Buyers Guide to Zebra Ribbons

When printing with Zebra or other thermal printers there are two main types of technology - DirectThermal and ThermalTransfer. DirectThermal uses heat to create an image on a chemically coated, heat sensitive label. This restricts the printing to black, restricts the materials and also makes the labels unsuitable for exposure to prolonged direct sunlight.

With ThermalTransfer however a ribbon is used to print the image, which means that a special label is not required and it can print on to all kinds of different materials of different types and thicknesses. It also allows a much greater control of the thickness, quality and resistance of the image to abrasion and chemicals. These are also ideal for outdoor usage.

However, as with the labels there is a wide variety of difference types of Zebra Ribbons and it can get complicated trying to decide what to buy.

When choosing the best print ribbon you need to chose between the 3 main types: Resin, Wax and Wax/Resin. You also need to match the Zebra Ribbons up to the type of labels you wish to print on as some combinations do not work very well.

Your Zebra supplier will be able to tell you which is the best combination of labels and Zebra Ribbons for your needs - Label King (www.labelking.co.uk) are happy to help with this if required.

Each of the 3 main types is broken down into 3 subtypes as explained below:

1) Wax/Resin - Formulated to offer high-quality, durable bar codes, text, and graphics on coated paper and matte synthetic materials.

3200 - Durable, special ink formulated ribbon is UL Recognized and CSA Component Acceptable when used with Zebra approved labels.

5555 - For printing bar codes on coated paper. Clear images and durability in harsh conditions.

5586 - Smear and scratch resistance in a variety of environments.

2) Resin - These Zebra Ribbons provide exceptional solvent resistance for the harshest environments. Typically used on Gloss Paper/Synthetics.

4100 - For dense bar codes and graphics on a wide variety of materials. Excellent edge definition on synthetic substrates.

5095 - For high-density bar codes and high-resolution graphics.

5100 - For printing dense black images in harsh environments. Great choice for printed circuit board applications. When used in combination with 8000T Z-Endure labels this gives up to 10 years external usage.

3) Wax - Zebra offers several performance ribbons formulated for high-quality printing on both coated and uncoated paper facestocks.

2100 - For high-speed printing. High print quality for barcodes on coated/uncoated labels and tags.

5319 - For tough-to-print uncoated or uneven tag stocks. Features unmatched scannability and performance, even on Tyvek.

5049 -For high-quality printing on coated facestocks.

One more thing to remember is that you should always use genuine Zebra supplies, so that you know you'll:
•Reduce wear and tear on your printheads
•Lower the overall cost of printer operation
•Optimize performance with application matched labels and ribbons
•Have a choice of more than 300 UL/CSA approved ribbon/label combinations
•Enjoy access through Zebra partners to Zebra's talented custom design team for solutions to your unique challenges

For further details, or to purchase Zebra Ribbons, please visit Label King at http://www.labelking.co.uk/Zebra-Ribbons.html