Zebra Technologies ZM600, ZM400, ZM400201101L0T labels, labels, entire label, three labels, Wrinkled ribbon, Smudge marks on, too dark over the, misprint of one to, Misregistration and

106Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems

Table 16 • Print Quality Problems (Continued)

Problem	Possible Cause	Recommended Solution
Wrinkled ribbon	Ribbon fed through the	See Load Ribbon on page 47.
	machine incorrectly.
	Incorrect burn temperature.	Set the darkness to the lowest possible setting for
		good print quality. See Adjust Print Darkness
		on page 62.
	Incorrect or uneven printhead	Set the printhead pressure to the minimum
	pressure.	needed for good print quality. See Adjust
		Printhead Pressure on page 53.
	Media not feeding properly;	Make sure that media is snug by adjusting the
	“walking” from side to side.	media guide, or call a service technician.
	The strip plate needs adjusting.	Call a service technician.
	The printhead needs vertical	Call a service technician.
	adjustment.
	The printhead is improperly	Call a service technician.
	balanced.
	The printhead and platen roller	Call a service technician.
	need to be realigned.
Printing too light or	The media or ribbon is not	Replace supplies with those recommended for
too dark over the	designed for high-speed	high-speed operation.
entire label	operation.
	You are using an incorrect	1. Switch to a different type of media or ribbon
	combination of media and	to try to find a compatible combination.
	ribbon for your application.	2. If necessary, consult your authorized Zebra
		reseller or distributor for information and
		advice.
	You are using ribbon with	Direct thermal media does not require ribbon. To
	direct thermal media.	check if you are using direct thermal media,
		perform the label scratch test in When to Use
		Ribbon on page 27.
	Incorrect or uneven printhead	Set the pressure to the minimum needed. See
	pressure.	Adjust Printhead Pressure on page 53.
Smudge marks on	The media or ribbon is not	Replace supplies with those recommended for
labels	designed for high-speed	high-speed operation.
	operation.
Misregistration/skips	The printer is not calibrated.	Recalibrate the printer.
labels
	Improper label format.	Use correct label format.
Misregistration and	The platen roller is dirty.	See Clean the Printhead and Platen Roller
misprint of one to		on page 90.
three labels
	Media does not meet	Use media that meets specifications.
	specifications.

79695L-001 Rev. A ZM400/ZM600 User Guide 3/27/07