Thermal transfer printing
（重定向自Thermal wax printer）
Thermal transfer printing is a digital printing process in which material is applied to paper (or some other material) by melting a coating of ribbon so that it stays glued to the material on which the print is applied. It contrasts with direct thermal printing where no ribbon is present in the process. It was invented by SATO corporation. The world's first thermal transfer label printer SATO M-2311 was produced in 1981.