Abstract: A thermal printer apparatus has a plurality of print stations for recording image information onto a receiver moving past the print stations. An adjustable-speed receiver drive mechanism is adapted to advance the receiver along the path. A plurality of sensors adapted to detect the temperature of the receiver and other surfaces along the path. A controller adjusts the speed of the drive mechanism as a function of the detected temperatures so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver. An empirical model of receiver speed as a function of measured receiver temperature is used in software to predict receiver speed during printing.