You get a receipt each time you shop at the mall, purchase a drink at 7-Eleven, or take out cash from an ATM. The paper used to make these receipts is thermal.
Did you know?
Every day, a busy store utilizes over fifty pieces of 80 mm by 80 mm thermal paper rolls! They place new orders when they run out. The thermal paper industry benefits greatly from this “repeat consumption” as it generates consistent cash flow and profit.
Although it is often thought of as a small-scale manufacturing enterprise, the manufacture of thermal paper rolls is really quite lucrative. It provides a simple and speedy payback on investment.
In the digital era, thermal paper is a silent hero essential to daily transactions and record-keeping processes. This paper is used to print receipts, labels, tickets, and other papers; it is occasionally ignored. Thermal receipt paper is in many sectors, as seen by the 3 1/8″ x 230 thermal paper rolls frequently used in point-of-sale systems.
Graphic Tickets and Systems has been producing premium thermal paper for customers in sectors, such as credit card slips, POS receipts, and medical reports. Therefore, you need to be aware of the thermal paper roll manufacturer involved in producing high-quality thermal paper before you start the conversion from a traditional method of account keeping. Â
In this post, we will demonstrate how to make thermal paper rolls.
Parts of Thermal Paper
Let’s dissect the thermal receipt paper’s three main parts before delving into its functionality.
Primary Document
The thermal paper’s base layer helps in heat transmission. The base paper serves as the foundation or substrate for subsequent layers. Thermal paper begins with the base paper, formed of wood pulp. A precoat prime it to seal any pores and guarantee a level and smooth printing surface. Another method is to use synthetic thermal stocks.
The paper’s overall performance, heat insulation, durability, and picture clarity depend on its underlying layer.
Leuco developer and dyes
Leuco dyes are from powdered colorless crystals as their raw material. The thermal paper roll manufacturer, an organic acid in the coating, combines with the melted dye crystals wherever they come into contact with the heat generated by a thermal print head to form an opaque color. Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Bisphenol-S (BPS) are the most often used developers.
Sensitizers
It is to confirm the thermal reaction happens at the right temperature. Sensitizers are therefore added to thermal paper. These sensitizers regulate the temperature at which the thermal in the paper will activate.
Warm Coating
A thin layer of special chemicals that, when heated, change color. The power of the paper to create pictures without the need for ink is due to this layer. The thermal paper roll’s distinctive heat-sensitive responses are made possible by its thermal coat, which is its distinguishing layer.Â
When thermal paper goes through the printer, the chemicals in this layer are activated by the heat from the printer, resulting in the appearance of text or graphics. This layer’s goal is to create thermally reactive pictures.
Layer of Precoat
The thermal coating is protected from light and moisture by an outer layer. It guarantees the lifetime of the printed pictures and enhances heat insulation. The undercoating, or precoat layer, is a crucial component of thermal printing paper. It is in between the thermal coating and the base paper.
Its primary purpose is to level out the base paper’s surface so that the thermal coating is applied. This application gets clear images when the paper reacts to heat. Additionally, the precoat layer improves print quality by encouraging thermal coating bonding to paper.
Three Simple Steps to Produce Thermal Paper Rolls
The idea is simple: utilize slitting and rewinding equipment to cut big thermal jumbo rolls into the appropriate smaller roll sizes.
Supplies Required:
One machine for slicing and rewinding
Large rolls of thermal paper
Cores made of paper or plastic
Just one forklift
One worker with experience
A few packing supplies (such as tapes, boxes, POF film, and adhesive)
Method of Production:
Place the Jumbo Roll onto the Slitting Device
Elevate the giant rolls onto the slitting machine using a forklift or other mechanical apparatus. Typical dimensions for jumbo rolls are:
405 x 6000 mm
558 x 8000 mm
565 x 9000 mm
636 x 8000 mm
790 x 12000 m
795 x 12000 m
Based on the tiny roll sizes you want to manufacture, choose the appropriate jumbo roll size. As an illustration:
Use a 405mm, 558mm, or 636mm width jumbo roll for an 80mm width roll.
Use a 565mm jumbo roll for a 57mm wide roll.
Prominent manufacturers of jumbo rolls of thermal paper include Hansol (South Korea), OJI (Japan), Appvion (USA), Koehler (Germany), and APP (Indonesia). If necessary, we can also provide giant rolls.
Make necessary Blade adjustments.
