IIoT
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IIoT
Browse IIoT
The short answer
What you see
Find the symptom closest to yours. Each fix comes from the printer and ribbon makers' guides.
| What you see | Likely cause | Quick test | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkled ribbon, pale or white stripes | Ribbon too narrow for the label and liner, or the printhead out of alignment | Compare the ribbon width with the label and its liner | Use a ribbon slightly wider than the label (Honeywell advises about 10 mm wider than label and liner). If it still wrinkles, log a service call |
| Labels come out blank | Ribbon loaded with the coated side away from the label, or a ribbon wound the wrong way for the printer | Sticky-label test on the outside of the roll (see below) | Load it the right way, or use a ribbon wound for your printer |
| Smudges or scratches when labels are handled | Ribbon grade too soft for the label or its use: wax on synthetic labels, or labels that are rubbed or wiped | Rub a printed label with your thumb | Move to wax/resin for paper and synthetic labels, or resin for tough films, chemicals and heat |
| Poor print on synthetic labels at high speed | Print speed above 6 inches per second on synthetic labels | Slow the printer down and print again | Zebra advises staying at or below 6 inches per second on synthetic labels |
| Ribbon error with no ribbon loaded | The printer is set to thermal transfer but you use direct thermal labels | Scratch the label with a fingernail: a dark mark means direct thermal | Set the print method to direct thermal; no ribbon is needed |
| Ribbon does not fit the spindle or runs out early | Wrong core size or roll length for the printer | Check the core inside diameter and roll length against the printer's ribbon specification | Order the length and core your printer takes (for example the ZT400 series: 25 mm core, up to 450 m) |
Ribbon and labels work as a pair: buy them as a tested pair, and tell us the label material when you order ribbon.
Two quick tests
Ribbons are wound with the ink coating on the outside or the inside. Your printer takes one of them, unless it accepts both (some printers have an optional spindle or a selector).
Press the sticky corner of a label onto the outer surface of the ribbon roll and peel it off. If ink comes away on the label, the outside is coated.
Lay the ribbon outer side down on paper and scratch the inner side with a fingernail. A mark on the paper means the outside is coated.
Zebra's ZT400 series standard spindle takes ribbon coated on the outside, with an optional spindle for ribbon coated on the inside. The GK888t takes only outside-coated ribbon. Honeywell's PX940 takes both, with a selector switch.
A ribbon wound the other way puts its ink away from the label, so nothing prints, and Zebra warns that an inside-coated ribbon on the wrong spindle can damage the spindle and the printhead.
Choose the grade
For coated paper labels and fast printing, where labels see little chemical exposure or abrasion: shipping, retail and shelf labels.
For smooth, gloss or top-coated paper and matte synthetic labels. Better scratch and smear resistance than wax, and moderate heat and chemical resistance.
For polyester, polypropylene and vinyl labels exposed to chemicals, solvents, heat or outdoor use.
Some synthetic labels resist scratching and smearing far better than others: Zebra rates polyolefin labels low for scratch and smear resistance, and polyester high. Tell us where the label will be used.
Size it right
The decision
Reprinting labels and holding a dispatch cost more than the right ribbon. Fix the cause, not just the symptom.
Wrong width, wrong winding or a grade that smudges: order the ribbon that suits your label and printer.
Print method, darkness and speed: set them for your labels, and recalibrate after a new roll.
Wrinkles that stay with the right ribbon, or a ribbon that will not run straight, point to the printer: we can check it on site or at our Chennai office.
A ribbon narrower than the label, or abrasive labels and ribbon, can wear the printhead. If lines stay after you fix the ribbon, see the printhead guide.
What next
Pick the case closest to yours. The button tells us what you need.
Tell us the label material and where it is used, and we suggest the ribbon grade that suits it.
Consider: Barcode ribbons
Send the printer model, label size and a photo of the ribbon roll. We confirm the width, winding and core.
Consider: Zebra ribbons
New label or a new use? Send us a label sample or its material, and we suggest the matching ribbon.
Consider: Barcode labels
Questions buyers ask
Usually the ribbon is too narrow for the label and liner, or the printhead is out of alignment. Use a ribbon slightly wider than the label; if wrinkles stay, the printer needs checking.
The coated side of the ribbon is facing away from the label, or the ribbon is wound the wrong way for your printer. Do the sticky-label test and load it the right way.
The ribbon grade is too soft for the label or its use, for example wax on synthetic labels. Wax/resin or resin ribbons resist smearing and scratching better.
No. The ribbon should be at least as wide as the label, or the printhead rubs bare label and wears faster.
It depends on the printer model (width, winding, core, length) and your label material. Send us both and we confirm the right ribbon.
Ask our team for today's competitive price. Share the printer model, label size and material, and we will send a written quotation with current pricing and delivery time.
Send us the printer model, label size and material, and a photo of a printed label. We look for the cause and suggest the ribbon that suits the label.
If a barcode stops scanning or printing, call or WhatsApp us: we check the printer, label, ribbon and scanner settings with you remotely, and visit or take the unit in when that does not fix it.
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