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5 Printer Operation Printing requires the Windows printer driver and your card design/issuing software or printer command-level programming through the printer interface. P630i & P640i Printers can be used with any Windows 2000 or Windows XP software application program, using the drivers provided on CD with the printer. Refer to Section 3 for instructions on installing the Printer Driver. i Series Printers require the use of i Series ribbons for full color printing.
Printer Operation Creating a Sample Card Creating a Sample Card Before you begin a new printing session, print a sample card to ensure that the cards will be printed correctly. Follow the steps below to create your first card: 1. Open a new Microsoft Word document. 2. If the Card Printer was not selected as the default printer, go to File > Print; and choose Zebra Card Printer from the printer names list; e.g., Zebra P640i. 3. Click the Close button. 4. Go to File > Page Setup. 5.
Printer Operation Printing a Sample Card Printing a Sample Card Once you have completed creating your sample card, you are ready to print. Ensure your printer has a Ribbon Cartridge installed. Refer to Section 2 for instructions on installing the ribbon and loading the cards. Print your sample card as follows: 1. Select File > Print to open the Print dialogue box. 2.
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Cleaning Cleaning the System Caution • PROTECT YOUR FACTORY WARRANTY! The recommended cleaning procedures must be performed to maintain your factory warranty. Other than the recommended cleaning procedures described in this manual, allow only Zebra authorized technicians to service the Printer. NEVER loosen, tighten, adjust, bend, etc., any part or cable inside the printer. NEVER use a high pressure air compressor to remove particles in the printer.
Cleaning Card Cleaning Card Cleaning Your Printer includes a simple cleaning system using a Cleaning Cassette. Cleaning Cassette Before being printed, each surface of the card is cleaned by a soft tacky roller that is itself cleaned periodically by adhesive tape in the Cleaning Cassette. By default, the roller is cleaned every 10 cards. The printer driver software allows the card count to be modified. By cleaning the roller every 10 cards, the Cleaning Cassette contains sufficient tape for 3,000 cards.
Cleaning Printhead Cleaning Printhead Cleaning The card cleaning system using the Cleaning Cassette will normally do an adequate job of cleaning the cards. However, a separate Printhead cleaning, using swabs, can remove more stubborn deposits when print anomalies persist. Caution • Only use foam-tipped swabs. Never use a sharp object to scrape deposits from the print head. Permanent damage to the print head will result. Step 1. Place the printer power switch in the ON ( | ) position. Step 2.
Cleaning Platen Care and Cleaning Platen Care and Cleaning Important • Regular cleaning of the Platen helps maintain performance. The Platen plays an important part in the printing process, providing a rigid supporting surface for the card as it passes under the Printhead. Because flatness is important, the Platen is surface ground to close tolerances. Any irregularities in the surface due to abrasion, dings, or even seemingly unimportant particles of debris can noticeably degrade printing performance.
7 Troubleshooting Most of the problems described in the following pages are correctable by the user, but please note there is the potential for unexpected results if the procedures are not followed carefully. If in doubt, call Zebra Technical Support. Before calling for technical support, do the following: • Check all cable connections, including power. • Check that the power switch is ON.
Troubleshooting Error Messages Error Messages Most error conditions are identified by the printer itself, and are reported by the computer as error messages, with corrective actions listed. The following are typical computer-reported error messages. 84 Zebra P630i & P640i Card Printer User’s Manual 980541-003 Rev.
