label An adhesive-backed piece of paper, plastic, or other material on which information is printed.

label available sensor For printers equipped with the Peel-Off Option, this sensor detects a printed label waiting to be taken or “picked” by the operator. While it detects this label, the printer will not print additional labels. Once the label has been taken, printing resumes. Also called “take-label sensor”.

label backing (label liner) The material on which labels are affixed during manufacture and which is discarded or recycled by the end-users. Label backing (or liner) has a non-stick surface which allows the label to be easily removed by the end-user and placed in the desired location.

mark sensing See “reflective media sensor”.

media Material onto which data is printed by the printer. Types of media include: tagstock, continuous, fanfold, roll, etc.

media hanger The hanger that supports media rolls and provides consistent media feed to the printhead.

non-volatile memory Electronic memory that retains data even when power is removed.

print speed The speed at which printing occurs. For thermal transfer printers, this speed is expressed in terms of ips (inches per second). Zebra offers printers that can print from 2 ips to 12 ips.

printhead wear The degradation of the surface of the printhead and/or the print elements over time. Heat and abrasion can cause printhead wear. Therefore, to maximize the life of your printhead use the lowest print darkness setting (sometimes called “burn temperature” or “head temperature”) and the lowest printhead/toggle pressure necessary. Also, use ribbon that is as wide or wider than the media, to protect the printhead from the rougher media.

reflective media sensor A sensor that detects a black mark on the back of media by measuring the reflectivity of the media. This mark helps the printer determine label size and print reg- istration.

registration Alignment of printing with respect to the top of a label/tag.

ribbon A band of inked material that is pressed by the printhead against the media to transfer an image onto the media, which in turn is pressed against the platen. A ribbon consists of a base film coated with wax or resin “ink”. Zebra ribbons also have a back coating that protects the printhead from damage. The ribbon transfers ink onto the media when heated by the printhead.

Glossary - 2

Zebra S-Series User’s Guide