Light print, spots or voids, blurry or smeared bar-codes; it must be the ribbons fault, right?  Not so fast…  Most printing problems have nothing to do with the ribbon itself, but the thermal printer’s condition, settings and components.  Check out these tips below before you throw out that new case of ribbons.

Most thermal printing issues can be prevented by simple maintenance.  Cleaning cards, swabs, pens and wipes can all be purchased for this purpose or you can use drug store isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth.  Simply dab the alcohol on the cloth and gently wipe the print-head free of wax, resin, dust and other debris.  For thermal transfer printing this should be done with every ribbon change.  For direct thermal printing, this should be done with ever roll change.

If after cleaning your print-head you are still having issues, please look at the troubleshooting tips below.  If you can’t find a solution below and still need help, please feel free to contact us. 

Light print

• Commonly referred to as ‘underburn’; this occurs when there is not enough ribbon transfer during printing.  Increase the printhead’s energy setting or use a ribbon with higher sensitivity.  You can also check to make sure there is sufficient pressure between the printhead and media.

Very Dark, Smeared or Blurry Print

• Commonly referred to as ‘overburn’; this occurs when the heat setting is too high and there is too much ribbon transfer during printing.  Lower the printhead’s energy setting or use a ribbon with higher sensitivity.  You may also need to reduce or adjust the print speed.

Bar-codes too narrow or wide

• Adjust the print speed and printhead energy setting one level at a time until you have reached the desired outcome.

Not Printing At All

• Make sure the media is loaded correctly and that the ribbons are compatible with the printer (coated side in or out).  Reference the OEM printer manual for specifications (can be found online if you don’t have it).

Diagonal Lines

• This is normally caused by the ribbon wrinkling.  Make sure the media is loaded correctly and that it is feeding smoothly and evenly.  If problem persists, you many need to lower the print speed. 

Spots or Voids

• This can caused be dust or dirt on the printhead and/or media.  Clean the printhead and ensure there is not excessive dust on the media. 

Repetitive Spots or Voids

• If you have cleaned the printhead and there is a repetitive spot, then it is most likely due to a burned out heat element in the printhead.  Simply replace the printhead and continue printing.