Issue | Possible Cause(s) and Remedies |
|---|---|
The printed image does not look right. | The printer may be set at an incorrect darkness level and/or print speed. Perform the Print Quality test (FEED self-test) to determine the ideal darkness and speed settings for your application. Be sure NOT to set print speeds above the manufacturer’s maximum rated speed for your print media. |
The printhead may be dirty. Clean the printhead. See Cleaning the Printhead. | |
The platen roller is dirty or damaged. Clean or replace the platen. See Cleaning and Replacing the Platen. | |
The printhead has worn out or is damaged. Replace the printhead. See Replacing the Printhead. | |
With Thermal Transfer printing, the print looks fuzzy, has smudge marks, or has voids or holes in print with no particular pattern. The print material (wax, wax-resin, or resin) may not match the material (paper, media coating, or synthetics) in use. Set the printer for no higher than the maximum recommended print speed of the ribbon cartridge. See Ribbon Cartridge Programming Commands for reading cartridge features. | |
The wrong power supply may be in use. Verify you are using the power supply that came with this printer. | |
No print on the label. | The media may not be direct thermal media (and is thermal media, made for thermal transfer printers). Load the right media for your printer type. See Determining Thermal Media Types to determine the media type. |
Media has been loaded incorrectly. The media printable surface must face up towards the printhead. See Getting Ready to Print and Loading Media. | |
Labels are distorted in size, or the print area start position varies, or the printed image skips between labels (faulty registration). | Media has been loaded incorrectly or the movable media sensor is not set properly. Verify that the sensor is set and positioned correctly for your media type and sensing location. See Loading Media, Setting Media Sensing by Media type, and Adjusting the Movable Sensor for Web (Gap) Sensing. |
The media sensors are not calibrated for your media length, physical properties, or sensing type (gap/notch, continuous, or mark). See Running a SmartCal Media Calibration. If it still skips labels try Manually Calibrating Media. | |
The platen (drive) roller is slipping or damaged. Clean or replace the platen. See Cleaning and Replacing the Platen. | |
The printer may have communication issues with cables or communication settings. See Resolve Communication Issues. |
