What is the difference between inkjet printing* and thermal transfer printing?
Inkjet printing* and thermal transfer printing are commonly used for customizing the surfaces of CD-R discs, however each uses different technology to place inks on the printing surface of the discs. It is important to remember that inkjet printable and thermal printable CD-Rs are not interchangeable. In inkjet printers*, inks are sprayed, via droplets of an ink solution, onto a specially designed surface material on the disc. This special material, the inkjet receiver layer, is intended to hold the ink droplets in place while absorbing the liquid components of the ink. In thermal transfer printers, a print head that contains resistive elements in a linear array heats ink-coated films (ribbons). The head is in direct contact with the uncoated side of the ribbon and the ink-coated side of the ribbon is in direct contact with the disc’s printable surface. The ink is heated, causing it to melt and adhere to the printing surface. Specially formulated materials are used for the printable su
