In this paper, various factors affecting the operation of an electromagnetic actuator used in thermal transfer printers are being investigated. The magnetic and electromechanical performance of these devices were optimised. New improved actuator geometries were implemented, and compared with the commercially available design to improve it. The need for using laminated cores to enable fast operation is discussed and such a core is built and tested. It is also shown how the print speed can be increased from 2400 to 3540 labels/min, by changing the geometry of the actuator, as well as by choosing the most suitable magnetic material. It is demonstrated how the best geometry of the actuator can be achieved with the aid of finite element computer packages. Three print-head actuators are compared to a commercial design and conclusions are drawn for the best geometry and magnetic material.