Thermal Paper Rolls

Factors To Consider – How Long Does Thermal Printing Last

Most small and medium businesses use thermal paper as their primary source of digital transactions. If you’re a retail business owner and run a store that deals in offering cashless payments, you’ll need thermal receipts rolls for your POS systems. Similarly, there are a lot of sectors like hospitals, retail stores, and parking departments where thermal paper printing is required to print the receipts. The question is – does thermal printing last for long, or does it fade after a short period of time?

Let’s understand the whole scenario around how much thermal paper printing lasts and how you can prevent them from fading early.

What is thermal printing?

Thermal printing or thermal transfer printing is a type of digital printing in which the printing material is applied to a melting coating of ribbon. This makes the material glued to the paper on which the printing material is applied.

What is the age of thermal printing?

But, do you know how long does thermal printing lasts?

You can find two different types of thermal printing: direct thermal printing and thermal transfer printing. 

The lifespan of direct thermal printing is around 7-25 years, whereas thermal transfer printing lasts for 2—35 years. It’s up to you which kind of thermal printing you opt for your business receipt printing.

To consider the age of thermal printing, you also need to focus on a few aspects, including:

Thermal Printing Lifespan Based On Media Type

Thermal Transfer paper – thermal transfer paper ensures a longer lifespan for thermal printing for SMBs.

Direct Thermal Paper – Direct thermal printing has a comparatively lesser shelf life, ensuring high-quality printing and clarity in information.

Synthetic Media – These days, synthetic media is in the trend, making thermal printing more durable, qualitative, and heat and moisture resistant.

Thermal Printing Lifespan Based On Storage Conditions

Storage conditions are also a most important factor, making thermal printing more eligible to adapt by businesses. Let’s check out what you need to consider while storing thermal printed products.

•         Make sure you store unused thermal paper sheet rolls away from direct heat and sunlight.
•         Prefer dark areas to store the material.
•         The storage area should be dry and cool.
•         The relative humid temperature of the storage area should be approx. 45-65%.
•         The atmospheric temperature can be reached or lower than 25ºC (77°F).
•         Try to avoid compressing the thermal paper roll. It is also suggested not to place any heavy objects on the roll too many rolls together as it may hamper thermal printing quality.

It was all about the thermal printing lifespan, but do you know what you need to do to keep thermal prints longer even if they are in use.

How do you protect your thermal prints from fading?

A few things need to be kept in mind while you’re looking to safeguard your thermal prints from fading. Check them below and adapt them to keep your thermal papers lasting for long.

Keep a copy of your thermal prints so you can get a new copy when your existing thermal print deteriorates. If your paper gets destroyed by some climate or human-made conditions, you can simply get the copy out and make a new one to proceed with your work.

Another way you can opt for is to scan the document and store a digital copy in backup system. The benefit is that you can print that stored copy whenever you want and need it.

Apart from that, if you are truly concerned about the safety of your thermal prints, you should keep them away from direct sunlight and heat. This will help you protect your thermal prints from fading too soon.

Thermal Printing Lifespan Key Considerations

Let’s check out the best considerations you can choose to keep your thermal prints long-lasting.

Exposure to Heat

Your thermal paper should be high-quality and can withstand heat and extreme temperatures. You need to pick the thermal paper which is not heat-sensitive and does not get black when the temperature exceeds 150° F (66° C).

Keep Away from Moisture

You should go with the moisture-resistance media paper for better printing results and long-lasting life. You can have them from reliable thermal paper manufacturers and suppliers as they offer synthetic media, which is typically not affected by climate conditions and moisture.

Thickness of Media

The thickness of media also matters to make thermal printing long-lasting. If you choose sturdy and thicker media or thermal paper, the printing results would probably be the best, clear, and long-lasting.

Archiving Issues

The most important factor is to know how much your printing material and receipts are useful for your business. If these are useful for a short period, it is not preferred to use expensive and high-quality media paper. For that, direct thermal paper and printing are recommended.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, thermal printing is quite a good option if you look for long-term results for your business operations. Therefore, thermal printing is generally highly recommended, even if it uses standard quality material. Just imagine what you would get if the thermal transfer printing were accomplished using high-grade thermal paper, which ensures clear and long-lasting printing on business materials. Now, you must have got an idea about how long does thermal printing lasts and what steps you can take to keep the printing protected.