Kyocera launches revolutionary TPA series thermal printhead
Offers industry’s highest speed with exceptional quality for barcode labels in healthcare, food processing, other key markets.
- Printing Devices
Kyoto/Esslingen − Kyocera Corporation has unveiled the new "TPA Series" thermal printhead, which delivers exceptional printing quality at an impressive speed of 250 mm per second (mm/s) — setting a new industry benchmark*1 for barcode label applications. These printheads will enhance productivity in many fields, including distribution, food processing, and healthcare. Full-scale production is planned for August 2025.
| Product name | "TPA Series" thermal printhead for barcode labels |
| Model number | TPA-108-8TCC2-PFS TPA-108-8TCC2-PFS TPA-108-8TCC2-PFS3 |
| Applications | Barcode labels Desktop printers |
| Mass production | August 2025 |
Main features
1. High-quality printing at industry's fastest speed (250 mm/sec.).
2. Expanded head mounting position tolerance.
3. Excellent environmental resistance and low wear for long-distance running.
Development background
With the rising trend toward urbanization in emerging economies and the increasing demand for consumer goods, including food, clothing, and housing, the volume of logistics continues to intensify. In the food processing industry, barcode printing demand has surged with rising requirements to provide product and delivery details, including mandatory nutritional information. Meanwhile, methods to improve operational efficiencies and decrease labor costs are needed worldwide. Faster, more durable thermal printheads for printing labels and barcodes are required for reliable, high-volume and varied applications.
Product specifications
1. High-quality printing at the industry's fastest speed (250 mm/sec.)
Kyocera's unique heating element formation technology has achieved the industry's fastest printing speed of 250 mm/sec. Furthermore, even at high printing speeds, the printing remains clear from start to finish, with higher definition and quality.
Evaluation grades for barcode print quality standard: ISO15416
| Grade | Evaluation | Interpretation |
| A | 3.6～4.0 | Readable by scanning each section once |
| B | 2.5～3.5 | Readable if scanned multiple times |
| C | 1.5～2.4 | Readable if multiple locations are scanned once |
| D | 0.5～1.4 | Readable if multiple locations are scanned multiple times |
| F | 0.0～0.4 | Reading is not possible or not reliable |
2. Flexible head mounting positions support a wide variety of print media
To achieve high print quality, the conventional head structure has been improved, and heat conduction from the heating element has been enhanced for broader head mounting position tolerance. Stable, high-quality printing is now possible on a wide variety of print media across the entire printing width.
Wide nip width for easy installation
3. Withstands severe environmental conditions, offering reduced wear and extended life
The TPA Series provides improved corrosion and wear resistance through Kyocera’s unique film deposition technology. As a result, the printhead’s superior robustness even under severe environmental conditions contributes to longer life with less wear over extended duty cycles.
*Kyocera research, July 2025
*Kyocera research, July 2025
| Printer | Kyocera evaluation printer for TPA series |
| Thermal paper | 150LA-1 (RICOH Technologies, direct thermal label paper) |
| Platen roller | Diameter: 14 mm Hardness: 45 Shore A |
| Pressure | 31.5 N |
| Print speed | 250 mm/s |
| Print patterns | 1: Print ratio 50% 2: Print ratio 25% 3: Print ratio 12.5% 4: Print ratio 0% |
| Printing distance | 100 km |