Troubleshooting Indicator Light Status Indicator Light Status READY MEDIA ALARM ORANGE RED PRINTER STATUS GREEN YELLOW Ready to print. Printer busy. Laminator(s) in sleep mode. When not in use, the heaters cool at 1o F per minute. Laminator(s) heating up, but not yet at operating temperature. Normal. ✔ No cards in hopper, color ribbon out, cleaning tape out, laminator cassette(s) out. Mag encoding write failure. ✔ Normal.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Print Quality Problems Important • Operator should contact Zebra Card Printer Solutions Customer Service before changing any factory settings within the printer. This section will help you resolve print quality problems. The print quality is dependent on several factors. The two most important factors that will increase your print quality are cleanliness and card stock.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Example • There are non-printing horizontal lines (white) on the card surfaces. • Possible Cause: Ribbon is not correctly positioned. Solution: Ensure that the ribbon is properly rolled onto the ribbon cores and that there are no wrinkles in the ribbon. Replace ribbon; see “Installing the Ribbon” on page 15 • Possible Cause: Printhead is dirty. Solution: Clean the printhead; see “Printhead Cleaning” on page 81. • Possible Cause: Printhead elements are damaged (e.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Example • Printing shows very pale or inconsistent results. • Possible Cause: Ribbon has been stored improperly or is damaged. Solution: Change the ribbon and print again; see “Installing the Ribbon” on page 15. • Possible Cause: Cards may not meet specifications. Solution: Use a different supply of cards. • Possible Cause: Brightness and/or contrast may be set to values which are too high.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Example • Printing shows blurry printed image. • Possible Cause: Ribbon may not be correctly positioned. Solution: Check that the ribbon is properly rolled onto the ribbon cores, with no wrinkles. Replace ribbon, making sure it locks in place, and print again; see “Installing the Ribbon” on page 15. • Possible Cause: Ribbon may not be synchronized on the correct color panel position. Solution: Open lid, then close lid to synchronize ribbon.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Example • No printing on the card. • Possible Cause: Ribbon may not be installed in the printer. Solution: Check for ribbon in the printer. • Possible Cause: Cards may not meet specifications. Solution: Use a different supply of cards. • Possible Cause: Cable on printhead may be disconnected. Printhead elements may be scratched or burnt. Solution: Contact Zebra Customer Service for printhead repair or replacement information.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Example • Irregular white lines in the print, like the ribbon is wrinkling -- Ribbon Wrinkle. • Possible Cause: Ribbon may not be correctly positioned. Solution: Check to make sure that the ribbon is loaded correctly. • Possible Cause: Cards may not meet specifications. Solution: Use a different supply of cards. • Possible Cause: Dirty printhead and/or print path. Solution: Clean the printhead; see “Printhead Cleaning” on page 81. Clean the print path.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Poor color registration • Minor mis-registration of Y, M and C color passes may be due to printhead angle adjust screw not in firm contact with printhead frame; contact Zebra Customer Service. • For gross mis-registration of Y, M and C, suspect that the card not firmly positioned against left hand pick edge of truck on one or more passes. Spring at left end of platen may be missing or bound up. Contact Zebra Customer Service.
Troubleshooting Print Quality Problems Gaps in image at edges and corners • Possible de-lamination/wear of platen’s rubber surface. Try cleaning platen; see “Platen Care and Cleaning” on page 82. If unsuccessful, replace platen; contact Zebra Customer Service. • Possible non-uniformity of card thickness, or card surface defects. Continuous white or black stripes on card’s longer dimension 980541-003 Rev.
Troubleshooting Unusual Noises/Unreported Events Unusual Noises/Unreported Events Color ribbon runs for longer than 2 or 3 seconds when cover is closed (MEDIA light stays on) • Color ribbon not in Color Sensor. • Both ribbon cores not fully engaged on Spindles. • Ribbon not secured to Take-up Core. ALARM light stays ON after error condition is cleared Note • There is a delay after closing the cover before the ALARM light goes out. • Some alarms require recycling power in order to clear.
Troubleshooting Unusual Noises/Unreported Events K (Black) panel sticks to card • Printhead running too hot. Can happen after head replacement if head resistance incorrectly entered through printer driver. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Black panel density and/or preheat set too high. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Check ribbon take-up and supply torques. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Color image printing with K (black) panel.
Troubleshooting Unusual Noises/Unreported Events Unusual events In any of the following cases, and all other unusual events, try power cycling first, then investigate specific issues: • Printhead descends before card arrives. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Printhead stays down after card has gone away. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Laminate cutter fails to operate. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Unusual media light indications. Contact Zebra Customer Service.
