Troubleshooting Out of Ribbon Errors on the IP Series Printers
The Ribbon is Depleted - This error message usually means that the roll of ribbon has fully depleted and that a new roll of ribbon needs to be installed. Check to see if there is any ribbon left in the printer and replace the ribbon if necessary.
The Ribbon is Defective - Swap the ribbon and confirm this issue occurs on across multiple ribbons. This will determine if the issue is the printer or the materials.
The Ribbon is Sticking to the Label Surface - This will cause the printer to throw false out of ribbon errors. Increase the print speed and decrease the print head temperature. Required adjustments will vary.
- To increase print speed: On the front panel press Menu > Setup > Print Param. > Hit enter on Speed, increase speed as needed.
- To increase decrease print head temperature: On the front panel press Menu > Setup > Print Param. > Hit enter on Heat, decrease as needed.
- Note: Power cycle the printer after making these adjustments. Also make sure no similar adjustments have been made in the driver, as this will override adjustments made on the printer.
The Ribbon Is Not Loaded Correctly - Confirm the ribbon is loaded correctly. Notice how the ribbon spools behind the ribbon take-up spool.
Third Party Ribbons and Universal Cores - This can also occur when using a third party (non-Brady) ribbon. The encoder is detecting a low ribbon by the number of revs that turn within a certain time frame. When it spins fast it detects that the ribbon roll is low, if it spends slow, then it detects that the ribbon roll is full. This can happen if they have a worn universal core or have rigged the printer to house a third party ribbon somehow.
The Ribbon is Broken - This error can also occur if the ribbon film is broken. Check to see if the ribbon film is broken and re-install the ribbon if necessary.
- Note: If the ribbon film is breaking regularly, try turning down the Heat level (AKA: Print Darkness / Print Density)
Reset the Ribbon Sensor - in some isolated instances, resetting the ribbon sensor may resolve this error: How to Reset the IP Series Ribbon Sensor
Defective Ribbon Sensor - If the error still persists and ribbon information is not displayed on the screen, the ribbon sensor is likely defective. Call Brady Technical Support with the printer's serial number to discuss having the printer come in for repair.
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