Frustrated with your thermal printers?

these tips & TDS can help

Troubleshooting the top 5 thermal printing problems

1. LABELS SKIPPING

When a thermal printer is skipping labels, it’s usually because of a simple misalignment of the media sensor or dirt in the media sensor. Try aligning the sensor or blowing it out, and then re-calibrating the printer.

2. FLASHING RED LIGHT

Don’t let this ominous color stress you out too much—on most thermal printers a flashing red light usually just means that your printer is out of media! Loading another roll of labels or ribbons, and then pressing the ‘Feed’ button (or equivalent) should be all you need to do to get back to green!

3. CUT PLATEN ROLLER

When a label wraps around the platen roller; the manufacturers recommend that you do not use a knife to remove it because a cut roller can’t provide the even printing surface that thermal printheads need to be able to sweep/press against in order to deliver clear, consistent prints. If any of your printers’ rollers have labels wrapped around them, manually remove as much of the label(s) as possible and try to rub off the rest with isopropyl alcohol.

4. LOW PRINT QUALITY

Many things can cause low-quality prints, but two of the most common culprits are dirt within the printhead assembly or improper tension on the ribbon supply spool. If you’ve cleaned your printer head and verified that tension is set correctly, yet your print quality is still poor—then consider having the printer serviced by a professional. They’ll know exactly what to check for in order to diagnose and fix the problem as efficiently as possible.

5. SERVICE NO-SHOWS

Even the best equipment will need some basic maintenance. When picking a printer service partner, make sure you go with a team like TDS that’ll always be respectful of your time and your business. Our technicians are experts in printer setup, maintenance, and repair; and our top-notch dispatch team will make sure you’re always up-to-date via emails and phone calls.

OR, LET US TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING!

TDS OFFERS SERVICE AGREEMENTS, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO.

Whether you’ve already tried all of the above or would just rather stay focused on your business rather than being your own tech—we’ve got you covered. Reach out to us today to learn about our comprehensive, competitive service agreements, and let our nationwide network of experts handle all of the routine maintenance your devices need!

Let us take care of: