CD duplication is the process where a CD is created by copying an original disc to a new disc. In the present day many small business are using CD Duplication to promote their products and services. Therefore, the discs must look professional as they have to represent the business well. One way of doing this is to print a design onto the discs using a thermal printing technique.
The thermal printing process when printing Cd’s involves heating up a plate which then presses a film of colours onto the disc leaving the desired image. The resulting disc will be both scratch proof and water resistant with a very high quality print similar to that which could be bought in a shop today.
However, there are a range of thermal CD printers on the market and which one to use is often a difficult choice. There is a range of different models and manufactures who sell thermal printers and all come at different prices with different levels of quality and with different additional options such as operating systems. Therefore, how can we know which printer provides the best value
Here are the main points to consider when deciding on which thermal printer to buy;
- What is the price of the machine? – What quality (DPI) can the printer print at? – Can the printer print colour or just monochrome? – Is the printer compatible with the main computer operating systems? – Does the printer come with any additional options (i.e. CD Duplicator attached)? – How much maintenance does the machine require? – How much do the consumables for the machine cost? – How long does it take to print a disc?
When considering which thermal printer is best it is important to consider all of the above criteria to make sure the printer meets your required needs.
A good example of a top of the range CD thermal printer is the Rimage Everest 600. This printer is one of the most expensive models available. However, in terms of its process, durability and running cost it is second to none. It is the industry standard in terms of thermal CD printers and the constantly improving technology ensures it will continue to get better.
As the CD duplication market continues to grow thermal printers will also continue to develop to bring down prices but increase efficiency. However, you can always be sure to factor in the above criteria to understand if the desired printer has value for you.