Set the blade distance to 79mm to create thermal paper rolls with an 80mm width. To guarantee smooth functioning in printers, the actual roll width is somewhat less than the specified size. For example, change to 79 mm for 80 mm rolls and to 56 mm for 57 mm rolls.
Activate the Slitting Device
After making sure the giant roll is firmly in place on the shaft, turn on the machine. By default, the slitting machine will divide the large rolls into smaller ones. To make sure you get the appropriate sizes, keep an eye on the digital counter to monitor the roll lengths. A single skilled employee may effectively oversee all these tasks.
You may successfully and economically make high-quality thermal paper rolls by following these instructions.
Important Properties of Thermal Paper
The purpose of thermal paper is “thermal printing.” The printing quality and image stability of thermal paper make it valuable in addition to its standard qualities. The ability to pre-print thermal paper using traditional techniques like offset or flexo printing is also crucial.
General Paper Characteristics: Fundamental Features:
Grammage: The paper’s weight
Density: The paper’s thickness
Wetness: The paper’s water content
Strength Characteristics:
How much force the paper can bear when pulled is its tensile strength.
Tearing Power: How tearing-easy the paper is
Surface Properties: Elongation: The maximum length of stretch the paper can withstand before breaking
Brightness: The degree to which the paper reflects light
Opacity: The paper’s ability to let light through
Whiteness: The paper’s apparent whiteness
Texture/Smoothness: The surface roughness of the paper
Surface Tensile Power: The paper’s resistance to pressure and friction
Properties of Absorption:
Water:Â Absorption Capacity of the Paper
Oil: The paper’s capacity to absorb oil
Printing Ink: The degree to which the paper takes up ink during printing
Properties of Thermal Paper:
Visual Stability:
How long, when preserved correctly, can you read a thermal print? Making sure printed information lasts as long as necessary requires doing this.
Density:
The optical density value obtained from the thermally printed picture expresses the print’s clarity and darkness.
Sensitivity to Static
The temperature at which the formation of the thermal picture begins.
Low Static Sensitivity: At high temperatures, the picture develops.
High Static Sensitivity: Low temperatures cause the picture to develop.
When using the paper in high-temperature environments, strong static sensitivity is essential.
Adaptive Sensitivity
What is the thermal paper’s print speed and energy level?
Faster printing and higher print quality are associated with higher dynamic sensitivity.
Knowing these characteristics makes it easier to choose the best thermal paper for a variety of uses, guaranteeing prints that are clear and long-lasting.
Thermal Printing
Printers that utilize heat rather than ink to generate pictures use thermal paper. The thermal paper forms the picture by changing color as it moves over the heated print head. As a result, there is no need for toner, cartridges, or ink ribbons, simplifying and cleaning up the process.
The thermal print head of the printer warms certain regions of the thermal paper in a process known as direct heat transfer.
The paper’s coated surface forms the desired picture or text by becoming black in response to the heat.
Thermal printers are small, dependable, and need little upkeep. Printing tickets, labels, POS receipts, and medical charts are among their frequently used applications.
Thermal Paper’s Structure
The layers that make up thermal paper each have a distinct function:
Base Document:
Specifically designed for thermal printing technique, this is the base layer.
Its purpose is to assist the thermal coating.
Layer of Precoat:
Enhances smoothness and heat insulation.
Guarantees the correct adhesion and consistent operation of the thermal layer.
Layer of Heat:
The crucial layer from which the picture originates.
Includes dye, developer, and sensitizer chemicals that, when exposed to heat, react, making the paper black in heated regions.
Improved Thermal Paper
More layers are added for applications that need greater durability:
Topcoat Layer:
Used to shield the printed picture from heat damage by covering it.
Ensures the picture lasts longer by providing protection against water, oil, solvents, humidity, and scratches.
Layer of Backcoat:
Applied on the paper’s backside.
Inhibits curling, serves as a barrier against adhesives, and aids in the anti-static treatment process.
Knowing these layers and how they work makes it easier to choose the best thermal paper type for a certain application, guaranteeing long-lasting and excellent printing. Because of its dependability and ease of use, thermal printing is a preferred option in many different sectors.
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Environmental Issues and Advancements
Despite its simplicity, thermal paper’s environmental implications have drawn criticism. BPA also in traditional thermal paper compositions, which has raised concerns about possible health risks and environmental effects. Technological advancements have led to compositions devoid of phenol and BPS, which serve as safer alternatives to BPA.
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