Print Quality Problems And Solutions - Dascom 1500 User Manual

Solving problems

Print Quality Problems and Solutions

Poor print quality or other printing problems are often caused by incorrect printer set-up
or incorrect software settings. A gradual decrease in print quality usually indicates a worn
ribbon. The following table identifies common print quality problems and suggests solu-
tions.
Problem
Printing is too light or too dark.
Smears and stains appear on the
page.
Printing is erratic or the wrong
characters are printed. Many "?"
or unexpected characters are
printed.
The page is blank.
Printing is vertically misaligned
(jagged).
Printing is too light, probably
you hear sporadically "ticktack".
6-2
Solution
Make sure that the ribbon cartridge is properly
installed and that the ribbon feeds smoothly.
Make sure that the Print Gap lever is set for the
thickness of your paper. Refer to Chapter 2, "Paper
handling".
Check ribbon wear. Replace the ribbon if neces-
sary.
Make sure that the Print Gap lever is set for the
thickness of your paper. Refer to the section "Paper
Thickness and Number of Copies" in Chapter 2, "Oper-
ating the printer".
Check ribbon wear. Replace the ribbon if neces-
sary.
Check whether the tip of the printhead is dirty.
Clean the head with a soft cloth if necessary.
The printhead should be changed by a technician.
Make sure that the interface cable is securely con-
nected to both the printer and computer.
Make sure that the printer Emulation selected in
your software is the same as the Emulation
selected on the printer. For information on printer
emulations, refer to the section "PRINTER CON-
TROL menu" in Chapter 4, "Special mode".
Make sure that the ribbon cartridge is properly
installed. Refer to the section "Installing the Ribbon
Cartridge" in Chapter 5, "Maintenance".
Use the printer's vertical alignment function to
check the vertical print alignment. If necessary,
adjust the print alignment. See the section "Printing
Alignment Adjustment" in Chapter 4, "Special mode".
As the ribbon may be blocked or stuck, please try
replacing the ribbon.
Troubleshooting