You wouldn’t believe how many calls we get from customers telling us their card printer ribbons are broken. It is a very common problem. However, remember, don’t throw out those ribbons. Broken ribbons can usually still be used by taping them back together.

Once you’ve taped them back together, remember to keep in mind a few helpful steps to make it less likely those printer ribbons will break in the future.

Number 1: Clean Your Card Printer

Clean your printer regularly. The majority of printers should be cleaned each time after you change your ribbon. If you need a Card Printer Cleaning Kit, please give us a call. We have kits available for all printer models. Also, once you clean your printer, but before you install a new ribbon, remember to calibrate the ribbon sensor, provided that applies to your printer. Each printer has an instructional manual to show you how to clean and calibrate your particular model. However, if you have questions, please give us a call.

Number 2: Review Your Card Template

It is important to keep in mind that only retransfer printers can print to the edge of an ID card. However, please remember, you don’t want to print too close to the edge of any card when using your direct to card printer. Printing too close to the edge can result in your ribbon breaking. As a result, be sure to check the card design you are using with your ID software program to make sure the margins are set to print within the card boundaries. You may even have to increase the size of the unprinted borders.

Number 3: Go Back to Your Default Settings

Sometimes, printer users want to use as much as ink as possible to create very rich colors. The problem with changing your settings is that it can cause the ribbon to overheat. Overheated ribbons tend to break. As a result, go back to your default settings. That should prevent future breaks.

If you have any questions about the above, or you are continuing to have issues with ribbon breaks, give us a call at (317) 488-1030.