Approved Media And Ribbon; Controlling Print Quality - Datamax Iclass Operator's Manual

7.2 Approved Media and Ribbon

To achieve optimum print quality and maximum printhead life, DATAMAX brand media and
ribbons must be used. These supplies are specially formulated for use in this printer. The
use of non-Datamax supplies may affect the print quality, performance, and life of the
printer or its components (see the Warranty Statement). For a current list of approved
media and ribbons, contact a Media Representative at (407) 523-5650.
Media selection is an important determinant in the throughput, quality, and performance of
the printed product. General factors to consider are listed below:
Direct Thermal –
The abrasiveness of the material covering the reactive layer of the media.
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The amount of heat required to start the chemical reaction.
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The ability of the media to control the chemical reaction.
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Thermal Transfer –
The combination of top coatings and ribbons may affect image quality.
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The ribbon back coating can provide printhead protection and, depending upon the
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formula, help reduce static buildup.
The ribbon width, when slightly wider than the media, can also guard against
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abrasion.

7.2.1 Controlling Print Quality

The printer provides flexible print controls. Of these, the amount of heat applied and the
rate of media movement will have the most effect on the printed output. Four settings are
available via PRINT CONTROL (see Section 4.2.3):
HEAT sets the printing energy level, where lower amounts lighten the image and
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higher amounts darken it;
PRINT SPEED adjusts throughput, where slow speeds allow more time for energy
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transfer and fast speeds may require more HEAT to achieve the desired contrast;
CONTRAST fine-tunes the gray (shaded) areas of the image; and,
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DARKNESS fine-tunes the black areas of the image.
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Note: Depending on HOST SETTINGS, some print quality settings can be overridden by
the host; see Section 4.2.6.
100 I-Class