One of the common issues our Technical Support team handles involves printer ribbons breaking. The good news is that these ribbons can often be repaired by taping the torn sections together. However, after repairing the ribbon, it’s crucial to identify and address the underlying cause to prevent future breakages.

Here are some useful tips for fixing and preventing torn printer ribbons:

Tip #1:
Reset your printer driver settings to their defaults. Adjusting these settings can sometimes cause ribbons to overheat and break, particularly when users try to increase ink output for richer, darker colors. Restoring the default settings can help avoid this issue.

Tip #2:
Clean your printer and calibrate the ribbon sensor regularly. Proper cleaning and sensor calibration are vital for preventing ribbon damage. Follow your printer manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning and sensor calibration or reach us for more info. Most printers require cleaning each time a new ribbon is loaded. Printer cleaning kits are widely available for various models. After cleaning, ensure you calibrate the ribbon sensor before installing a new ribbon, if applicable to your printer.

Tip #3:
Avoid printing too close to the edges with direct-to-card (dye sublimation) printers. Only reverse transfer printers are designed to print edge-to-edge. Attempting this with a direct-to-card printer can cause the ribbon to snap. Adjust your card design in the software to include a slightly larger unprinted border around the edges.