Calibrating Zebra ZD620 & ZD621 printers

As you calibrate the printer, use the arrow buttons and the two buttons below the display to navigate the printer’s menus. The left button is called the HOME button. The right button starts actions or selects items.

Before you begin calibration:

1. Press HOME (lower left button)
2. Press the checkmark (✔) button to enter SETTINGS.
3. Press the right (▶) button until PRINT MODE appears.
4. Press the up (▲) button to select TEAR OFF, then press the HOME button twice. This prevents wasted badges while calibrating.

When you’re done calibrating, go back to the PRINT MODE setting and set it to CUTTER.

ZD620 quick calibration (SmartCal Media Calibration)

Some Zebra printers have a quick calibrate function that’s much easier than doing a full manual calibration. After loading badges, simply press and hold the pause (II) and X buttons at the same time for over 2 seconds until badges start feeding out. If the screen shows an error or badges aren’t printing in the right location, follow the manual calibration steps below.

ZD620 manual calibration

1. Press HOME, then the right (▶) arrow to select TOOLS. Press the (✔) button.
2. Press the right (▶) arrow 4 times until MEDIA/RIBBON CAL appears. Press START (lower right button).
3. The screen shows LOAD BACKING. Press the pause (II) button.
4. The screen shows **CALIBRATING PLEASE WAIT **for a few seconds, then RELOAD ALL CONTINUE appears. Press pause (II) again.
5. CALIBRATING PLEASE WAIT appears one more time, and badges begin feeding through the printer. When the badges stop feeding through, the pause light above the screen should be on, and no errors should appear.
6. Open the printer again and pull the badges that were fed through back onto the roll so they’re not wasted. After you close the printer again, the pause light will be on. Press pause (II), and the pause light should turn off.

Now, change the PRINT MODE selection back to CUTTER as described above.

You’re ready to print! Now is a good time to set up your kiosk iPads.

Calibrating ZD621 model printers (LCD touchscreen)

ZD621 automatic calibration

Tap Wizards > Print, then tap Start Print and follow the instructions on the screen, keeping the following in mind:

• If badges have a black bar on the back, select Mark as the Media Type. Otherwise, select Gap/Notch and position the yellow sensor so that the badge gaps or notches pass over it.
• Select Tear Off on the Media Handling step to prevent wasted badges while calibrating.

If automatic calibration fails, follow the instructions below to manually calibrate the printer. Otherwise, open the printer again and pull back the badges that were fed through so they’re not wasted. Close the printer again, and the pause light will be on. Press the pause button, and a single badge will feed out.

Now, tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Media Handling, and select Cutter.

You’re ready to print!

ZD621 manual calibration

Before you begin manual calibration, tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Media Handling, and select Tear Off. This prevents wasted badges while calibrating. When calibration is done and you’re ready to print badges, go back and select Cutter instead.

1. Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Sensors > Manual Calibration, then tap Start Calibration.
2. Follow the steps on the screen to continue, keeping in mind that if you’re using fanfold badges that sit in a stack behind the printer, wait until calibration step 6 to load badges.
3. When you tap ‘Calibrate’ on step 9, badges begin feeding through the printer. When the badges stop feeding through, the pause light above the screen should be on, and no errors should appear. Press the pause button (II), and the pause light should turn off.
4. Open the printer again and pull back the badges that were fed through so they’re not wasted. Close the printer again, and the pause light will be on. Press the pause button, and a single badge will feed out.
5. Now change the ‘Media Handling’ setting back to ‘Cutter’ as described at the beginning of this section.
6. You’re ready to print!

Testing

Always test several badge prints to make sure the printer is correctly loaded and calibrated. Use the Onsite App on one of the kiosk iPads to print a badge and use the troubleshooting steps below to resolve any errors or problems.

Set up and test at least one day before check-in begins, then test each morning of the event to make sure everything still works properly.