Variety of Thermal Paper Grades

Following our last post, some of you asked about the availability of higher grade thermal paper. A variety of grades exist. There are four main aspects of thermal paper that affect its grade.

1. Sensitivity—how much energy it takes to image the paper. The higher the sensitivity the better the image.

2. Environmental Resistance—how resistant the paper is to things such as light, heat, and moisture.

3. Archivability Years—the number of years the paper will retain its image(s).

4. Caliper—the thickness of the paper measured typically measured in mils.

POS Supply Solutions offers a wide range of OEM approved direct thermal POS products. Whether your application calls for a standard POS grade, a high durability grade with 25-year archivability, or the use of multi-colored direct thermal, POS Supply Solutions has the thermal paper roll solution for you.

In future posts we will explore each of these aspects in more detail. In the meantime, please contact us if you have further questions about thermal paper.

Why do images fade on thermal paper?

Standard POS grade thermal papers use dye and coreactant technology to form an image. The combination is slightly sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light and may exhibit some image decline with extended exposure to office light or shorter exposure to intense UV light. The stability of the image will depend upon the degree to which the image was originally developed, the individual product design, the intensity of the UV light and the character of UV (percent of UV range in light source).

Since standard POS grade thermal paper is sensitive to ultraviolet light, it must be stored properly to encourage fade resistance. Thermal documents should be stored in a dark place at a relative humidity between 45% and 65% and a room temperature below 77°F (25°C). If these conditions are met and the recommended equipment is used to create the thermal documents, the images should remain legible for at least five to seven years.

In addition to UV light, exposure to the following materials may lead to image degradation and should therefore be avoided:

• Organic solvents (i.e. Alcohols, Ketones, Esters, and Ethers)
• Cleaning Fluids
• Plasticizers
• Petroleum Solvents
• Wet-type diazo copy paper
• Carbon papers
• Castcoated papers
• Papers containing tributal phosphate
• Dissimilar thermal systems
• Carbonless papers
• Ammonia
• Certain Oils
• Water (prolonged exposure)

Thermal paper comes in a variety of grades. We offer a plethora of paper grades to meet your needs and combat image life issues. Just let us know how we can help you!

Why blog about Point of Sale Supplies?

We receive hundreds of inquiries every year from people just like you who need a particular type of paper, ribbon, or cleaning solution and don’t know where to start. I’ll admit, even after 20+ years in the industry, it can be confusing to identify the exact type of supplies needed for an ultrasound machine, a gas station pump, a credit card terminal, or just a plain old adding machine. That’s where we come in. POS Supply Solutions prides itself on knowing the answers to your Point of Sale questions. If you stump us, we’re committed to finding the answers you need through some good old-fashioned research. Just leave a comment with your question(s) and we’ll get to work!

We also stay on top of economic trends , new POS product releases, and the global marketplace. We’re excited to discuss these things with you (and anything else regarding POS that you’re interested in!) and are dedicated to being your #1 resource when it comes to thermal paper, paper rolls, and all things Point of Sales.

Welcome to the Point of Sale Supplies Blog

Welcome to the Point of Sales Supplies Blog. Our goal is to provide you with relevant and timely information about the Point of Sales Supplies Marketplace.