Why Do My Card Printer Ribbons Keep Breaking?
A torn ribbon is by far the most annoying thing that can happen to your card printer. Below you will find the most common reasons why ribbons can break and how to avoid them.
1. You have never cleaned your card printer. Card printers are very sensitive to dust and debris. Tiny particles of dust and oil from fingerprints can and will cause all kinds of problems. Cleaning your printer after every ribbon change is a good rule of thumb. Also, if your printer has not been used in a while, I would suggest cleaning it before you start printing again.
2. You are trying to print over the edge of the card. Standard direct-to-card printers print directly to the card surface, and can get pretty close to the edge (edge to edge) but cannot print a full bleed (over the edge). Trying to achieve this may result in the ribbon breaking.
3. You have increased the color intensity. If the heat settings are turned up too high, this may also cause the ribbon to tear. Knowing the limitations of your card printer is important.
4. Your printer is old and you have never recalibrated the sensors. All equipment is subject to wear and tear. Even if your card count is low, basic maintenance is required. Printer user guides provide easy to follow instructions for recalibrating a ribbon sensor. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have the latest firmware and driver installed.
While in most cases you can simply tape the ribbon back together and keep printing with no problems, improper use can lead to a costly repair or an early printer replacement.
ID Wholesaler specializes in all ID card printer brands and would happy to provide a phone and/or web based training session to show you how to properly take care of your card printer and ensure years of uninterrupted use. Call an ID Professional today for assistance at (800)321-4405 x5.
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