How To Prevent Your DS Card Printer Ribbons from Snapping
Card printers are essential for many businesses, enabling them to create professional ID cards, student cards, membership, loyalty, event and gift cards.
Printer ribbons allow you to produce rich coloured cards with defined text and images that pop based on your chosen colours.
However, card printer users may encounter one common issue: ribbon snapping or breaking.
This problem can disrupt workflow, waste ribbons, and produce less-than-ideal card prints.
In this blog, we'll explore the reasons behind ribbon snapping and provide step-by-step guidance on preventing it. Card Monster is here to help!
Understanding Ribbon Snapping
Ribbon snapping in a card printer occurs when the printer's settings have changed. Usually, the settings have changed to a higher intensity to make colours seem richer and more prominent. This causes the ribbons to overheat, leading to breakage.
This issue can be particularly frustrating, as it not only results in the loss of ribbons but also disrupts the printing process.
The good news is that you can take specific steps to prevent ribbon snapping, as outlined in the video instructions provided.
Reverting to Default Printer Settings
Changing settings in your printer dashboard can cause the ribbons to get so hot that they snap. Usually, you will have to change your printer properties back to default to prevent this from happening again.
This ensures the printer operates within safe parameters and avoids excessive heat buildup.
What will happen is that you may have mistakenly gone into your printer settings and changed the intensity of your colour panel. This would make the print on your cards richer and more prominent. However, it will damage your ribbons.
If you've ever adjusted your printer settings and encountered ribbon snapping, restoring the default settings can often resolve the issue.
Troubleshooting Ribbon Snapping
Usually, you can fix a broken ribbon by following our video on Repairing a broken ribbon.
If you have fixed the broken ribbon by taping it together and it keeps snapping, follow along in our explanation.
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Accessing Printer Properties
Begin by accessing your computer's Control Panel and selecting "View devices and printers."
- Once you've reached this point, locate your card printer. usually it will be labeled as an XPS card printer. Left click on the XPS card printer and proceed to access its printer properties.
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Finding the Unique IP Address
In the printer properties, navigate to the "printer status" section, where you'll find the unique IP address necessary to access your printer's dashboard. This IP address is vital for accessing your printer dashboard to change your settings and prevent your ribbon from snapping.
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Logging into the Printer Dashboard
You must log into your printer's dashboard to make these crucial adjustments. Type in the IP address on your browser. You can use Chrome, bing, yahoo, etc to access the printer dashboard. A pop-up will direct you to say the site is unsafe. Ignore this and proceed to the site.
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Configuring Printer Settings
Once you've successfully logged in, look for the "burger icon" (usually located on the left-hand side of the dashboard).
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Select "Configurations" and underneath, select "Settings" to access the printer's settings. -
Adjusting YMC Power Duplex (Color Ribbon)
If you're working with a colour ribbon, scroll down to find the "YMC Power Duplex" setting. This setting lets you modify the printing intensity for the backside Y, M, and C ribbon panels. Increase the value to make colour printing more intense or decrease it to reduce the intensity and prevent ribbon breaks while printing in colour.
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Troubleshooting Colour Ribbon Snapping
Sometimes, ribbon snapping occurs because the intensity of colour printing is too high, causing overheating. You might have increased this value to make your cards appear more vibrant, but it can lead to ribbon snapping. It's recommended to decrease the value to around -39 for optimal results.
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Preventing Monochrome Ribbon Snapping
For those working with monochrome ribbons, scroll up to "Kpower" under the print settings. Ensure that all the values are set to 0. This adjustment will prevent ribbon snapping when using monochrome ribbons.
Conclusion
In conclusion, preventing card printer ribbon snapping or breaking is crucial for maintaining smooth and efficient card printing operations.
By understanding the reasons behind ribbon snapping and following the step-by-step instructions outlined in this blog, you can keep your card printer running smoothly and produce high-quality cards without the frustration of ribbon-related issues.
Remember to keep your printer settings in check and revert to default settings if necessary, ensuring a hassle-free card printing experience.
We hope this guide has been helpful in addressing ribbon snapping problems in your entrust and DS card printer. If you encounter any issues or have further questions, don't hesitate to reach out for assistance. Happy card printing!
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