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Causes Of Printhead Failure in Thermal Barcode Printers

By: Tony Kwenns


Causes of thermal printhead or printhead failure in thermal barcode printers. Printhead repair.

Barcode printers often transfer images onto labels using thermal technology. These thermal barcode printers feature a printhead that is made of multiple tiny heating elements. In many cases, there are thousands upon thousands of these elements on a single printhead. A glass coating protects these heating elements. When the glass is heated, the printhead transfers the image either through a thermal ribbon or directly upon an appropriately treated label.

Obviously, a key to the successful operation of thermal barcode printers is a
properly functioning printhead. Although even the finest printheads are not made to last indefinitely (replacement of the part is assumed), there are some factors that can ruin a printhead quickly or reduce its life expectancy considerably. Review a few of these common causes of printhead failure in thermal barcode printers:

Abrasion is often a culprit. The glass shield on the heating elements can be
worn down rapidly when the print head is regularly rubbing against an abrasive material. The abrasion could come from any number of sources--grit in the area or labelling featuring a great deal of “scrap” or “lint” may be responsible for sidelining barcode printers by destroying printheads.

Misuse is another common cause of problems. Inappropriate contact with the
printhead by employees is a frequently noted source of printhead ruin. All users of barcode printers should be instructed in proper use of the equipment and should not make abusive or potentially damaging contact with a thermal printhead.

Overuse can also degrade a printhead. Most thermal barcode printers are rated to perform optimally within a certain range. Users who try to stretch their printer past its natural capacity may inadvertently damage or corrupt a printhead prematurely.

By decreasing the likelihood of printhead failure, thermal barcode printers can be a more reliable and affordable part of your business.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

For a full range of barcode printers and other labelling related solutions, visit www.thelabeller.com

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