Zebra problem: settings on max3300 (aka MaxSecure 3300) In order for lamination proce3ss to start, should ribbon settings be "both sides" when front is color and reverse (back) is B&W? Should also be three or two layers? What is setting 180 degrees: none or both sides? TIA

Either your print-driver settings don't match the ribbon installed, or you have a bad ribbon sensor. Check your driver settings via the Windows printer center screen (Win7: Start Button => Devices and Printers; WinXP: Start Button => Printers and Faxes); locate your Zebra printer, then right-click on it and select "Printing Preferences". Locate the tab for the ribbon setting, and ensure the setting here matches the ribbon you have loaded. NOTE - you must have Windows administrator rights for your Windows log-in ID to make any changes to the driver settings. Contact your network administrator if you do not have these elevated privileges, and they can log in and make any required change for you.

Check to see if there is some gunk or paste stuck in there.

Should be able to order this:
http://www.barcodesinc.com/zebra/s4m-ribbons.htm

If your ribbon is breaking while printing a card, there area few things to look at.

• Check that the printer driver has the appropriate ribbon selected. If a different ribbon is selected on the driver other than what you are using in the printer. Go into the driver and change the setting to the correct ribbon.
• Another reason your ribbon may be breaking is because the "X" offset is set too low or too high, in other words the printing is beginning too close to the left side of the card, or ending too much to the right side so when the print head goes down to print on the card, the ribbon gets sliced because the print head and the edge of the card knife the ribbon. In order to eliminate this problem, increase or decrease the "X" offset value. I recommend a minimum of three digits up/down depending on the circumstance. For example: X-offset = 06...increase X-offset to 09. If the "X" offset is to high...EX: X-offset = 20...decrease X-offset to 17. Do not increase or decrease the value by more than 5.
• If ribbon appears melted onto card, the print head may be damaged. Do not try adjusting. Immediately contact your re-seller or Zebra technical support.
• If ribbon is breaking and nothing is being printed onthe card, contact your re-seller or Zebra technical support.

Power on while holding the pause button for 5 seconds. This should print black bar across the width of the label. If this prints, then check the darkness parameter in your label format or driver. Also check to make sure your ribbon is feeding coated side out. There is a shiny side and a dull side to a ribbon. The dull side should be against the media. If it is leaving an image on the ribbon and nothing on the label the ribbon is either loaded incorrectly or not a zebra ribbon.

The P430 and the P330 are similar, P430 print both sides from the card, and the P330 just print one site, but the commands to send are the sane. Please try !SA command from the driver.

Some possible reasons:
1. The darkness is not set high enough for the paper/ribbon combination
2. The ribbon is on backwards. Zebra uses coated-side out ribbons so the ribbon should be coming off the right side of the roll if you're looking at it from the side.

Hope that helps !

hi
This error means that your printer machine is not working correctly so I would suggest you to go to the vendor.

Have you checked for minute folds in your ribbon? Once you get a fold in the ribbon, no matter how small, you may have to manually feed several feet of ribbon through to get rid of the ripple. We have had similar problems in the past with inexperienced operators installing new ribbons.

The zebra ribbon has ink on one side and the other side has a backcoating which protects the printhead. simple way to check is to peel off a label and momentarily stick to ribbon and remove. This will show you which side is inked.

If ribbon is installed correctly then reset the printer and re-calibrate it. 1. install labels and ribbon 2. power on printer. If you have a solid green light on then 3 turn printer off. 4 hold down feed key 5 power printer on and after 2 seconds release feed key. printer will perform a calibration routine and eventually print out status page. IMPORTANT 6 Hit Feed Key once more. Printer will display Out Of Dump message. Your printer has now been sucessfully calibrated.