Applies
to ZT411 and ZT421 industrial label printers used with Yellow Dog Inventory
When printed labels are faint,
too dark, smudged, or won't scan, running the Print Wizard recalibrates the
printer and prints a test label so you can judge quality. This resolves most
general print-quality problems, which usually come from incorrect print speed,
darkness, or pressure; the wrong ribbon or label type; or a dirty printhead.
• Yellow Dog Inventory–supplied labels and the correct
ribbon on hand. Yellow Dog labels are Gap/Notch
type with a Tear Off collection
method.
• Access to the printer's control panel and Home screen.
• Do not send data to the printer from the host while the
wizard is running.
Run the Print Wizard and print
a test label
1. Open the printer's media door and open the printhead
assembly.
2. On the Home screen, touch Wizards
> Print > Start Print.
3. Follow the prompts to specify each value:
a. Print type (Thermal
Transfer or Direct Thermal).
b. Label type — select Gap/Notch
for Yellow Dog–supplied labels.
c. Label width — printed on the inside of the label roll.
d. Collection method — select Tear
Off for Yellow Dog–supplied labels.
4. Load the labels and position a label over the media
sensor so it sits over the green light, then touch the checkmark.
5. At the prompt, close the printhead assembly, then touch
the checkmark. The printer calibrates automatically.
6. When prompted, touch the checkmark to print a test
label.
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ℹ NOTE — READING THE TEST LABEL
The test
label prints based on the media type you selected. Use it to check barcode
and image quality and to confirm the spacing on the tag is correct. If your
labels are smaller than the test image, only part of the label prints.
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If quality is still poor
1. At the last wizard step, touch Print Quality Assistance to print a range of
test labels at different darkness and speed settings.
2. Select the best-quality label. The printer applies its
darkness and speed settings automatically.
3. If the problem remains, confirm the printhead is clean
— clean it and the platen roller with a swab and 99.7% isopropyl alcohol, then
let the solvent evaporate before reloading media.
4. If quality is still unacceptable, troubleshoot the
specific symptom you're seeing — for example, smudge marks or light or dark
printing. See the related Print Quality Issues article.
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! IMPORTANT
Follow the
wizard prompts in the order presented. For best results, use full-width media
— if the media is smaller than the test image, the label may print truncated
or across multiple labels.
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