Intermec ThermaMAX 2000 12232311 User Manual

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Media Feed 

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•  Provides no-cost printhead replacement for all Intermec fixed printers
•  Lowers total cost of ownership, speeds up return on investment
•  Applies to all Intermec media supplies

*Conditions apply. See www.intermec.com 

Thermal Transfer media uses a ribbon to image the text and 

bar codes on a variety of materials, both paper and film. 

When the ribbon is passed beneath the print head, the heat 

softens the ribbon ink while in contact with the label or 

tag, resulting in the transfer of the ink to the surface of the 

label or tag. There are three general classes of ribbons that 

are used in thermal printers: Wax, Mid-range, and Resin.  

Wax ribbons are the most commonly used class and are mostly 

targeted to print paper labels and tags that will be exposed 

to relatively benign environments. Wax ribbons are also 

used to print on film labels and tags in some applications.

Mid-range ribbons are a hybrid design where resin is mixed 

with the wax to produce ribbons with durability properties that 

fall somewhere between the wax and resin ribbons. Mid-range 

ribbons are used to print on both paper and film labels and tags.  

Resin ribbons are the most durable and are mostly 

targeted to printing on film labels and tags that 

will be exposed to extreme environments.  

Direct Thermal media uses a transparent heat-sensitive coating 

applied to its surface to image text and bar codes. When the 

heat from the print head contacts the coating, it initiates a 

chemical reaction that turns the coating black.  

Direct Thermal vs. Thermal Transfer