Zebra ZXP Series 9 Card Printer Support
This page covers the most common technical-based questions and helpful troubleshooting tips relating to the Zebra ZXP Series 9 ID Card Printer.
Zebra ZXP Series 9 Printer Support FAQs
How do I load cards?
How often should I clean the ZXP Series 9?
How do I initiate a clean?
How do I clear a card jam?
How do I adjust the transfer temperature?
How do I use the Operator Control Panel (OCP)?
How do I resolve print quality issues?
How do I resolve transfer quality issues?
Zebra ZXP Series 9 resources
How do I load cards?
To load cards into the Zebra ZXP Series 9:
- Remove the card stack from its package and ensure you hold it by the sides (it’s important you don’t touch print surfaces).
- Push the stack back and forth to an angle of around 45 degrees from vertical to ensure you separate all the cards and remove any static charge.
- Open the feeder cartridge door and slide the card stack pusher all the way to the right until it locks in place.
- Place the card stack in the feeder cartridge in the correct orientation.
- For optimum performance, ensure the cards are seated properly and then close the feeder cartridge door.
How often should I clean the ZXP Series 9?
You should clean your cards with certified Zebra products to maintain components such as the print head to ensure that printing quality remains unaffected. You should replace the X-Cleaning and Y-Cleaning rollers evert 5,000 cards, while a thorough Heated Roller clean should occur every 20,000 cards.
You can find the total number of cards printed and laminated by accessing the Printer Properties under the ‘Device Information’ tab on the OCP menu.
How do I initiate a clean?
To initiate the ZXP Series 9 cleaning process:
- Select ‘Menu’ on the OCP (Operator Control Panel).
- From the main menu select ‘Advanced Settings’
- From the ‘Advanced Settings’ menu select ‘Clean Printer’.
- Select ‘Clean Side Card Path’ to run the X-roller cleaning routine.
- Ensure you’re using the specific X-roller cleaning card.
- Follow the instructions on the OCP (Operator Control Panel).
- Select ‘Clean Front Card Path’ to run the Y-roller cleaning routine.
- Ensure you’re using the specific Y-roller cleaning card.
- Follow the instructions on the OCP (Operator Control Panel).
- Select ‘Clean Transfer Path’ to run the heated roller cleaning routine.
- Ensure you’re using the specific hot roller cleaning card.
- Follow the instructions of the OCP (Operator Control Panel).
When the above procedures are complete, the OCP will return to the ‘Clean Printer’ menu.
How do I clear a card jam?
A card jam in the ZXP Series 9 will be reported on the OCP when a card fails to reach a sensor as it should do, or if a card bocks a sensor unexpectedly. The most common places for this to occur on the ZXP Series 9 is in the card path or in the transfer station.
To resolve the majority of card jams:
- Open the printer cover
- Open the idler cover
- If it is present, remove the card. If it isn’t, follow the next steps.
- Turn the manual advance wheel next to the transfer station. Continue turning until the wheel stops or the card has been ejected sufficiently enough to remove it.
How do I adjust the transfer temperature?
If your cards are suffering from light printing or missing transfer, you may need to adjust the transfer temperature. To do this:
- Go to your ‘Devices and Printers’ folder and right-click on ‘Zebra ZXP Series 9’.
- Select ‘Printing Preferences’ from the pop-up menu and in the window that pops up, click ‘ZXP Toolbox’.
- From the Toolbox, select ‘Printer Settings’. You will now be able to adjust the transfer temperature as required. You should adjust it in increments of 5 and carry out a test print until you are satisfied with the result.
- Remember to click ‘Save Settings’ before exiting the menu to save any changes.
How do I use the Operator Control Panel (OCP)?
The Zebra ZXP Series 9 is equipped with a digital display and three buttons that allow access to the main printer menus. You can use this for actions such as cleaning and printing test cards. The screen will also display important warning and error messages which can be found in the Zebra ZXP Series 9 user manual.
- Press the ‘Menu’ button for access to the Main Menu. From the main menu you can print test cards, clean the printer and adjust settings including those for the network, printer, encoders and wireless connections.
- Press the ‘Info’ button to access and view key printer information.
- Press the ‘Print’ button to print the last card stored in the memory.
How do I solve issues with print quality?
Print quality refers to the quality of text, barcodes and images that are printed on to the film. We run through a few of the main print quality issues here, and how you can go about resolving them.
If your ZXP Series 9 prints cards containing colours you don’t expect, there’s several things you can do:
- Make adjustments in the ‘Colour Optimisation’ tab within ‘Printer Preferences’. The exact changes will depend on the colour requirements.
- Create and apply a ‘Windows ICC’ colour profile (if using the driver).
- You can contact Zebra directly to create a custom lookup table that can be downloaded to your printer via the ZXP Toolbox.
Spots, speckles and tiny marks appearing on your card are caused by dirt, dust and debris in the printer itself. To resolve this you should carry out a thorough clean as outlined in the instructions on this page.
If the image printed on your card seems to have shifted position, you may have an image placement problem. To resolve this:
- Use the ‘Print Position’ adjustment feature in the ZXP Toolbox. This is located under the ‘Calibration’ tab.
If your cards are printing with smears, it is probably because there is a sudden contrast between dark and light on your card design and the print head does not have sufficient time to cool. To resolve this:
- Lower the ‘Preheat’ value in the Colour Optimisation tab within the ‘Printing Preferences’ control panel.
- Switch the ‘Fine’ print mode in the ‘Card Setup’ tab.
When black text or image appears slightly blurred, there may be a problem where the text or image was not printed using the black printer ribbon panel. To resolve this:
- Check the source image RGB values. The RGB value should not exceed 25,25,25 for printing with the black panel. Modify the value if required.
- Adjust the properties in the Front or Back K Extraction menu (refer to the ‘Help’ content that’s available in the ‘Printing Preferences’ control panel.
How do I resolve transfer quality issues?
Transfer quality issues refers to the quality of the transfer between card and film. An incomplete card may be a sign of a transfer problem. We’ve outlined some common transfer problems and potential solutions below.
If images are appearing incomplete on a printed card, it’s possible there is a problem with the transfer. It’s caused by a lack of sufficient energy during the adhesion process. To resolve this:
- Adjust the transfer settings within the ‘Custom card types’ tab of the ‘Printing Preferences’ control panel.
- If this problem only occurs during the printing of the first few cards, adjust the warm-up delay to allow the transfer station to fully warm up before printing. The warm-up delay can be set in the ‘Advanced’ menu on the OCP (Operator Control Panel).
An imbalance in the energy applied during the adhesion process can cause cards to warp. To resolve this:
- Adjust the transfer settings: Lower the top/bottom transfer temperature as outlined in the instructions on this page.
- Switch to a type of card that is more resistant to high temperatures.
‘Flash’ is a byproduct of the transfer process and appears as small shares of transfer film. These may be clear or coloured depending on the card design being printed and can appear on the sides or top of cards.
To resolve this, adjust the image placement downward. Use the ‘Print Position’ adjustment feature within the ZXP Toolbox to do this. If this doesn’t minimise or resolve the issue, contact support.
Zebra ZXP Series 9 Resources
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