Wax-Resin

Most common type of thermal transfer ribbons; it combines both wax and resin properties and can offer greater versatility.

What is a wax-resin ribbon?

A wax-resin Thermal Transfer ribbon is made with a combination of wax and resin based ingredients.

Among all Thermal Transfer ribbon ranges, Wax-resin ribbons are the most versatile in terms of usage as they respond to a very wide array of label printing needs in the logistics, production and distribution sectors.

Wax-resin ribbons can print on almost all types of label and packaging film substrates:

Paper labels: Vellum, Coated and Glossy coated
Synthetic labels: Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Polyester
Flexible packaging films

What are the typical use of wax-resin Thermal Transfer ribbons for barcode printers?

Signages and logos
Frozen food packaging
Laboratory
Hot food packaging
Tags
Flexible packaging
Outdoor products
Automotive
Medicine packaging
Distribution label
Fresh produce
Bag of parts
Bottle
Pallet
Shipping
Tire

What are the advantages of wax-resin thermal transfer ribbons?

Multi-use: can be used for very broad label printing needs. Several applications with different requirements can be answered with one ribbon.

High speed capability: both on label materials (12 ips) and flexible packaging films (32 ips).

Compared to a Wax ribbon, a Wax-resin based ribbon will print faster, offer a stronger print durability and a higher print quality thanks to a greater sharpness.

Print durability: good resistance to scratch, smear, scuffing or rubbing.

Excellent receptor multi-compatibility: paper labels, synthetic labels, flexible packaging.

Very good printing quality: The heat sensitivity of the ink provides a great sharpness and print precision.

Very good blackness: the high density of the ink (up to 2.2 ODR) provides a very clear readability and barcode scanning.

What makes a wax-resin ribbon different from wax and resin ribbons?

Competitiveness: Wax-resin ribbons are more technical products than Wax ribbons, so their price is higher. However it is cheaper than Resin ribbons which propose a premium and more durable solution.
Print resistance: higher than Wax ribbons (better smudge and scratch resistance) but lower than Resin ribbon (less scratch, heat and solvent resistances)
Print speed: on label materials, Wax-resin ribbons print as fast as most Wax ribbons but at higher speed than Resin ribbons
Label compatibility: Wax-resin ribbons print on any kind of label materials while Wax ribbons will be less compatible on synthetics. Resin ribbons won’t provide such a good print quality on paper materials.

Printer compatibility: Unlike Wax ribbons, Wax-resin ribbons can run with all Thermal Transfer printers or coders regardless the printhead technology. This is why there are wax-resin ribbons for Flat-head printers and Wax-resin ribbons for Near-edge/Corner-edge printers.

ARMOR-IIMAK range of Wax-Resin ribbons

The ARMOR-IIMAK Wax-Resin range (APR®/APX®) is used in a large number of applications, whether for printing paper or synthetic labels or for flexible packaging.

ARMOR-IIMAK Wax-Resin Thermal Transfer films have numerous qualities: high speed printing (up to 1 metre per second on packing lines), durability, print resistance and print accuracy compatible with barcodes at 90°C.

The ARMOR-IIMAK range includes Wax-Resin Thermal Transfer ribbons dedicated to two thermal printer technologies: Flat-head and Near-edge.

Among the ARMOR-IIMAK range, wax-resin ribbons are available in the following families:

ACCESS: APR 1 for Flat-head, APR 400 for Near-edge
CLUB: APR 6 for Flat-head, NET Flex + XL, PRIME Mark
EXPERT: APX FH+ for Flat-head, APR 650 for Near-edge
SPECIALS: APR 503 and ULTRA V for Flat-head

Wax-resin ribbons are available in a variety of colors to suit a multitude of applications.

Need more information?

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