There are a variety of reasons why your printer may not be printing. You can either watch the video link below or read the text solutions.
PRINTER ERRORS
IF YOUR PRINTER DOES NOT HAVE A CONSTANT GREEN LIGHT ON, THEN READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. IF YOUR PRINT IS SHOWING A CONSTANT GREEN LIGHT, THEN SCROLL DOWN TO SOFTWARE ISSUES.
You will see a chart displaying a list of errors if you open up the printer. Many of these are easily fixed either by making sure all the key components are locked in correctly or by replacing the paper and ribbon. The one that you want to avoid is the dreaded system error.
SYSTEM ERROR
System errors can be the culprit of many things. The most common one is a paper jam of the entire roll or a tiny scrap from the catch tray. If the roll is visibly stuck, then forcibly wiggle it out. You may need to cut it.
System errors can also be due to paper scraps lodged within the mechanism. You can try running a foot long piece of paper through the rollers. If that doesn’t work, then I am going to recommend a method that is only for brave souls. If you are not pressed for time I recommend that you have DNP walk you through this. For this method, you will need to remove the front cover using a magnetic screwdriver. Ensure that you do not lose the screws. After you lift up the cover you will be able to better locate the scraps that are usually found near the cutter. Find and dispose of them. The cutter also needs to be on the very left. You can move it by rotating this gear until it’s in position.
RIBBON RIPPING
The ribbon is extremely fragile and can tear if handled incorrectly. This can be remedied by using a thin tape to patch the ends back together. Make sure it’s flush on the sides. Once done, advance the ribbon into the orange take up side a couple of times.
CLEANING ROLLERS / THERMAL HEAD (PRINT HEAD, HEAD, ETC.)
If any cuts or impressions appear regularly in the same place on the prints, you will need to clean the roller for any debris.
Using the alcohol pads provided, wipe any dirt off the roller while rotating it slightly. Do not over clean.
If there is debris that will not come off using the alcohol pad, run the sandpaper provided in the cleaning kit over the area lightly until the debris is removed. Clean the area afterwards with an alcohol pad.
If the problem persists then you might need to clean the thermal head. Make sure to only swipe from left to right when cleaning which means to do not go back and forth. This might scratch the head and damage the prints.
This cleaning should be done in tandem with blowing the back vent with compressed air every six months.
SOFTWARE ISSUES
You will know that there is a connection, software, or driver issue with the printer if the printer has a constant green light and it is not printing. If
CONNECTION FIX
To test if it’s a bad USB cord or USB hub, right click any image and print from there. If it’s not printing, then double check the connections and make sure they are tight. Reconnect them all possible. If it’s still not printing, then it must be a software or driver issue.
SOFTWARE FIX
First off, go into “devices and printers,” right click the DS40, and make sure it’s selected as the default printer. This might be common sense, but ensure that the program is set to print the images in the print tab. If it still doesn’t work, then it has to be a driver issue.
DRIVER ISSUE
This is the most common error, so don’t be alarmed if this is happening. To fix a driver issue, try a simple restart on the computer. If that doesn’t work, then go to devices and printers, right click the DS40, and remove device. Now turn off the printer and turn it back on. After waiting for a few seconds it should start printing. A restart of the Surface might be required.
If that doesn’t work, then repeat the steps above, but now you should uninstall the driver as well. After you “remove the device” go to the “control panel” and search “uninstall” Located the DS40 driver and uninstall it. Go into the “extras” folder on your desktop and locate the “printer install” folder. Double click driverinstall.cmd and install the driver. Not all computers have the DS40 installed in this folder, so make sure that it’s in there before going to an event. You can find the file on DNP’s website.
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch the video! Continue onto the PRINTER+ assembly page if you purchased that option. If not, then head on over to the software guide.