Troubleshooting
Printing Issues
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P1062653-002 Rev. A ZD500 Series™ Thermal Transfer Printer User’s Guide 1/16/2014
Printing IssuesThis section helps you identify possible issues with printing or print quality, the possible
causes, and the recommended solutions.
Table 2 • Printing Issues
Issue Possible Cause Recommended Solution
General print quality
issues - The printed
image does not look
right.
The printhead is dirty. Clean the printhead. See Cleaning the Printhead
on page 111 and Platen Cleaning and
Replacement onpage 114
The printer is set at an incorrect
darkness level and/or print
speed.
For optimal print quality, set the darkness to the
lowest possible setting for your for bar codes and
balance that with graphic and text quality in your
application.
Don not set print speeds above the manufacture
maximum rated speed for your media or ribbon.
You may want to perform the Print Quality
Report on page 135 to determine the ideal
darkness and speed settings for your application.
See SETTINGS Menu on page 52 - DARKNESS
for how to change the darkness setting.
See SETTINGS Menu onp age 52 - PRINT
SPEED for how to change the print speed.
You are using an incorrect
combination of labels and
ribbon for your application.
1. Switch to a different type of media or ribbon
to try to find a compatible combination.
1. If necessary, consult your authorized Zebra
reseller or distributor for information and
advice.
You maybe using the wrong
power supply.
Verify the printer has the correct 100 Watt power
supply that came with this printer.
The printhead has worn out. Replace the printhead. The printhead is a
consumable item and will wear out due to
friction between the media and printhead.
Using unapproved media may shorten life
or damage your printhead.
The platen may need cleaning
or replacement.