1. ZT400 Series Industrial Printer User Guide
  2. Printer Setup
  3. Loading the Ribbon
  • ZT400 Series Industrial Printer User Guide
Loading the Ribbon

Loading the Ribbon

This section applies only to printers that have the Thermal Transfer option installed. Ribbon is used only with thermal transfer labels. For direct thermal labels, do not load ribbon in the printer.
You are not required to turn off the printer power when working near an open printhead, but Zebra recommends it as a precaution. If you turn off the power, you will lose all temporary settings, such as label formats, and you must reload them before you resume printing.
Use ribbon that is wider than the media to protect the printhead from wear. Ribbon must be coated on the outside for use in a standard printer. For more information, see 'What Kind of Ribbon Can I Use?' in Ribbon.
  1. Raise the media door.
    The printhead may be hot and could cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool.
  2. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever.
  3. Place the roll of ribbon on the ribbon supply spindle with the loose end of the ribbon unrolling as shown. Push the roll back as far as it will go.
  4. Bring the ribbon under the printhead assembly and around its left side, as shown.
  5. With the ribbon tracking as far back as it can under the printhead assembly, wrap the ribbon around the ribbon take-up spindle. Rotate the spindle several turns in the direction shown to tighten and align the ribbon.
  6. Is media already loaded in the printer?
    If...
    Then...
    No
    Load media in the printer. (See Loading the Media.)
    Yes
    1. Rotate the printhead-open lever downward until it locks the printhead in place.
    2. Close the media door.
    3. Press
      PAUSE
       to exit pause mode and enable printing.
His completes the ribbon (and media) loading.