Industrial Wax-Resin Ribbon

CW-30 is our extreme wax-resin grade, and it works from -40°C to +80°C. In the grade table it is listed for coated paper (heavy duty), polyester (PET) labels and polypropylene (PP) labels. On PET and PP that matches CW-22, so the reason to choose CW-30 is the range, not the material: freezer and cold-store labels, and labels that move between cold and warm.

The range is a statement about the ribbon. The label material and its adhesive set their own limits, and a print on a label that cracks or lifts still fails. So test the whole cycle on your own labels: print, freeze, bring to room temperature, scan. Zebra's ribbon data sheets make the same point, advising that every ribbon be pre-tested for its end use.

CW-30 and CW-25 are the two top-of-range wax-resin grades, and they overlap on coated paper, PET and PP. CW-25 is the one listed for HDPE, and CW-30 is the one with a stated temperature range. If your labels are HDPE, ask for CW-25. If they live in a freezer or a cold store, ask for CW-30.

Compared with CW-22, the premium grade, CW-30 lists the same PET and PP and carries the stated range, so CW-22 is the first test if the labels never see cold. And if the label is a polyester or polypropylene film that must resist sustained solvent or chemical contact, long outdoor exposure or sterilisation, the right ribbon is resin: CW-28, or CW-33 for sterilisation.

CW-30 is wax-resin, so it needs more heat than wax and prints at moderate speeds, as TSC and Zebra describe the type. Start from a wax-resin setting, raise darkness in small steps, and slow the speed if the barcode does not verify. Stop at the lowest setting that works. A setting that is too high can burn through the ribbon and wear the printhead early.

For cold-chain work, print and verify the barcodes at room temperature first, then freeze the labels, bring them back to room temperature and scan them again. Keep one untouched label to compare. If the second scan fails, the cause is as likely to be the label or adhesive as the ribbon, and the sample you ran tells you which to change.

CW-30 is slit in widths between 25mm and 160mm and in lengths from 50m to 600m, on half-inch or 1-inch cores, notched if needed, wound inside or outside. Standard sizes have no minimum order and are dispatched the same day.

For a high-speed line, tell us the printer model and label material when you ask for a free sample, so that the sample matches your real conditions. MSDS is available on request.