Troubleshooting Printhead Failures Printhead Failures White line across length of the card • The white line is a sign of a blown pixel. • The adjacent black stripe is a printhead driver problem (i.e., components on the head itself). • These are independent problems, not necessarily co-located, that may require replacement of the printhead; contact Zebra Customer Service. Random occurrences of white (unprinted) spots • Possible card quality problem. Run IDPrint Lite with graytone.
Troubleshooting Printhead Failures Random colored patterns on image • Ribbon wrinkling. Reduce take-up torque. Check printhead pressure. Contact Zebra Customer Service. • Too much heat being applied to YMC panels. Try reducing gain, offset and preheat separately for each color in the driver Device Settings > Color Calibration; “Color Calibration” on page 59. Typically, the set of values should be the same for each color. • Printhead running too hot.
Troubleshooting Laminate Problems Laminate Problems Laminate not centered on card • Vertical offset adjust (mechanical adjustment). • Horizontal offset: Properties > Device Settings > Printer Adjustment > Laminate Station Adjust; see “Laminator Station Adjustments” on page 72. Laminate not parallel with card edges • Skew adjust (mechanical adjustment). • If using partial width laminate, edge guide not properly installed (one of two positions). • Transfer guide not properly installed.
Troubleshooting Laminate Problems Card jammed in laminator • Dings or rough edges on the card (depending on vendor, card quality can vary, even from batch to batch). • Either of the cutters fails to cut, so the card is stopped dead by a “tail” of laminate, now firmly held by the laminate feed roller, which can not be rotated by tugging on the laminate. • Heated Rollers, Infeed Rollers, or Outfeed Rollers not rotating. Corrective Action: Step 1.
Troubleshooting System Related Issues System Related Issues Printer self-test takes more than a few minutes to complete. READY indicator LED is not lit on the panel. A communications problem exists. Invalid IP address • A valid static unique IP address must be assigned to the printer. The default setting has DHCP disabled. If you do not specify either, the printer may incur an extended latency while being identified in your network.
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8 Technical Specifications Specifications -- P630i / P640 Card size: Dimensions: 54 mm x 86 mm (2.125" x 3.375") nominal Thickness: .75 mm (.03 in) ± 10%, frequently referred to as “30 mil cards” Card hopper: 150 cards Throughput: 120 cards per hour dual-sided printing (YMC on front, K on back) and laminating Print system: Single printhead, with flip station for front and back printing.
Technical Specifications Specifications -- P630i / P640 Laminating system: P640i: Separate laminators for front and back surfaces of card. P630i: Single laminator for front surface of card. Waste-free design with built-in cutters. Continuous 1 mil (0.025 mm) thick polyester film in re-loadable cassettes.
Technical Specifications Card Dimensions Card Dimensions ISO standard dimensions for plain card 2.125 ± 0.002 in (53.98 ± 0.050 mm) 980504-07-01 Radius 0.125 in (3.18 mm) 3.375 ± 0.010 in (85.72 ± 0.25 mm) 0.009 ~ 0.034 in (0.23 ~ 0.84 mm) ISO standard dimensions for magnetic stripe card 0.623 in (15.82 mm) min 0.218 in (5.54 mm) max MAGNETIC STRIPE 0~0.115 in (2.92 mm) 980541-003 Rev. B Zebra P630i & P640i Card Printer User’s Manual 0~0.115 in (2.
Technical Specifications Declarations of Conformity Declarations of Conformity cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, i For a formal certificate, please contact the Compliance Office at Zebra’s Camarillo facility. EUROPE: Norway Only: This product is also designed for IT power system with phase to phase voltage 230V. Earth grounding is via the polarized, 3-wire power cord.
Appendix A Magnetic Encoder Media Loading Orientation Caution • ONLY USE cards that comply with ISO 7810 & 7811 standards for magnetic stripe cards. The magnetic stripe must be flush to the surface of the card to work properly. Never use cards which have taped-on magnetic stripes. When loading cards with magnetic stripes into the card feeder, please ensure that the magnetic stripe is face up, facing the front of the printer. Magnetic Stripe 980541-003 Rev.
