal transfer printer a good choice is the wide selection of this type of printers. On the market and on the Internet you can find many thermal transfer printers, which are usually at comparable prices to thermal printers.

Which printer will be the better choice?

Very often, it is quite difficult to clearly determine which type of printer will be the better choice. The key factor that determines the choice is the intended use of such a printer. Another factor is whether or not the printer is intended to label only waybills, which are usually not exposed to prolonged exposure to adverse conditions. If the printer is intended only for printing labels and barcodes that are not exposed to long-term adverse weather conditions, choosing a thermal printer may be a good option.

In turn, when labels need to be resistant to such factors as washing, strong rubbing or other adverse factors, it is worth considering a thermal transfer printer. Then, you can be sure that despite the unfavorable external conditions the print will be well visible and there is no fear of its disappearance. Additionally, you can use different types of labels, both paper and foil, for a thermal transfer printer. This means that thermal transfer printers have a universal nature of use and therefore may be a better choice as opposed to thermal printers.

Transfer tape, also known as ribbon, is one of the basic consumables. It has been designed for thermal transfer printers. Properly selected, both for the type of labels and the printing machine, it will become an excellent dye carrier. However, many users have a problem selecting a thermal transfer ribbon, depending on the type of printer they have. There are several types of tapes, each serving different labels and devices. How to choose the right one?

Coloring tapes and their types

This is one of the parameters that we need to get acquainted with to know what kind of tape will work best when achieving our goals. Each type of tape will have a different use, and also different properties.

We print different types of labels on them. Basically, thermal transfer ribbons are divided into:

✔️ wax thermal transfer ribbon – this type will be used for paper labels with a matte finish. For other types of labels, the print will smudge and disappear. With paper labels, the dye will be more durable and resistant. It is worth adding that this type of tape is one of the cheapest on the market.

✔️ resin thermal transfer ribbon – this type of tape will work with all types of labels. No matter if they are plastic or paper. Thus, it is possible to finish both matte, glossy and semi-glossy. This will not affect the quality of the print, which will be permanent. It will also be resistant to weather conditions. This is the most expensive type of tape offered by the market. For paper labels, we can choose wax tape, which is much cheaper.

✔️ Resin-wax dyeing tape – we can use it for foil and semi-gloss labels. It is not the cheapest on the market, so like in the previous case, let us use a cheaper solution for paper labels.

✔️ Textile thermal transfer ribbon – used e.g. in label printing. 

✔️ Colored thermal transfer ribbons – they stand out because they offer colors other than black. Thanks to them, monochrome printing is possible.

The right size

Thermal transfer ribbons have different sizes that should be matched to the labels we intend to print. Remember, regardless of the chosen type of tape so that its width slightly exceeds the width of the label. Then, we will avoid problems caused by anaesthetic wrinkling, and we will make sure that the print is made correctly, without distortion. Another tape parameter is its length. We need to adapt it to the printer specifications.

The device manufacturer usually places information about the maximum length of the tape in the package. The length of the tape depends on it, and is as follows:

✔️ for office printers, typically, thermal transfer ribbon is 74 m long. 
✔️ for desktop printers, this parameter is 110 m.
✔️ for industrial printers it is 300 m and 450 m.

Remember to read the printer specifications first. In the manufacturer’s guidelines, in addition to the maximum tape length in the package, we also read:

✔️ printing width – it defines the width of the core. A thermal transfer ribbon is wound on it. The most popular are currently 4-inch printers with an S-core size.
✔️ Core diameter – it depends on the printer model. They come in 0.5 inch and 1 inch sizes.

However, it should be taken into account that the width of the core does not always specify the width of the thermal transfer ribbon. It all depends on the type of labels. If the core is spaced, for example, at 3 inches, but we need to print smaller labels, we can confidently use a tape with a smaller width than the roll on which it is wound. This will not affect the quality of the print, nor its durability. Of course, if we adjust the type of thermal transfer ribbon first. The selection of this product is not easy, you need the right knowledge and knowledge of the offer available on the market.

Sophisticated jewellery products are marked with professional labels, which are characterized by unusual shapes or the highest quality of materials from which they are made. All information on the label is legible even several months after printing. The materials used for the production of jewellery labels can be distinguished by silver matt polyester film (PET), silver polyester film imitating brushed steel and white polyethylene (PE) film. The jewellery industry has specific dimensions that jewellery labels should have – these dimensions are 10 × 50 mm with narrowing.

Characteristics of jewellery labels

These labels are primarily characterized by their small size to discreetly present the most important product information to the customer. The label should contain information about price, quality and type of material, as well as weight. In addition, this information is applied directly to the product (without leaving any traces of glue) or on a special tag.

