Zebra Technologies ZP 450 There are long tracks of missing print (blank vertical lines) on several labels., The printing does not start at the top of the label or misprinting of one to t hree labe ls., A ZPL label format was sent to, but not recognized by, the printer.

Troubleshooting

Print Quality Problems

P1031442-001 ZP 450 User Guide 12/8/2010

There are long tracks of missing print (blank vertical lines) on several labels.

• The printhead is dirty. Clean the printhead.

• The printhead e lements are damag ed.

The printing does not start at the top of the label or misprinting of one to t hree labe ls.

• The media may not be threaded correctly. Follow the instructions for Loading Roll Media

on page 9 in the Getting Started section.

• The printer needs t o be calibrated. Refe r to the two-flash seq uence of Feed Button Modes

on page 56 in this section.

• ZPL Label Formats - The correct media sensor may not be activated. Manual calibration

selects the media sens ing method for the labe ls being us ed (refer t o the ^MN comman d in

the ZPL Programming Guide).

• ZPL Label Formats - Verify that the Label Top (^LT) command is correctly set for your

application (consult the ZPL Programming Guide).

• EPL Label Formats - The correct media sensor may not be activated for label dispensing,

blackline or notch sensi ng, or for G ap/Web sensing. Manual cali bration sel ects the m edia

sensing method for the labels being used (refer to the O and Q commands in the EP L

Programmer’s Guide).

• EPL Label Formats - Verify that the Set Label Length (Q) command is correctly set for

your application (consult the EPL Programmer’s Guide).

A ZPL label format was sent to, but not recognized by, the printer.

• Is the printer in pause mode? If so, press the Feed button.

• If the status LED is on or flashing, refer to What the Status Ligh t is Telling You on page 46.

• Make sure the data cable is correctly installed.

• A communications problem has occurred. First, make sure that the correct

communications po rt on the computer is selected. R efer to Connecting your Printer to a

Computer onpage 17 in the Getting Started section.

• Verify the correct Format and Control Prefix on the printer match what you are using in

your ZPL programmed label format. The default Format (COMMAND CHAR) is Caret

(^) character and the Control (CONTROL CHAR) is a Tilde (~) character. Verify the

characters with the Configuration Status label printout. Refer to the one-flash sequence of

Feed Button Modes on page 56 to print this label.