 | End Of Service Life (EOSL) Zebra no longer provide services or support for ZM400, ZM600, RZ400, and RZ600 products. This knowledge article is for your reference only and is no longer proactively updated.
For more details, refer to Discontinued Printers. If you are interested in upgrading your products, Contact Zebra. |
Print quality is a product of proper printer setup and the use of compatible media for the application.
Thermal Transfer printing uses a ribbon that must be compatible with the labels to ensure the printer meets the requirements the user expects.
Direct Thermal (no ribbon) labels must be approved for thermal printing applications since it does come in direct contact with the printhead.
The printer setup includes:
- Adjusting the printhead pressure,
- Setting the appropriate darkness level,
- Optimizing the print speed.
In addition, regular maintenance and media compatibility ensure the printer is operating at an optimal level.
Printhead Pressure must be sufficient to maintain a constant pressing of the printing media while the element heat is transferred. This pressure must be evenly distributed across the width of the label, so the image transfer is at the same intensity.
Darkness (Burn Temperature) must be set high enough to meet the print darkness needed for the image transfer but not so high as to result in image spreading or burning of the ribbon carrier. Barcodes require that the bars and spaces are of equal width, and increasing the darkness beyond those required can result in space width reduction and barcode scan failures.
Print Speed should be the lowest for achieving the desired print quality.
| NOTE The Darkness and Print Speed can be adjusted in the printer driver. |
Printhead Maintenance. Failure to properly clean the printhead elements can result in an insulating build-up that prevents heat transfer. This can also lead to printhead element failure.
The Print Width value determines the maximum width the printer will print. It is often set to the full width, and the label format defines the printed area based on the image location. Applications and drivers may set a print width and reduce the printable area-based label size. This is not a problem unless one attempts to print outside the previously restricted area. Check the LCD if this occurs to see if the Print Width was changed.
| NOTE Use the printer Pause Test Label when performing initial print quality adjustments. This will eliminate any issues introduced by the application or driver configurations. Read More>> |
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Problem
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Example
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Resolution
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Print is faded or too light when printing self-test
Note: if the problem occurs after printing from your application, verify your driver/software configurations
Note: If there is a flood coating or preprint on the label surface where the print issue occurs, check with your supplier for corrective action.
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Print is faded or too light on the left or right side. What is left or right? Read More>>
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The printhead pressure may need to be balanced. - Balancing the Printhead Pressure Detail Read More>> - ZM-Series Printhead Pressure Read More>> - ZT-Series Printhead Pressure Read More>>
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Barcode ANSI grade is low or won't scan
Note: It is common to have the darkness
set too high and cause bar spreading. This may look visually better, but it causes the spaces to be reduced, lowering the barcode grade.
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The print is smearing or rubbing off
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The ribbon is
wrinkling
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White lines in the print (vertical)
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The image is cut off on the right. What is left or right? Read More>>
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Verify that the Print Width is set correctly in the LCD Display and the driver or application configurations. For the ZT220, see the note below the table.
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If using a ribbon, ensure the ribbon is wider than the labels.
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Verify there is no debris or a label stuck to the printhead covering the print elements.
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| NOTE Because the ZT220 printer does not have an LCD change the print width in your configuration utility or application, such as the ZDesigner Driver, Zebra Setup Utilities, or ZebraNet Bridge. |
Helpful Information