A thermal or thermal transfer printer allows the entrepreneur to print labels in the workplace, which is an incredibly convenient. Jewellery labels can be both shiny and matte. On shiny tags you can write only with a foil pen or oil pen. However, to sign on the matte label, you only need to use a regular pen. Shiny tags can be divided into ready-made or with individual printing. A characteristic feature of matt labels is their pigment printing, while shiny labels are made using resin printing technology. It is worth noting that resin printing is fully resistant to abrasion.

How are labels for marking jewellery products made?

Labels are usually made of polypropylene so that the sticker is fully resistant to water or mechanical damage. Many printers available on the market create labels that are compatible with barcode scanners. When choosing a jewellery label printer, consider the stock. For example, office printers are extremely compact and print about 2,000 labels a day. Meanwhile, the circulation of industrial printers is almost 15,000 printed per day – the difference in volume is sky-high.

An intermediate product is a semi-industrial printer, which is also ideal for printing greater volumes. All printers intended for printing labels for jewellery marking should be characterized by stability, durability and simplicity in use. In addition to good quality, the printer should be used for the production of durable labels and proven materials. The minimum application temperature for jewellery labels is -23 degrees Celsius.

The durability of labels anticipated by producers is a year indoors. Usually, one roll is about 3000 labels. Labels with an overlap have a permanent adhesive layer that leaves no traces. The price of one roll is about PLN 150.00.

How to order a jewellery label?

The first step necessary to realize an order is to provide the customer with all parameters and information that, at his discretion, should appear on the jewellery label. Many customers appreciate the direct contact with the label maker, as the customer’s vision of label designs may change at the production stage. Label makers should provide customers with a ready design and allow them to make initial adjustments.

Establishing a cost estimate is an extremely important element when ordering jewellery labels. Many companies guarantee delivery time up to one week. Jewellery labels are characterized by elegance and durability. They are designed to attract the customer’s attention, while not obscuring the main element, which is jewellery.

The choice of the right tape is essential if you want to print data quickly. Label printers usually use resin, wax or mixed tapes. Choosing the right type has a huge effect on the print quality. The substrate on which we will print needs to be taken into account. For thermal transfer printing, it is possible to apply barcodes, information and graphics to various types of surfaces. These include nylon, satin, cardboard, paper and PVC, PE, PET and PP films. Thermal transfer ribbons are used in the automotive, pharmaceutical, food and many other industries. You can choose tapes in several colors to design your dream label.

Available types of thermal transfer ribbons

Wax tapes are not very resistant to chemicals and mechanical damage. For this reason, they are only used for products with a short shelf life, not exceeding 12 months. Because this material is extremely delicate, the temperature of the printer head must not exceed a certain level. If it is too high, the wax will be damaged.

A more resistant alternative is resin tapes – they cope well in outdoor conditions. It is a relatively durable material that is used for printing on paper, textile labels and foil. However, this type of tape requires a high temperature print head. If you need matte, glossy, semi-gloss labels or cardboard tags, then it is worth using the so-called mixed tapes, i.e. wax-resin. They are more resistant to scratches, moisture and temperature than wax models. However, they are less durable when in contact with chemicals than resin tapes. The right choice depends on the conditions in which we will use the labels produced.

What are thermal transfer labels useful for?

We can find the greatest number of such labels in various warehouses and logistics centers. Special printers are able to quickly produce large quantities of labels with resistant prints. The information contained there will not be damaged under the influence of moisture, UV radiation and abrasion.

Thermal transfer models are also used in steel storage centers and building warehouses. They are used to mark products that are outside for a ling time. They are therefore exposed to weather conditions. Thermal transfer labels cope well with these conditions – the print remains visible and clear. During the production process they are equipped with a layer of strong glue that allows adhesion to the substrate. This means that they are ready to use immediately after purchase. They are sold in rolls, which should then be attached to the printer. The price depends primarily on the number of rolls and the label format.

Which printers are used for thermal transfer ribbons?

The task of the label printer is to print self-adhesive labels. It is the most popular tool used for the production of this type of labels. Although they can have any shape, the most common are rectangular labels with rounded corners. Thermal transfer printing allows getting a variety of colors – just use the colored ribbon. This is not possible in thermal printing. These types of printers do not use toners or ink.

Thermal transfer models use plain paper and ribbon. There are many different types of printers for thermal transfer ribbons on the market. It is worth noting that each of them supports all three types of carbon paper. When choosing a tape for the printer, we must pay attention to the diameter of the core. A difference of even a few millimeters may prevent proper printing. For office printers, tapes on rollers with an internal diameter of 12 mm are the optimal choice. Instead of printing labels on your own, use the services of an experienced company.