QR codes, or quick response codes, enable companies of all backgrounds to engage consumers, promote deals, and share information. A type of two-dimensional barcode, QR codes can store much more information than conventional one-dimensional barcodes and can be used creatively, such as in television commercials, print advertisements, restaurants, and product packaging. Data embedded in a QR code, such as a website link, product or contact information, or a promotional deal, can be accessed by anyone with a smartphone or code reader.

QR codes are used in many industries, including:

To meet the needs of different operations, the coding and marking market is filled with various QR code printer options. Below, we compare these different systems, explain their advantages and disadvantages, and examine their ideal applications.

QR Code Printer Option Comparison

This table lists today’s most popular QR code printing options and their general features. Below it, you will find more details on each listed solution. To jump to a specific solution selection, click on the printer title in the table’s leftmost column.

Direct Thermal Label Printer

Direct thermal label printers are small, highly-affordable machines that place QR codes on specially-coated paper and paper stock. 

Unlike most printers, direct thermal printers do not create markings with ink, toner, or similar consumables. Instead, they have thermal printheads that apply heat to coated paper and paper stock. The heat causes the substrate to darken, leaving behind a black code, message, or image. 

Low upfront costs and minimal consumables make direct thermal printers an affordable QR code printing option. However, the low cost comes at the expense of high print quality and durability. Compared to other QR code printing solutions, direct thermal label printers create lower-resolution markings that are more susceptible to damage from:

• Heat
• Light
• Moisture
• Abrasion

Because of this, direct thermal printers are not suitable for applications that require long-lasting codes. Instead, direct thermal printers should be used to complete short-term coding applications and internal processes.

Thermal Transfer Overprinter

Thermal transfer overprinters (TTO) are production line printers that specialize in creating high-quality text, stark images, and machine-scannable codes. Compatible with various plastics, flexible packaging, paper, and cardboard, TTO models use heat to transfer ink from wax- or resin-covered ribbons onto substrates in order to create the intended marking. To make these markings, TTO units must be in direct contact with a material surface. 

Users integrate TTO models into their production lines by combining them with host machines. Two common host machines are print and apply label machines and FFS (form, fill, seal) packaging machines. Direct thermal printers can be integrated similarly, but TTO units create labels with:

• Higher code quality
• Better durability 
• Longer life spans

Compared to direct thermal printers, TTO models are also more expensive up front, have pricier consumables, and require more maintenance. However, if your QR codes need to survive exposure to light, heat, and abrasion for more than a few months, TTO is worth the investment. 

Continuous Inkjet Printer

Continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers are a non-contact marking option for production line QR code printing. CIJ models like the DuraCode Touchscreen can print at speeds above 300 m/min. and create markings up to 15 mm tall. 

To print substrates, CIJ printers create an internal cycle of pressurized ink that continuously cycles from a fluid-filled reservoir toward a piezoelectric printhead. Because of this, CIJ printers can accurately mark materials moving at high speeds for up to 24 hours a day without interruption. These capabilities enable high-volume manufacturing and packaging operations to create efficient marking workflows and meet demanding quotas. 

Moreover, CIJ printers are compatible with diverse ink formulas, and their piezoelectric printheads excel at coding curved surfaces. These qualities enable CIJ printers to mark many of today’s most popular packaging forms, including:

CIJ printers are well-suited for high-speed printing on a wide range of materials. Although their resolution capabilities are powerful enough to create machine-scannable QR codes, print quality and height are limited compared to other non-contact options like thermal inkjet printers, high-resolution case coders, and laser systems.

Thermal Inkjet Printer  

Compact, affordable, and versatile, thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers are another option for non-contact QR code printing. While CIJ printers pressurize ink via pumps and vibrations, TIJ printers propel ink via heat application. By rapidly warming the liquid ink within their disposable cartridges, TIJ printers are able to create distinct droplets and expel them toward a substrate, thus creating the intended code. 

Compared to CIJ printers, TIJ models can create higher-resolution markings at larger sizes. For example, the Anser X1 thermal inkjet printer can print 600 x 600 DPI codes at a height of 1-2 inches if you use the stitch printhead functionality. With these specifications, the Anser X1 is able to print high-quality, large-scale QR codes on various forms of primary and secondary packaging. 

While CIJ printers are compatible with most porous and non-porous packaging materials, TIJ material compatibility is model-dependent. For example, the Anser U2 Smart can only use porous-compatible inks, while the Anser X1 and Anser Pro-S can mark both porous and non-porous substrates. Accordingly, you must do your research to ensure that a TIJ model will work with your materials. 

In general, TIJ printing speeds are also slower than CIJ printing speeds, with most TIJ models maxing out at around 100 m/min. However, high-end TIJ models like the Anser X1 max out at 300 m/min, a marking speed that rivals CIJ. 

High-Resolution Case Coder

Designed to mark porous materials such as corrugated boxes, high-resolution (hi-res) case coders excel at placing large codes and stark images on secondary packaging. Hi-res models are built with larger printheads and use thicker inks than other production line printing systems. As a result, hi-res units like the Precision Series 72mm create larger, better-looking markings. 

Although hi-res case coders are not often used to mark primary packaging, they excel at coding secondary packaging materials. Instead of applying physical labels to their cardboard boxes, many operations use hi-res models to directly place large-scale QR codes, logos, and shipping information on them. By replacing physical labels with direct marking, users benefit from:

• Fewer errors
• Faster application times
• Lower material costs

Of course, the limited material compatibility prevents hi-res units from completing some of the most popular QR coding applications. As a secondary packaging option, however, hi-res is a top-tier option. 

Laser Marking System

While they aren’t technically “printers,” laser marking systems are one of today’s most effective QR coding options. Efficient, accurate, and capable of placing highly-detailed codes on diverse substrates, laser marking systems are built with large print windows and can code materials at speeds of around 2,000 characters per second and above. 

These abilities come at the cost of a higher upfront system investment. However, laser systems do not need consumables like ink and solvent to create markings. As a result, their ongoing expenses are much lower than CIJ, TIJ, and other conventional printer options. They have very few maintenance needs as well.

Material compatibility varies by laser type. To meet the needs of different companies, InkJet, Inc. carries three laser technologies:

• CO2 laser systems (including an LDR system that excels at bottling applications)
• Fiber laser systems
• UV laser systems

All of these technologies share the same approximate speeds, accuracy levels, and quality build. Their differences largely concern material compatibility. See the chart below for a quick material compatibility overview.