Whether you're buying groceries at the supermarket, getting a coffee at your local espresso bar, paying for petrol, or buying a big-ticket item, receipts are indispensable. They are your proof of payment and act as the guarantee of your purchase once the transaction is complete. They are also becoming important as carriers of communication and advertisement.
As a result, printability, durability and running qualities in thermal printers are crucial criteria when it comes to their use in every-day life.
“Receipts have long been more than just proof of facts and figures,” says Mandy Williams, national sales manager at paper communication company PaperGeni, a division of Bytes Technology Group. “As a result, thermal papers are frequently exposed to a wide variety of climatic and chemical conditions, and great demands are being made on the paper when it comes to quality.”
Thermal papers must not only meet the speed requirements of fast printers in till systems, but must also be stable and resistant to wear.
In thermal printing, the thermal energy generated by a large number of small heating elements produces a colour reaction, and with it the print image, on the special coated paper.
“Thermal printing offers several advantages over other printing techniques,” says Williams. “It's silent, reliable, has low running costs, does not require other consumables such as toner or ink, is easy to use, and does not require solvents. In addition, the printer is compact, making it ideal for portable handheld devices that are taken to the customer.”
With thermal papers, the coated side is used to print receipts. The back offers all sorts of opportunities for advertising, which in turn can offset costs. Printed branding and advertising are also possible on the front, to a limited extent.
More and more receipts are being used as a vehicle for advertising. Offset, flexo, and other conventional printing techniques offer further advertising potential for the use of thermal papers - and make great demands on their properties. The printability of the paper before it reaches the thermal printer is therefore of growing importance.
“Thermal paper is heat-sensitive and the poorer the quality, the more rapidly the paper is likely to degrade,” Williams says. “Direct sunlight or a hot environment can turn the slip black and the printing will fade. Cheap thermal paper does not have a guarantee when it comes to fade resistance. That's why you need to opt for the grades that are specifically produced for point-of-sale receipts and statements, and which have a printing durability of five years. These slips must, however, be filed in a protective cabinet in a cool environment to ensure maximum longevity.”
Williams adds that experienced printers act as expert advisers to their customers on any technical matters pertaining to printing.
Share
LaserCom and PaperGeni
LaserCom, the electronic print and document management outsourcing specialist, is an operating division of Bytes Technology Group. It specialises in bulk laser printing and mailing; transpromo marketing; envelope manufacturing; on-demand and variable content printing; electronic document delivery and archiving solutions; stationery sourcing and management; document finishing; document composition and design; bulk scanning; and electronic document delivery. With its headquarters in Amalgam, Johannesburg, the company also has branches in Durban and Cape Town. It services such clients as MTN, Vodacom, Cell C, Altech Autopage, IBM, Diners Club, SAA, Mr Price Group, African Bank, Ellerines and SA Home Loans. LaserCom has been rated a Level 2 Contributor and value-adding supplier by EmpowerDEX.
Editorial contacts