Magnetic Encoder Magnetic Card Stripe Encoding Magnetic Card Stripe Encoding This section contains information on the additional operations of the P630i or P640i Printer with Magnetic Card Stripe Encoder.The magnetic encoder uses high coercivity.
Appendix B Smart Card Contactless Encoder Introduction Smart cards can have a built-in microprocessor and/or memory chip. The printer may be equipped with an optional contactless station for programming Smart Cards. Smart card contactless encoders utilize a short-range radio signal. Use of the encoder is entirely under control of the third-party application program -- no operator action is required. All other printer operations remain the same as the standard model.
Smart Card Contactless Encoder Printing Contactless Smart Cards Printing Contactless Smart Cards When designing material to be printed on Contactless Smart Cards, be sure the printing will not be on the smart chip area (i.e., the printing on either side of the card must not be on top of or underneath the smart chip area). By looking at an un-printed card very carefully, it is possible to see the chip location (as in the figure on the left below).
Appendix C Smart Card Contact Station Introduction Smart Cards have a built-in microcomputer and/or memory chip, which is used to store fingerprints, voice recognition patterns, medical records, or other types of data. The printer may be equipped with an optional contact station for programming Smart Cards (ISO 7816). This printer model responds to commands that position the card at the contact station, where the printer connects to the contacts on the Smart Card.
Smart Card Contact Station Laminating Contact Smart Cards Laminating Contact Smart Cards The laminating patch on the top surface of a smart card has a rectangular aperture to expose the card’s electrical contacts. In all other respects the laminating process for smart cards is the same as for ordinary cards. The special laminate for the top cassette is punched with a repeated pattern. Loading procedure for smart card laminate is exactly the same as for standard laminate as shown in Chapter 2.
Appendix D Printer Security ID/Key The optional ID/Key is a physical security key that is programmed for each specific P630i or P640i printer. It is intended to prevent unauthorized use of that printer. ID Key The ID/Key has a non-alterable memory containing a unique 64-bit serial number that is compared prior to each print job with a serial number stored in the printer’s Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM). If the serial numbers fail to match, or if no ID/Key is detected, the printer is disabled.
Printer Security Printer Parameters in the Driver Printer Parameters in the Driver ID/Code The ID/Code, or password, synchronizes the driver with the printer. This prevents use of the printer with a PC not having the same ID/Code. The initial ID/Code is assigned at the factory during manufacture. The factory assigned code is located on a sticker on the underside of the ID/Key. To change this code, select Start > Printers (or Printers and Faxes).
Printer Security Printer Parameters in the Driver Password Protection Password protection is not the same as ID/Code. Password protection blocks access to various low level printer adjustment screens. To enable password protection, select Start > Printers (or Printers and Faxes). Right click Zebra P630i, or Zebra P640i, then select Properties > Device Settings > Control > Advanced Utilities. In the Password Protection section, check Use Password; and enter a password of your choice. 980541-003 Rev.
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Appendix E Worldwide Sales & Support For Technical Support or Repair Services, contact the appropriate facility listed below. North America and Latin America - Technical Support Zebra Technologies Card Printer Solutions 1001 Flynn Road Camarillo, CA 93012-8706 USA Phone: email: +1 800 511 9909 (when calling from within the U.S.) +1 805 577-7002, option 1 (when calling from Latin America) techsupport@zebra.
Worldwide Sales & Support Europe, Middle East, and Africa - Technical Support Zebra Technologies Card Printer Solutions Dukes Meadow Millboard Road, Bourne End Buckinghamshire SL8 5XF, UK Phone: FAX: e-mail: +44 (0) 1628 556 000 +44 (0) 1628 556 001 cardts@zebra.com Europe, Middle East, and Africa - Repair Services Before returning any equipment to Zebra Technologies Corporation for in-warranty or out-ofwarranty repair, contact Repair Services for a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number.
