Definitions for "Direct thermal"
Substrate coated with a substance which turns black in the immediate areas when heat is applied.
Direct thermal is a printing technology method in which the printer utilizes a paper that reacts chemically to heat. The label rolls are coated with a thermo-sensitive layer that darkens when exposed to intense heat. Direct thermal printers require no ink or ribbon and are typically used when a bar code label needs to endure for a year or less.
Direct thermal printing utilizes a heat sensitive chemically coated paper. The thermal print head is typically a long linear array of tiny resistive heating elements (about 100 to 300 per inch) that are arranged perpendicular to the paper flow. Each thermal print head element locally heats an area on the chemically coated paper directly under the print element. This induces a chemical reaction, which causes a black dot to form in that area. Building it from dot rows as the media passes underneath the active edge of the print head forms the image.