Resin Thermal Transfer ID Printing
Glossary
Resin Thermal Transfer ID Printing
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Resin thermal transfer printing of ID badges is similar to dye-sublimation printing in that both processes use a thermal printhead to transfer color from the ID card printer ribbon to the surface of the blank ID badge.
The difference between the two processes lies in the state in which color makes this journey from ribbon to ID card; and in the color palette available. Dye sublimation ID card printers transmute color into a vapor, on its way to the ID card. Resin thermal transfer printers heat the resin-based color ink of their ID card printer ribbons into liquid drops. Upon contact with the surface of the ID card, which has been heated, the drops of color and plastic card fuse.
One benefit of using a resin thermal transfer ID badge printer is an extremely durable ID card image. A limitation is that the image will be made up of just two colors: the white of the blank ID card, plus whatever color was selected for the ID card printer ribbon.
The economy and speed of the resin thermal transfer process makes it ideal for printing single color ID cards of any kind. In practice, the durability and crispness (as well as limited palette) of the process conspire to make it used primarily for printing text and bar codes. (Bar codes printed by resin thermal transfer ID badge printers can be read by both visible light and infra-red light bar code scanner).
