April, 2007

Updates Enhance P110i/P120i Printer Reliability

Changes to Color Ribbons - Important Firmware Update

As part of the continuous improvement program for Zebra printers, two product changes are happening for the P110i and P120i printers:

Improved Ribbon Cartridge

Zebra has begun shipment of revised ribbons for the P110i and P120i printers. These ribbons have two changes to the cartridge that will improve reliability:

An added bushing that reduces the torque required to turn the ribbon. This will reduce the occasional instances of False Out-of-Ribbon messages that can happen when the printer believes that it has reached end-of-ribbon due to high torque.

The plastic housing has been extended downward, protecting the leaf spring that holds the built-in cleaning roller.

The new ribbons are easily identified, even when still in the shrink-wrap packaging. Simply look for the external bushing "ring" and the plastic case extension on one side of the ribbons, as shown in the photo at right.

This is a running change to the current ribbon products; there are no part number changes. As most users will not experience any difference in performance or reliability from these new ribbons, there is no need to change their ribbons from their current ribbons to the new version.

New Firmware Enhances Reliability

Starting April 30th, Zebra will begin shipment from Camarillo of printers that incorporate updated firmware (version 1.10.10). This new firmware is highly recommended for most users. The new firmware is now available for download from the Zebra Card public website (www.zebracard.com).

This firmware includes the correction to an error condition that can under certain circumstances reset the printer to a default state, thereby erasing fine-tuning adjustments done at the factory before shipment (including X/Y image offsets) or those done by customers. The new firmware ensures that the printer remembers these settings, providing consistent performance.

If you have any questions about either of these product updates, please contact us directly.