One Bag, Two Results: Why the Back Prints Perfectly but the Front Comes Out Incomplete And How Adsure solved Thermal Transfer Print Incomplete Issues

A customer ran a thermal transfer print test on the samples we shipped. The result looked like a contradiction. The back side, with denser graphics and more text, printed sharp and complete. But the front side, with a simpler layout, came out incomplete—missing parts of text and graphics.

Many operators face thermal transfer print incomplete issues where the front side fades while the back side prints perfectly. This is often a setup problem, not a bag defect.

Same bags. Same shipment. So what changed?

Step One at ADSURE: Confirm the “Inside” Before Questioning the “Outside”

Before we propose any theory, we verify facts. We compared the bags previously used at the customer’s site with the ADSURE samples, and we also ran internal checks. We confirmed that both sides of the film are printable under proper thermal transfer conditions.

That matters because if one side prints cleanly, it strongly suggests the film itself is compatible with thermal transfer, and the issue is more likely tied to printing conditions rather than the bag material.

Common Causes for Thermal Transfer Print Incomplete Results

Thermal transfer quality is not just about the bag—it’s about whether the ribbon coating fully transfers from ribbon to film. When the transfer is incomplete, the symptoms look exactly like what the customer saw: broken letters, missing strokes, partial graphics.​

In practice, incomplete transfer most often comes down to a small mismatch in ribbon, settings, or contact quality (heat/pressure/speed).​

The Fastest Fix (Start Here)

Overseas production teams move fast and don’t want a long checklist. So we always start with one action that has the highest chance of solving the problem immediately.

Quick Fix

Increase darkness/heat slightly and slow the print speed one step, then reprint the exact same front-side file. This widens the transfer window so the ribbon coating releases completely onto the film.​

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If You Want to Solve It in One Email: 3 Quick Checks

A step-by-step diagnostic flow used by the ADSURE technical team to identify and resolve incomplete thermal transfer printing in Autobag systems by verifying ribbon specifications and printer settings.

After reviewing the customer’s print photos and the job setup, our team proposed three quick checks that usually pinpoint the difference between “prints perfect” and “prints incomplete.”

Check 1 — Same ribbon spec for both jobs?

Please confirm whether the thermal transfer ribbons used for the front-side and back-side prints are the same specification (same type/grade and width). Ribbon grade matters because different coatings release differently under the same heat and speed

Check 2 — Are the settings truly identical?

Please confirm whether the temperature/energy (darkness), pressure, and speed are set to the same parameters for both front and back printing. Even small differences in energy or speed can show up as missing strokes—especially on fine text.​

Check 3 — Copy the “good side” recipe

If the back side prints perfectly, the fastest way to validate the root cause is to copy the back-side printer settings/profile and apply them to the front-side job, then print again. If the front-side print becomes complete, the issue is confirmed as a job setting mismatch—not a bag issue.​

The ADSURE Difference

It’s easy to blame packaging material when print quality fails. But automated packaging is a system: bag + ribbon + printer + settings + operation. At ADSURE, we stay optimistic and practical—because solving the problem together is always faster than debating where it “should” be.

If you’re running Autobag systems and want reliable thermal transfer print results, contact the ADSURE technical team.