Why is my printer ribbon wrinkling or breaking?

Why does a printer ribbon wrinkle? The causes cited by manufacturers

These causes are taken from the manufacturers' guides and ranked from most to least often cited; each example names the model concerned, whose entry in the model-by-model table below gives the exact procedure.

1. Ribbon loaded or tensioned incorrectlyThis is the most frequently cited cause: Zebra lists it first for its ZT models (ZT230, ZT411, ZT510), Toshiba says to remove all slack when loading (B-852, B-EX4T1, B-EX6), and Sato and GoDEX to tension the ribbon with the knob (WS4, GE300). According to Honeywell, a poorly adjusted ribbon can also break on the PD45S.
2. Printhead pressure or ribbon tension set incorrectlyZebra cites incorrect or uneven printhead pressure (ZT410, ZT421, ZT231); on the ZT610 and ZT620, the direction of the wrinkles shows which pressure toggle to adjust. Intermec blames excessive pressure and a misaligned ribbon brake shaft on the PF4i; GoDEX (EZ6250i, ZX400) and Brother (TJ-4420TN) correct wrinkles through the ribbon tension and the printhead balance.
3. Darkness set too highZebra cites an incorrect burn temperature and asks you to set the darkness to the lowest level that gives good quality (ZT410, ZT421, ZT510), and also to lower the speed if needed on the ZT421 and ZT231. Honeywell has you lower Darkness on the PD45S, Brother correct the print density on the TJ-4420TN.
4. Media drifting sidewaysAccording to Zebra, media that does not feed straight and moves from side to side wrinkles the ribbon (ZT410, ZT510, GK420t, GX420t): the media guide must hold it without play. Intermec (PF4i), Honeywell (PD45S) and Brother (TJ-4420TN) also have you adjust the edge guide or the label guide.
5. Damaged core or mismatched ribbon widthZebra warns that cores with rounded, frayed or crushed notches make the ribbon slip and wrinkle (GK420t, ZD500R), as does an empty core of a different diameter on the ZD421t. Toshiba requires a ribbon wider than the media, by at least 10 mm on the B-852 and at least 5 mm on the B-EX4T1, but without an excessive difference, which also causes wrinkles.
6. Printhead or platen roller installed incorrectlyZebra cites an incorrectly installed printhead or platen roller on the ZT410, ZT231 and ZT510, the printhead or the platen (drive) roller on the ZT610 and ZT620, and a printhead not properly latched on the GK420t and GX420t. On ZT models, this check is a job for a technician when you cannot do it yourself.

What to check, in order

1. Reload the ribbon and remove the slackFollow your model's loading procedure, with the ribbon centred and taut. Zebra then has you feed some media with FEED to remove slack and wrinkles: at least 10 cm on the GK420t, GX420t and ZD500R, at least 20 cm on the ZD411t and ZD421t.
2. Check the coresAccording to Zebra, they must have square, intact notches and the same inner diameter as the ribbon roll; never use old cores notched on one side only. GoDEX has you check on the GE300 that each core is engaged, with its notch aligned with the tab.
3. Adjust the media guideIt must hold the media without play (Zebra ZT410, ZT510); Brother sets it to the width of the labels (TJ-4420TN).
4. Lower the darknessSet it to the lowest level that gives good print quality, and reduce the speed if necessary, as Zebra requires for the ZT411, ZT421, ZT231 and ZT610.
5. Adjust the printhead pressure and the ribbon tensionPressure at the minimum that gives good quality, balanced across the width of the media. On the ZT610 and ZT620, Zebra has you increase the pressure on one toggle or reduce it on the other, depending on the diagonal of the wrinkles. GoDEX has you turn the ribbon deflector screw half a turn at a time (EZ6250i, ZX400), Brother the ribbon tension screw one notch at a time (TJ-4420TN), with a test print after each adjustment.
6. Call in a technician if the wrinkles persistZebra refers you to a technician if the media keeps drifting or if the printhead or platen roller seem incorrectly installed (ZT410, ZT420, ZT510). Brother asks you to contact its customer service after the tension adjustments and a test with other media; on the ZC100 and ZC300 card printers, Zebra refers you directly to its technical support.

Caution: According to Zebra (ZT411, ZT421), the printhead can be hot enough to cause severe burns: let it cool before touching it. Toshiba says to disconnect the mains power before working on the ribbon, and GoDEX never to adjust the printer while it is switched on. On GoDEX ribbon deflector screws, do not go beyond two turns: beyond that, the paper may no longer feed correctly.

What the documentation recommends, model by model

For 27 models, the manufacturer's documentation describes this symptom. Each row links to the detailed entry in the guide, with the full procedure and its sources.

Maintenance and repair of your printers

• Maintenance contract

  Preventive maintenance (printer checks, minor fault fixes, detailed report) and corrective maintenance (phone support, repair, express exchange). Essentiel, Confort or Premium plans.

  See the contracts

• Repair request

  Printer out of order? Give the model and the problem in the repair request form (in French) and our team will get back to you.

  Request a repair

• Quote or out-of-contract service

  Printer bought elsewhere, a fleet to bring up to date or a contract to set up: describe what you need and our team will get back to you.

  Contact us