Match the ribbon to your face material

Thermal transfer ribbons consist of a protective back coat, a film and ink.  The ribbon protects the printhead from abrasion.  As the heat generates from the printhead, the film provides thermal conductivity for the ink whilst as the same time prevents the ink from smearing.  Thermal transfer ribbons can be spilt into 3 basic categories.  The most popular and lowest in comparative cost is the Wax-Based ribbon.  These are used with paper and some synthetics.  A very high quality image is produced but will scratch or smudge if subjected to abrasion or heat.  Resin-based ribbons produce high quality images on paper and synthetics.  The image is resistant to scratching, smearing, abrasion and will be unaffected by many chemicals and other harsh environments.  Some combinations of synthetic and resin ribbon can withstand temperatures over 1000F.  Wax/Resin ribbons have many of the features of wax and resin ribbons but at a lower cost than resin products.