10th February 2023
Here at BPC UK, we specialise in paper rolls, manufacturing high-quality products for a range of commercial industries. From credit card rolls to transport tickets, we have many products to select from. However, with our extensive product catalogue comes the important question of which item do you choose?
Our rolls are available to purchase in different sizes and materials, to suit a variety of printing purposes. To help you find the correct type of paper roll for you and your business, we have created a simple help guide with features to consider.
There are many popular paper roll materials available, all of which we stock on our website. You will commonly find thermal paper, BPA-free paper, as well as A Grade and multi-ply. Each of these requires different print machine specifications, which we explain below.
Thermal paper rolls can be used with a variety of print machines including EPOS systems, cash registers, and chip and pin machines. It is manufactured with a special coating that allows an image to be produced without any ink. Instead, the print is created using heat. When the coating is exposed to a higher temperature, the coating turns black. Due to this, thermal paper is compatible with machines that do not require ink ribbons or cartridges.
Traditional thermal rolls contain chemicals such as Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S, which offer stability and heat resistance. However, studies and evidence have shown that exposure to these can cause health problems, such as infertility and heart disease, which is why BPA-free paper has become so popular. Although BPA-free rolls do not include additional chemicals, they still perform just as well and can be used with nearly all thermal printers.
The a-grade rolls that we supply are compatible with machines where an ink source is required, such as a ribbon, cartridges, or rollers. They are a plain type of paper roll, that is popular with cash registers and POS systems. A Grade paper is matte in appearance, whereas thermal paper is more smooth and glossy, so you will be able to distinguish between the two.
Multi-ply or carbonless rolls are used for purposes where a copy of the receipt is required. They are suitable for kitchen printers, cash registers, and tills, that use a chemical reaction to print an image. With 2 ply and 3 ply paper rolls, a coating is applied on the front and back of the sheets, and when processed through a terminal, multiple copies are made.
When choosing the size of the paper roll, you will want to take note of the width, diameter, and core. All of our rolls are available in popular industry sizes including (measured in mm) rolls as small as 44 x 70 x 17 and as large as 112 x 90 x 25 to suit a wide range of printers.
These will all fit standard print machine sizes, depending on the one that you use. To ensure the roll fits in your machine, you will want to pay careful attention to width, as it is the most important measurement.
The width of the roll is the most crucial as it will not fit in the terminal if it is too large. To measure the width, simply place the roll on its side and measure it length to length, making sure it correlates to your machine. Generally, thermal printers are 80mm wide and credit card terminals are around 57mm.
To calculate the diameter, turn the roll so it is lying flat on its end and measure the full diameter, including the core. You only really need to know the maximum diameter your machine will take, as a smaller roll will fit, it just won’t last as long!
Most machines nowadays do not have a spindle, so measuring the core is not necessary, however, if you do have a spindle that goes through the centre, you will need to jot down the dimensions.
At BPC UK, we offer different paper thicknesses too, ranging from 46gsm to 100gsm+ to suit a range of applications.
Our products are manufactured from the finest, responsibly sourced European paper, that supports and promotes a healthy forest market. Please feel free to browse our stock on our website today or if you need some assistance choosing the correct paper roll, contact us on 01772 622804 or email sales@bpcuk.com and we will be happy to help.
