Purchasing A Thermal Disc Printer? Factors To Consider!

By Author: Sadaf Faz
Total Articles: 6
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To buy a printer that will best fulfill your needs, it is imperative to determine exactly what your CD / DVD printing requirements are. Inkjet printing is a viable option for some lower-volume applications (particularly after the introduction of waterproof inkjet printable discs), but a thermal disc printer is the best option for high volume professional disc labeling and personalization. A number of factors to take into considerations when selecting a thermal disc printer to fulfill your specific needs are outlined below.

The difference between a standard thermal disc printer and a re-transfer (reverse transfer) thermal disc printer: Since it does not provide color blending, a standard thermal disc printer is typically used to produce monochrome and spot color labels. If you need to print CD / DVD labels that feature simple graphics and text, this kind of printer is a suitable choice. However, if you want to produce offset-quality labels with photo-realistic color, look for a printer that uses the thermal re-transfer labeling process first developed by the Rimage Company in 2001. Keep in mind though that some of ...
... the lower-end thermal retransfer printers may print photographic quality images, but produce somewhat grainy printed text and graphics. You can avoid this drawback if you invest in a high-end thermal re-transfer model. A thermal re-transfer Rimage printer is ideal for high-speed, high volume disc printing of durable, full-color, high resolution and photographic quality labels.

Determine the type of images you want to produce (single color, full-color, photo-realistic, graphics, text-only etc.). If you do not need full-color disc labels, a standard thermal printer like the Rimage PrismPlus could be your best choice.

The type of label printing alone is not enough to choose the thermal disc printer you need; you must also calculate the number of discs you will be producing over a given time period. The combination of these two factors (desired print features and volume) is essential for selecting a thermal disc printer with an appropriate printing speed. Monochromatic thermal disc printers are the fastest source for producing CD labels; a single color thermal disc printer can have a print speed time of less than 5 seconds per disc. Photorealistic, full color labels require a longer print time; the fastest model available today is the Everest 600 Rimage printer, which has a print time of about 1 minute per disc (for full color printing).

The cost factor is contingent on both the print speed and the image quality you require. A thermal disc printer from Rimage and other leading brands typically cost between $5,000 and $10,000. However, the cost per print is more important than the initial cost of the thermal disc printer itself. Because a thermal disc printer uses a ribbon and not an ink cartridge (where consumption depends of the type of image printed), the cost per print is easy to measure. It costs about 2 cents to print a CD / DVD label using a standard thermal disc printer.

The cost factor should always include the cost of consumables (print ribbons). One of the reasons a thermal disc printer is the best choice for volume printing is that it uses a ribbon than can print a large number of discs before it needs to be replaced. This is especially true for thermal re-transfer printers. A Rimage printer like the Prism or the Everest can print about 50,000 discs during its normal lifetime.

Finally, remember to factor in other elements such as printable media quality and printing software features. If you purchase a Rimage printer, for instance, you can also buy Rimage DVDs that are manufactured to match printer specifications. Rimage sells pre-packaged printing supply kits that are designed to work together with their hardware (and software) to give you consistent results. The quality of printable media should always be a consideration when you buy a thermal disc printer and Rimage DVDs are hub-printable, meaning that you can print on the entire disc surface, right up to the spindle hole.

To sum up, in addition to the quality of the printer itself, production capacity, speed and, of course, cost per print (including the price of ribbon refills) are the main factors to consider when purchasing a thermal disc printer. Purchase a printer with specifications that fit your specific production needs, and always make sure it is a reliable brand. Rimage is the leading name in thermal disc printing. When you purchase a Rimage thermal disc printer, you will have the comfort of being able to project service costs in order to optimize profitability. Also remember that you'll get the best print results if you buy the right discs for your printer (Rimage DVDs for a Rimage printer etc).
To know more about Rimage Printers or to buy them visit Rimage Thermal Disc Printers page. And to buy Rimage Printer Supplies visit Rimage Printer Suppliespage