How to keep your thermal printer's printhead healthy
What causes printhead wear and premature failure? There are seven main factors:
1.Contamination. Thermal labels or other materials can become contaminated when they come into contact with abrasive materials and pass through the printhead. This can scratch or cut the protective coating of the printhead and cause premature failure. Again, it is wise to consult the printhead and/or thermal label supplier beforehand to determine the correct material to use for the printhead.
2.Printhead pressure.Regarding wear, excessive pressure can increase the friction of the printhead assembly. This in turn leads to wear and possible premature failure. To avoid this, strike a balance between darkness and stress.
3.Electrostatic discharge. Electrostatic discharge, characterized by the sudden and unexpected flow of electrical current between two charged objects, can cause serious damage to the internal circuitry of a printhead. Common causes of ESD include static electricity and unscheduled or incorrect maintenance. To minimize this, make sure all wires from the electrostatic brush mechanism and/or printhead are properly connected.
